Haining Place and the Barony of Haining-Ross

Haining Place or The Haining in the Parish of Kilmarnock lies near an old fording place across the Cessnock Water in East Ayrshire, Parish of Riccarton, Scotland. Hanyng (sic) was the caput or laird's dwelling of the Barony of Haining-Ross with a tower house or keep located in a defensive position on a high promontory of land, half encircled by the river. Later Haining Place may have been a dower house, then a tenanted farm, finally being used as farm workers accommodation. Haining Place is now a ruin following a fire. The old farm of Haining Mains is still located nearby.
History.
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland records in 1665 the existence of the 'Lands and Barony of Haining-Ross' in the Parish of Riccarton, Bailliary of Kyle-Stuart and Sheriffdom of Ayr.
It is recorded that the lands of Haining had fortifications, a chapel, a mill at Craigmill on the Cessnock Water and Paroche, Overlane, Netherlane, Bruce-roddingis (sic) and Wraithe were properties within the barony. Woodlands held by the estate were Haining Wood, Dummuysdaill (sic), Urisbankis (sic), Craigenconner, Dowbank, Millbank and Garrochmurebank. The 'Gardens of Haining' are recorded in 1498.
A list dated 1498 of the holdings of the estate names the lands of 'Hanyng within the Ward; lands of Hanyng without the Ward; Gawines-fauld, alias Nemochis-fauld; Brigend, alias Wobsteris-maling; Urisbank; Wodsyde; Dubbis-medow, Paroche-medow and Langboig; lands of Paroche; lands of Ovir-Lone, Mossyde and Clauchraif; Quhithill; Craig-mylne and Toun-end of Nethir-Lone'.
Haining has previously been recorded on older maps, probably in error, as 'Hatting.' If correct this place name could be derived from the Gaelic "athan" meaning a 'ford or fordable river'. Haining Place stands beside an old ford and stepping stones. In Scots the more recent recorded name of 'Haining' is a 'fence, hedge or wall forming the boundary of an enclosure or a piece or stretch of ground enclosed in this way so as to protect a hay crop' from cattle, deer, etc. It is worth noting that at one time Haining had a lengthy pale or fence around its old deer park.
Smith in "Prehistoric Man in Ayrshire" records that three iron caltrops used for laming horses as a defence against attack were found at Haining and were in the collection of a Mr Peter Wright. The Tinkers Hill on Riccarton Moss may have been the barony's moot hill where the laird held his barony courts.
The Lairds of Haining-Ross.
One record states that the Barony of Haining-Ross was held by the Dukes of Albany.
In the 14th century Andrew de Ross, son of Sir Godfrey de Ross, Sheriff of Ayr, is considered to have been an ancestor of the Ross families of Haining, Galston and Montgreenan. As followers of the English supporting faction and John Balliol many of the Ross family lands were confiscated although some were later restored to them.
In the 15th century a David Campbell of Skerrington near Cumnock is said to have married a sister of Stewart of Haining.
The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1475 record that John Ross has possession of Hanyng (sic). In 1484 Elizabeth, George Ross of Haining's daughter, married Charles Fullerton of Dreghorn. In 1521 Janet, George Ross's daughter, married Robert Lindsay, grandson of the laird of Corsbascat (sic) (Crossbasket). Janet Ross was a parishioner of Riccarton and they married at the mansion chapel of George Ross at Haining. On 23 January 1522 the banns for marriage had been called in the family chapel with Sir John Ledhouse, curate of Riccarton present for Janet and Sir Gavin Brown, curate of East Kilbride present for Robert. In 1527 George Ross's daughter Mariota had married Edward Cunninghame, who was killed as a result of a feud. John Ross in 1535 had formal possession of lands in Haining with its fortifications, mill at Craigmill, etc. John Ross in 1551 had not taken formal possession of Haining and as a result it was "granted" to others; by 1554 the Queen quitclaimed Haining to John Ross and his wife Mariota Hamilton.
