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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Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire is in Helmsley [Map], Abbeys in England.
Chronicum Anglicanum by Ralph Coggeshall. 1132. A great plague afflicted the animals. In the same year, the Abbey of Rievaulx [Map] was founded by Walter de Espec, who also established the Church of the Holy Trinity at Kirkham, the monastery at Carham, and the Abbey of Saint Mary at Sawtry.
MCXXXII. Hoc anno maxima pestis animalium facta est, et facta est abbatia de Rei vallis a Waltero de Spec, qui et ecclesiam Sancte Trinitatis de Kirkeham et Carram fundavit, necnon et abbatiam Sancte Marte de Sartis.
On 8th June 1384 Thomas Ros 4th Baron Ros Helmsley (age 49) died at Uffington. He was buried at Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map]. His son John (age 15) succeeded 5th Baron Ros Helmsley and inherited Belvoir Castle [Map].
On 6th August 1393 John Ros 5th Baron Ros Helmsley (age 24) died at Paphos returning from Pilgrimage. He was buried at Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map]. His brother William (age 23) succeeded 6th Baron Ros Helmsley and inherited Belvoir Castle [Map].
1798. Thomas Girtin (age 22). Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map].
1803. Thomas Girtin. Ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map].
1803. John Sell Cotman (age 20). Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map].
1811. John Sell Cotman (age 28). The Refectory Doorway, Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map].
21st May 1906. Godfrey Bingley (age 63). Photographs of Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire [Map].
