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Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton is in Ecton, Northamptonshire, Churches in Northamptonshire.
Interior of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Windows at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Exterior of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Monument to unknown person at Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Various monuments to the Isted family at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
On 18th November 1641 John Palmer (age 29) was appointed Rector of the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] which position he held for life.
In 1707 Dean Samuel Freeman died at Ecton, Northamptonshire whilst visiting. He was buried at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 14th March 1711 Eleanor Franklin (age 77) died. Gravestone of Eleanor Franklin at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map]. The graves of Eleanor and her husband Thomas were shown to Benjamin Franklin (age 5) when he visited the graveyard in 1758 looking for his grandfather Thomas Franklin which he didn't find.
1732. Monument to John Palmer at Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] sculpted by John Michael Rysbrack (age 37).
After 31st March 1761. Monument to John Palmer (deceased) at Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] sculpted by H Cox. Bust by John Michael Rysbrack (age 66).
John Palmer: Around 1695 he was born to Thomas Palmer. On 31st March 1761 he died.
After 28th January 1763. Monument to Ann Isted (deceased) at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] possibly sculpted Henry Cheere 1st Baronet (age 60).
Ann Isted: On 26th February 1683 she was born to Ambrose Isted and Sarah Feltham. On 28th January 1763 she died unmarried.
After 26th September 1811. Monument to Elizabeth Percy (age 46) at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Elizabeth Percy: Reverend Pierce Meade and she were married. On 11th July 1765 she was born to Bishop Thomas Percy and Anne Gutteridge. On 26th September 1825 she died at Ecton, Northamptonshire.
After 18th April 1817. Monument to Catherine Maria Whalley nee Packe at Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] sculpted by John Charles Felix Rossi (age 55).
After 6th February 1841. Monument to Thomas Palmer Whalley at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
After 6th January 1902. Memorial to Admiral Edward Southwell Sotheby (deceased) at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map].
Admiral Edward Southwell Sotheby: On 14th May 1813 he was born to Admiral Thomas Sotheby and Mary Anne Bourke. On 23rd June 1864 he and Lucy Elizabeth Adeane were married. On 6th January 1902 he died at 26 Green Street Mayfair. He was buried at Highgate Cemetery.
1910. Monument to Benjamin Franklin at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Ecton [Map] sculpted by L Frits Roselieb in 1910.
Benjamin Franklin: On 17th January 1706 he was born to Josiah Franklin at Milk Street, Boston. On 17th April 1790 Benjamin Franklin died.
