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.
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Over Peover, Cheshire is in Cheshire.
In 1316 William "The Elder" IV Mainwaring was born to William Mainwaring III of Over Peover [aged 30] in Over Peover, Cheshire.
Around 1344 John Mainwaring was born to William "The Elder" IV Mainwaring [aged 28] in Over Peover, Cheshire. He married before 1410 Margaret Stafford.
Around 1345 William Mainwaring was born to William "The Elder" IV Mainwaring [aged 29] in Over Peover, Cheshire.
In 1352 Emma Mainwaring was born to William "The Elder" IV Mainwaring [aged 36] in Over Peover, Cheshire. She married in or before 1406 Richard Winnington and had issue.
Around 1390 Catherine Harcourt [aged 18] died at Over Peover, Cheshire.
In 1390 Richard Bulkeley [aged 21] was buried at Over Peover, Cheshire.
On 12th January 1685 Charles Cholmondeley was born to Thomas Cholmondeley [aged 57] and Elizabeth Vernon at Over Peover, Cheshire.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 21st February 1690. Friday, one Potter of Chester dined with us; parted about 3. daughter Mainwaring went that morning towards Peover.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 26th February 1690. Wednesday, my sonne [aged 39] & Morgan went towards Aston: (about 11) after dinner Huxley & Gardiner came to speake with my sonne about money; I gave them a bottle of beere & left them; about 5 Mr Lleeke came; then Mainwaring my daughter & Swetnam with them from Peover.
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.
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Roger Whitley's Diary. 7th March 1690. Friday, 2 Gentlemen came from Shenton to speake with sister Anne, I conceive about some businesse relating to Mr Needham; Richard Lightfoote came to me to treate about a lease for some ground at Lach; Mainwaring dined at home, Nat. Lee came after, did eate something; went away with Mainwaring (past 3) Mainwaring went to Peover, Hardware came as they went, stayd but awhile; Huson retorned from Dysert, about 9.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 22nd March 1690. Satorday, Bidolph, Mainwaring & G.Mainwaring [aged 47] & my sonne [aged 39] went towards Elmehurst & London; Swetnam towards Lancashire; Norbery went to Chester before 11; Huson & Houseman past 12; cosen Mainwarings & 3 Gransons towards Peover about 1; about 6 cosen Whitley of Aston came to see us.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 1st April 1690. Tuesday, Wakefeild the plasterer (& a laborer) came to worke; Finchet brought the rent of Kelsall; after dinner came John Hussey the Peover gardner with some money for Morgan Whitley but stayd not; also a man of Tarvyn for money for curing? Harison's head; & Mrs Hardware to visit my daughters.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 12th April 1690. Satorday, Huson went to Chester; Houseman to Namptwich to meete the Judges & conduct them to Peele; Hussey & the coachman came from Peover; Morgan from Chester; he went to meete the Judge; about 4 came Gerard to see me; & the Sheriffe of Flint to speake with the Judge; about 8 came Judge Trenchard, Hopkins; William Minshall, &c. stayd all night.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 2nd June 1690. Monday, Fletcher, Holland, Foster, Barker, Jordan;,&c. came to work; Philips of Barrow dined; Bidolph & Minshall went to shoote in the forest; Scranmore, & Solmes men went after them; Sir John Mainwaring retorned from London in the evening; Hussy came from Peover; Hardware & his wife to visit us & Traverse supt with us;,&c.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 1st July 1690. Tuesday, Jackson came from Chester past 9; Crew came about 10; I left them & Goldsmith there; they dined with my sonne [aged 39], Bidolph & Mainwaring; the 2 last went to Peover about 4; my daughters, sister Sydney & I went to Chester past 11; dined with Angell; I went to the Sunne with G.Mainwaring [aged 47]; there was Baroby & Gleg; I left them in ½ houer; went with daughters & sister about 4 towards Ruabon; met brother Robinson & cosen Lloyd at Wrexam; called on cosen Powell, saw her sister, &c. there, stayd ½ houer; went to Ruabon, found my sister indifferent well; Cos Loyd supt with us.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 5th July 1690. Satorday, Huson, Delves, & Tomkinson went to Chester about 9; Mainwaring, Bidolph & Baroby came from Peover about one; Mainwaring & my daughter went to Peover in the evening; Bidolph, Baroby & I went to Chester (past 2) we alighted at Jacksons; I went to Angells & Hunt; there was Taylor & Huson with us; we discoursed our businesse; I came past 6 to Jacksons; spoke with Gray, Crosse, &c. below; went up to Bidolph, Baroby, Streete, G.Mainwaring [aged 47], Jones, Parry, Farington, Warburton, &c. the Governor came to us & 2 or 3 with him; also Colonel St George, an Irish Lord, &c. they stayd not; Bidolph. Baroby & I went back, past 8, came to Peele about 10.