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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Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

Uttoxeter, Staffordshire is in Staffordshire.

In 1330 Walter Montgomery was born at Uttoxeter, Staffordshire [Map].

The River Tean rises around Cheadle, Staffordshire [Map] from where it flows through Upper Team, Staffordshire [Map] to Uttoxeter, Staffordshire [Map] where it joins the River Dove.

Balance Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles

Howitt Place, Uttoxeter, Balance Street, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

Howitt Place, Uttoxeter [Map]. From 1799-1888 the home of poet Mary Howitt.

St Mary's Catholic Church, Uttoxeter, Balance Street, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

St Mary's Catholic Church, Uttoxeter is also in Churches in Staffordshire.

St Mary's Catholic Church, Uttoxeter [Map] opened in 1839. The church the first church design by Augustus Pugin (age 26).

Augustus Pugin: On 1st March 1812 he was born to Augustus Charles Pugin. On 14th September 1852 he died.

Uttoxeter Police Station, Balance Street, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

Uttoxeter Police Station [Map]

Bramshall, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles

Around 1196 William Stafford of Bramshall was born to Hervey Bagot (age 43) and Millicent Stafford (age 43) at Bramshall, Uttoxeter. Date asjusted from 1225 to 1214 to be consistent with father's death. He married (1) Auda Trumwyn and had issue (2) Ermentrude FitzWalchelin and had issue (3) Edith Unknown and had issue.

Around 1252 William Stafford was born to William Stafford of Bramshall (age 56) and Edith Unknown at Bramshall, Uttoxeter. He married (1) Cecily Waure (2) Ermentrude Unknown and had issue.

Around 1278 William Stafford was born to William Stafford (age 26) and Ermentrude Unknown at Bramshall, Uttoxeter. He married his half first cousin Isabel Stafford and had issue.

In 1302 John Stafford was born to William Stafford (age 24) and Isabel Stafford (age 29) at Bramshall, Uttoxeter. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.91%. He married before 1343 his second cousin once removed Margaret Stafford, daughter of Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford and Katherine Hastings Baroness Stafford, and had issue.

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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In 1340 William Stafford (age 88) died at Bramshall, Uttoxeter.

On 9th June 1396 Margaret Stafford (age 65) died at Bramshall, Uttoxeter.

Loxley Hall, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

From 1815 Loxley Hall, Uttoxeter [Map] was owned by Thomas Sneyd-Kynnersley (age 41).

On 1st November 1965 Thomas Ralph Sneyd-Kynnersley (age 78) of Loxley Hall, Uttoxeter [Map] died. The last of the male line of the Sneyd, latterly Sneyd-Kinnersley, family. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Uttoxeter [Map].

Thomas Ralph Sneyd-Kynnersley: On 23rd December 1886 he was born to Charles Walter Sneyd-Kynnersley.

Manor House Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles

On 12th February 1742 Alan Gardner 1st Baron Gardner was born at Manor House Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.

Market Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles

Market Street, Uttoxeter. Butcher T G Sargeant and Sons located in a Tudor building.

Market Street, Uttoxeter. Black Swan Public House. 18th Century.

Uttoxeter War Memorial, Staffordshire, North-Central England, British Isles [Map]

Around 1928. Uttoxeter War Memorial [Map] sits in the Market Square in Uttoxeter and is in a Perpendicular gothic style, in the form of a medieval Eleanor Cross. A bronze plaque commemorating the fallen of the Second World War was added c.1945, with further plaques being added for the Gulf War c.1991 and the Afghanistan War c.2010. The memorial was designed by architects L.W. Barnard & Partners of Cheltenham, and carved by Robert Bridgman & Sons of Lichfield.