George Ross of Haining took part in the 'Langside rebellion' of 1571 but was forgiven his involvement under legal conditions of future appropriate behaviour. John Ross of Haining in 1588 had to pay twenty pounds for the 20 pound land of Haining as payment towards supporting two commissioners to Parliament. John had two sons, George and Thomas. By 1593 John Ross of Haining had died and his heir George Ross was granted the properties within the Barony of Haining of Paroche, Overlane, Netherlane, Bruce-roddingis and Wraithe.
The under-tenants of John Ross who held land in Haining-Ross had become concerned as to their legal status because their superior had failed for forty years to formally acquire possession of the barony. Among those with an interest at this time were John Ross, James Ross, James Ross, the younger, Andrew/Alexander Ross, Robert Ross of Thornton and Hugh Ross. In 1597 Matthew Ross of Haining and Galston was given formal possession of Haining-Ross; his daughter Janet married Hugh Kennedy of Bennane.
In 1599 John Ross and Marion Hamilton of Haining are recorded as having three sons James, Thomas, Matthew and Allen. In 1611 Marion Hamilton Ross was recorded as 'lady of Haining'. Margaret Wallace Ross in 1617 was termed 'dame of Hayning'; her daughter married Adam Stewart of Barskimming in 1610. Margaret Boyle in 1629 is recorded as the mother of Matthew Ross of Haining. In the mid 16th century Marian Boyle, daughter of John Boyle of Kelburn married Matthew Ross of Haining and children were born of the union.
In 1685 the Records of the Parliament of Scotland recorded an act of annexation of lands to the crown in which the lands and barony of Haining-Grass (sic) or Haining-Ross were annexed by James VII from Sir Hugh and Sir George Campbell of Cessnock to the crown."baronies, heritages, rooms, possessions, mills, woods, fishings, tacks, steadings, teinds, annual rents, patronages, wadsets, expired apprisings and adjudications, castles, towers, fortalices, houses, biggings, yards, orchards, annexes, connexes, tenants, goods and acres and all other heritages, lands and estates whatsoever pertaining and belonging to the forenamed persons, rebels and traitors."
In 1770 the Barony of Haining was, together with those of Cessnock, Riccarton & Galston, to be sold as one lot or in parcels.
The Ordnance Survey Name Book for 1855-1857 records that Haining Place was a farmhouse owned by the Duke of Portland and occupied by a George Bowie.
Cartographic evidence.
Robert Gordon's map of 1636-52 gives the name as 'Hatting' with Dullers (sic), Carnell and Sefnock (sic) located nearby along the course of the Cessnock Water with the same map symbol used to designate the status of the dwelling in each case.
Joan Blaeu's map of 1654, based on the earlier circa 1604 map by Timothy Pont also names 'Hatting' with 'Dullers' located downstream on the Cessnock Water. The dwelling at 'Hatting' is shown with woodlands in the immediate vicinity. A pale or fence is shown surrounding a probable deer park with woodlands that extends as far as a dwelling named as 'Paragh'.
Herman Moll's map of 1745 records 'Hatting' as well as 'Dullers' dwellings in this area. This map also indicates a pale or deer park at Dullers (sic), but not at Hatting.
William Roy's map of 1747-55 records the name as 'Haining', with 'Dillars' nearby. Braehead is recorded opposite Haining for the first time and the dwelling of 'Purnoch' is shown to the north-west. A significant Woodland is shown nearby at Dykehead as well as around Haining. Several groups of buildings are shown around Haining Place at this time.
Andrew Armstrong's map of 1775 shows 'Haning' with its surrounding woodlands and for the first time the name 'Auchenskeigh' replaces 'Dullers' or its variants. A toll is shown on the nearby road to Mauchline from Kilmarnock. The symbols used for the status of significant dwellings at the two 'lairds houses' are the same. Braehead is not shown.