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 8th July 1690. Tuesday, after dinner, I & Bidolph daughters, &c. went to the funerall of Mrs Crew; there was much company; Mainwaring his wife, &c. retorned from Peover; Lord Warrington & G.Mainwaring [aged 47] came to Peele, supt, & stayd all night.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 19th July 1690. Satorday, after dinner daughter Mainwaring went to Utkinton, Cheshire & Peover & I & my sonne [aged 39] to Chester, alighted at Wrights, went to the Angells; thence I went to Booth's; there was Fernaugh & 2 others, they stayd not; I discoursed him about sister Whitley's suites; proposed a reference; left him presently; discoursed awhile with Anderson in the streete; went to the Sunne, there met Viccars, Jones, Parry, Murray, & Deane; Murray's brother came to us & the barber to trimme me; I left them past 6; went to Jackson's; there came to me Crosse, Gray, Farington, Bradshaw; then the Governor & Bell; they drank a glasse of wine & left us presently; after, I & sonne took coach (about 8) went home.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 21st July 1690. Monday, Alderman Mainwaring's man brought me 2 Irish letters from my sonne [aged 39]; Crosse & Cotton came about sealing Cotton's lease for his house without the Norgate; dined with us; went past 2: daughters & sisters went to Utkinton, Cheshire, retorned at 8; G. Taylor came from Peover with a letter & venison from daughter Mainwaring.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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Roger Whitley's Diary. 24th July 1690. Thursday, about 9, Mr Jenkinson came from Peover in his way to Chester; stayd ½ houer; Tomkinson & Mosse went to Stone faire to buy sheepe; in the evening a man brought a pike & a sword for my servant Castor to muster for Mr Barneston but I would not let him goe; James Kent came from Peover & retorned agen before morning.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 20th August 1690. Wednesday, the fast day, we went to church; came in the first sermon; stayd till after the 2nd sermon, &c. came home past 3; Hardwar, his wife, Traves, Gerard & Grantham dined with us; went away about 6 & 7: 21. Thursday, MainwarinG. went to Dunham & Peover about 7; my daughter, 4 girles & servants went to Peover past 2; Tomkinson went to Shotwick, Cheshire.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 27th August 1690. Wednesday, I discoursed the Staffordshire man, he retorned presently; I sent Gill to Frodesly & 2 carts to Shotwick, Cheshire; my sonne [aged 39] & Morgan went past 9 to Peover.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 28th August 1690. Thursday, no company; my sonne [aged 39] & Morgan retorned from Peover in the evening.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 2nd September 1690. Tuesday, about 5 came Hardwar & another (stranger to me) with him; past 6, Mainwaring daughter & children retorned from Peover; I sent Nixon in the morning to visit Sir Robert Cotton & the coachman to Chester.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 15th September 1690. Monday, Mainwaring went to Peover early; Anderson, Edwards & Basnet dined with us, retorned about 5; Basnet from Shotwick, Cheshire, & Lady Calveley's tenant (at Lee) dined in the buttry; after dinner Bolton & one Hodskin came from Tatenhall; Basnet stayd all night; the rest went back; brother Peter's sonne [aged 39] & Jarvis went to Chester (about 4) my 2 sisters with them.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 26th September 1690. Friday, my sonne [aged 39] & Morgan retorned from Mold & Alrey; Nat. Lee came in the evening & Mr Hussey from Peover.
Roger Whitley's Diary. 27th October 1690. Monday, Huson went to Manchester, Tomkinson to call on Norbery at Chester & soe to keep the Courts at Brombrow & Soughall;,&c. my 2 gransons came from Peover.
On 24th June 1726 Thomas Cholmondeley was born to Charles Cholmondeley [aged 41] at Over Peover, Cheshire.
On 6th April 1797 Henry Mainwaring 4th Baronet [aged 70] died unmarried. Baronet Mainwaring of Over Peover extinct. Thomas Wittenhall [aged 61] succeeded to the Over Peover, Cheshire estates and adopted the name and arms of Mainwaring, in compliance with the will of his half-brother Henry Mainwaring 4th Baronet.