Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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Paternal Family Tree: Cust
Maternal Family Tree: Ethelreda Lilly 1635-1683
On 8th December 1743 [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 25) and [his mother] Etheldreda Payne Lady Cust (age 23) were married. She by marriage Lady Cust of Stamford in Lincolnshire.
On 3rd December 1744 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow was born to [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 26) and [his mother] Etheldreda Payne Lady Cust (age 24).
On 27th February 1754 John Brownlow 1st Viscount Tyconnel (age 63) died. Viscount Tyconnel, Baronet Brownlow of Humby in Lincolnshire extinct. [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 35) inherited Belton House [Map].
In 1761 [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 42) was elected Speaker of the House of Commons.
In 1762 [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 43) was appointed Privy Council.
In 1766 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 21) was elected MP Ilchester.
Around 1770 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 35). Portrait of Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 25).
On 24th January 1770 [his father] John Cust 3rd Baronet (age 51) died. His son Brownlow (age 25) succeeded 4th Baronet Cust of Stamford in Lincolnshire and inherited Belton House [Map].
Monument in St Peter and St Paul Church, Belton [Map]. Sculpted by William Tyler (age 41).
Before 16th July 1770 Francis Cotes (age 44). Portrait of Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 25).
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 16th October 1770 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 25) and Jocosa Drury Lady Cust (age 21) were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square. She by marriage Lady Cust of Stamford in Lincolnshire.
In 1771 [his daughter] Anne Cust was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 26) and [his wife] Jocosa Drury Lady Cust (age 21).
On 11th February 1772 [his wife] Jocosa Drury Lady Cust (age 22) died, probably of childbirth, since her daughter was born in 1771.
In 1774 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 29) was elected MP Grantham.
In 1775 [his mother] Etheldreda Payne Lady Cust (age 55) died.
In 1775 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 30) and Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow were married. She by marriage Lady Cust of Stamford in Lincolnshire.
In 1775 [his daughter] Anne Cust Baroness Middleton was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 30) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow. She married before 2nd May 1860 William Fowle Middleton 2nd Baronet, son of William Fowle Middleton 1st Baronet.
In 1776 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 31) was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
The London Gazette 11665. St. James's, May 14 [1776]. The King (age 37) has been pleased to order a Writ to be issued under the Great Seal of Great Britain for summoning Francis Osborne, Esq; commonly called Marquess of Carmarthen, up to the House of Peers, by the Stile and Title of Baron Olborne of Kiveton in the County of York.
The King has been pleased to grant unto her Grace the Dutchess of Argyll (age 42) the Dignity of a Baroness of the Kingdom of Great Britain, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baroness Hamilton, of Hameldon in the County of Leicester; and the Dignity of a Baron to her Heirs Male.
The King has also been pleased to grant the Dignity of a Baron of the Kingdom of Great Britain unto the following Gentlemen, and their Heirs Male; viz.
Alexander Hume Campbell,.Esq; commonly called Lord Polwarth, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Hume of Berwick.
John Stuart, Esq; commonly called Lord Mount Stuart, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Cardiff of Cardiff Castle in the County of Glamorgan.
The Right Honorable Sir Edward Hawke, Knight of the Bath, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Hawke of Towton in the County of York.
The Right Honorable George Onslow, by the Name, Stile and Title of Baron Cranley of Imber Court in the County of Surrey.
The Right Honorable Sir Jeffery Amherst, Knight os the Bath, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Amherst of Holmesdale in the County of Kent.
Sir Brownlow Cust (age 31), Bart, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Brownlow of Belton in the County of Lincoln. [[his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow by marriage Baroness Brownlow of Belton in Lincolnshire.]
George Pitt (age 55), Esq; by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Rivers of Stratfieldsay in the County of Southampton.
Nathaniel Ryder (age 40), Esq; by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Harrowby of Harrowby in the County of Lincoln. [Elizabeth Terrick Baroness Harrowby by marriage Baroness Harrowby of Harrowby in Lincolnshire.]
Thomas Foley (age 59), Esq; of Great Witley in the County of Worcester, by the Name, Stile, and Title of Baron Foley of Kidderminster in the County of Worcester.
On 19th August 1779 [his son] John Cust 1st Earl Brownlow was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 34) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow. He married (1) 24th July 1810 Amelia Sophia Hume, daughter of Abraham Hume 2nd Baronet and Amelia Egerton, and had issue (2) before 1819 Caroline Fludyer Countess Brownlow and had issue (3) 17th July 1828 Emma Sophie Edgecumbe Countess Brownlow, daughter of Richard Edgecumbe 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and Sophia Hobart Countess Mount Edgcumbe.
On 28th September 1780 [his son] Henry Cockayne-Cust was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 35) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow. He married 1816 Anna Maria Needham, daughter of Francis Needham 1st Earl Kilmorley, and had issue.
In 1783 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 38) was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Around 1785 George Romney (age 50). Portrait of Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 40).
On 23rd January 1787 [his son] William Cust was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 42) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow. He married 1819 Sophia Newnham and had issue.
On 7th December 1788 [his daughter] Anne Cust (age 17) died. Monument in St Peter and St Paul Church, Belton [Map]. Sculpted by John "The Elder" Bacon (age 48) in 1793.
Anne Cust: In 1771 she was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow and Jocosa Drury Lady Cust.
On 13th August 1791 [his son] Peregrine Cust was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 46) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow. He married (1) 1823 Isabella Mary Montagu Scott, daughter of Charles Scott 4th Duke Buccleuch 6th Duke Queensberry and Harriet Katherine Townshend Duchess Buccleuch Duchess Queensbury (2) 1833 Sophia Mary Townshend, daughter of John Townshend 2nd Viscount Sydney and Sophia Southwell (3) 1860 Frances Steer Countess Albemarle.
On 17th March 1794 [his son] Edward Cust 1st Baronet was born to Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 49) and [his wife] Frances Bankes Baroness Brownlow at Hill Street, Berkeley Square.
On 25th December 1807 Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 63) died. His son John (age 28) succeeded 2nd Baron Brownlow of Belton in Lincolnshire, 5th Baronet Cust of Stamford in Lincolnshire, and inherited Belton House [Map]. Monument in St Peter and St Paul Church, Belton [Map] sculpted by Richard "The Elder" Westmacott (age 60).
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Cust 1st Baronet
Great x 1 Grandfather: Pury Cust
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Pury
Great x 2 Grandmother: Beatrice Pury Lady Dering
GrandFather: Richard Cust 2nd Baronet
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Woodcock
Great x 1 Grandmother: Ursula Woodcock
Father: John Cust 3rd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Brownlow 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Brownlow 1st Baronet
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Brownlow 2nd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Duncombe 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Duncombe
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Bennett
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Brownlow 4th Baronet
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Freke
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Freke of Stretton in Dorset
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Taylor
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Freke Lady Brownlow
GrandMother: Anne Brownlow Lady Cust
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Mason
Great x 1 Grandmother: Dorothy Mason Baroness Brownlow
Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Long
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Long 2nd Baronet
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anna Margaret Long
Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow
GrandFather: Thomas Payne
Mother: Etheldreda Payne Lady Cust
Great x 1 Grandfather: Martin Folkes 
GrandMother: Elizabeth Folkes
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Hovell of Hillington 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Hovell
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Ferneley 
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Hovell of Hillington
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Chicheley of Wimpole 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Chicheley
Great x 4 Grandmother: Sarah Russell 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Dorothy Hovell
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Lilly of South Lynn
Great x 2 Grandmother: Ethelreda Lilly