Taylor and Skinner's map of 1776 shows the estate of 'Auchenskeich' as the property of Captain Cunningham, however Haining, etc are not marked.
John Ainslie's map of 1821 marks Haining and 'Auchenskaith' in bold print as 'important' dwellings together with Knockmarloch, Treesbank, Ingotrick, etc., all with the same map symbol. No mention is made of Braehead, etc. On this map Cessnock Water is given as the 'Haining Water'.
John Thomson's map of 1828 shows Haining with wooded areas and a dwelling at East Park in the vicinity of the old deer park area, Parroch is recorded and the name 'Dallars' replaces variants of 'Auchenskeigh'. A lane is shown running towards Haining from a lane running to Riccarton on the western side only of the Cessnock Water that would require a ford crossing.
The 25 inch to the mile, 1st edition OS map of 1857 shows the name 'Dollars', Braehead is marked and a ford is suggested by lanes running down to the Cessnock Water with stepping stones marked. Haining Place is recorded with a dwelling of Greenhead nearby on the lane running northwards towards the Kilmarnock to Mauchline Road. The lane bypasses Haining Place and regular plantings of what may be fruit trees run to the west and east. Haining Place is shown as an 'L' shaped building with two significant buildings nearby on each side of the lane but no walled garden to the east. A small pond is shown and Haining Mains is located nearby. A gravel pit is present near Braehead Farm and a whinstone quarry lies below the mansion house of Haining. What appears to be a walled garden with ornate plantings lies to the north west of the house within a woodland setting.
In 1890 Greenhead is still present and a wood remains to the east of Haining Mains. In 1895 the Haining Ford is clearly marked however the only building close to Haining Place shown as roofed is the 'place' itself and the pond and walled garden in the wood are absent although the 'orchard' remains. A walled 'garden' area now lies to the east of the mansion house. Greenhead is no longer named. In 1908 Haining Place has two greenhouses present, little else has changed.
In 1955 Haining Place is still marked and its location shown near a still extant through road to Shortlees via Crossbush and Bridgehouse Farms.
History and description of Haining Place.
Kersland Castle near Dalry with the date 1604 on an armorial panel shows some features in common with Haining Place in that it has vaulted chambers on the ground floor and today represents a fortified structure partly demolished and replaced with a farmhouse and steading.
1930s descriptions.
In 1930 the building is described as an 'Old World Mansion on the Cessnock' and it was entered via a tall arched entrance that was topped by a weather vane and flanked by two lions'. It is referred to as 'Haining' or the 'Place of Haining' and a local tradition is recorded that Mary, Queen of Scots once stayed there. The building had two storeys in 1930 with an outside set of steps giving access to the upper or first floor storey, whilst the lower three stone vaulted chambers were only in use as a store. The ground floor windows were narrow slits as the walls were as thick as an ancient keep. The writer speculates that the first floor was built upon a ruined keep and records that the outside steps appeared a 'restoration' addition and that a fanlight of many panes of glass existed above the entrance as found in very old houses. It is further speculated that, as the dwelling has little traditional history attached to it, it may have seen use as dower house to a nearby estate.
In 1931 the Kilmarnock Glenfield Ramblers had a outing to Riccarton Moss and Haining Place and commented on the ancient mansion-house of Haining which they considered as having once been much larger with its thick walls and 'springs of arches at different parts of the outside walls'. Several acres of apples and pear trees had existed around the 'Place' until recent times, however most had been cut down recently because of their age and lack of productivity. The 'Gipsy Steps' is the name given to the track that leads down to the ford and stepping stones across the Cessnock Water.
2015 description.
