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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.

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Hungarton, Leicestershire, North-Central England, British Isles

Hungarton, Leicestershire is in Leicestershire.

Baggrave Hall, Hungarton, Leicestershire, North-Central England, British Isles

Before 1625 Baggrave Hall was sold to Edward Villiers [aged 39].

On 26th February 1770 Archdeacon Andrew Burnaby [aged 37] and Anna Edwyn [aged 34] were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square. The marriage brought Baggrave Hall to the Burnaby family.

On or before 5th December 1832 Caroline Louisa Burnaby was born to Edwyn Burnaby [aged 34] and Anne Caroline Salisbury [aged 27] at Baggrave Hall. She married 13th December 1859 Charles William Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck, son of Charles Cavendish-Bentinck and Anne Wellesley Lady Abdy, and had issue.

On 18th September 1867 Edwyn Burnaby [aged 68] died. Edwyn Sherard Burnaby [aged 37] inherited Baggrave Hall.

On 31st May 1883 Edwyn Sherard Burnaby [aged 53] died at Brighton. Algernon Edwyn Burnaby [aged 15] inherited Baggrave Hall.

On 13th November 1938 Algernon Edwyn Burnaby [aged 70] died. Hugh Edwyn Burnaby inherited Baggrave Hall. He sold it in 1939.

Cecilia Florence Burnaby was born to Edwyn Burnaby and Anne Caroline Salisbury at Baggrave Hall. She married George Onslow Newton and had issue.

Church of St John the Baptist Hungarton, Leicestershire, North-Central England, British Isles

On or before 15th October 1735 Anna Edwyn was born to John Edwyn. She was baptised at the Church of St John the Baptist Hungarton on 15th October 1735. She married 26th February 1770 Archdeacon Andrew Burnaby and had issue.

On 9th March 1812 Archdeacon Andrew Burnaby [aged 79] died at Blackheath, Greenwich [Map]. He was buried at the Church of St John the Baptist Hungarton.

On 1st October 1825 Edwyn Andrew Burnaby [aged 54] died. He was buried at the Church of St John the Baptist Hungarton.