The photographs illustrate that the entrance arch has been removed and the two terracotta lions are now located at Haining Mains Farm. The steps leading up to the first floor of Haining Place are identifiable together with a contemporary stone and brick built arched support to a first floor structure. The first floor building is almost entirely absent. Two stone bases to internal revetted door jambs are prominent features mid-way along the building, indicating a possible great hall and private chambers division. The old fireplace surround on the ground floor has been removed however the three vaulted ground floor chambers remain intact with windows to the east, some open and blocked windows to the west and the remnants of a wheel stairwell, located on the west facing side of the building. The brick lined ruined byre stands at right angles to the dwelling place and features such as a wash house can still be discerned. Evidence on the stone work points to glass window panes in such areas as the spiral staircase. The base of a large window exists on the northern section at first floor level. Numerous indications of later improvements exists indicating that the castle was adapted as a superior dwelling. The brick access to the first floor level were once covered with large stone steps sporting a metal railings. Evidence through the placing of the three vaults suggests a smaller tower was later extended and a wing was removed from what may have been an 'L' shaped building at one stage. A carved gun port now lies in two pieces near the old entrance arch.
The Cable bridge.
The tenants of Haining Place for many years were the Cunninghame family who, being friendly with the family at the nearby Braehead Farm, constructed a cable bridge across the Cessnock Water using two steel hawsers that were secured to either bank and a person crossed by holding on to the top whilst standing on the bottom cable and edging across, thereby ensuring dry feet when the water level was high.
Haining Mains.
Farms with the name 'mains' were usually associated with mansions as a provider of food, etc for the owners family and servants. The farm is clearly shown on the first OS maps of the 1850s. A lintel over an old door at Haining Mains has the initials 'J W' accompanied by the date '1829' and records show that it was occupied by the Wilson family in the 1870s when David Wilson and his wife Jemima (nee Boyd) lived there with his mother Elizabeth (nee McKerrow). In 1887 the death of James Shaw of Haining Mains is recorded and David Shaw was the farmer here in 1890. The parish cemetery was next to the church in Riccarton. The two recumbent lions that were once located on the entrance wall at Haining Place now reside at the entrance to the yard at Haining Mains. In 1857 a large woodland lay to the east of the farm and well laid out gardens lay behind the house.
The Tenants at Haining Place and Mains.
In the 1850s George Bowie was the tenant at Haining Place. John Dunlop is recorded as the farmer at Haining Place in 1868. In the 1890 Haining Mains Farm was a part of the Duke of Portland's estates, occupied by David Shaw. The final occupants of Haining Place were three farm worker families who were moved to new housing in Kilmarnock.
John Goudie of Craigmill (1717-1809).
John Goudie (or Goldie) of Craigmill, the barony mill on the Cessnock Water, was the son of the miller there. Aged only 14 John made a working model of an advanced type of water mill that attracted much local interest and he was even given money to improve its construction. He moved to Kilmarnock and for a time he was a cabinet maker but later became a wine merchant, all the while continuing with his scientific and theological interests, writing on various topics, moral and divine, his publication of 1780 becoming known as 'Goudie's Bible.' Goudie became friendly with Robert Burns who wrote the 'Epistle to John Goldie', saying :
Craigmill on the Cessnock Water near the barony wood of Craigenconnor was demolished by 1908 and nothing substantial remains on site.
Micro-history.
The Kilmarnock Glenfield Ramblers visited Haining Place on 02/05/1931 and observed the stocking of the river with trout by the Hurlford and District Angling Club.
The Glenfield Ramblers also noted that the rare Dusky Cranesbill (Geranium phaeum) grew at the site as well as Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) and Cotoneaster.
David Shaw of Haining Mains Farm was one of the pioneers of the use of milking machines for cows and together with a Mr Murchland from Kilmarnock produced one of the first successful milking machines as far back as 1890.
The nearby estate of Dallars may derive its name from the Welsh "dol" for 'meadow' and "ar" for ploughed land as in 'Dollar' near Alloa. Its name was changed to 'Auchenskeith' following its purchase by the owner of the Auchenskeith estate near Dalry in North Ayrshire. The old name has since returned to favour.
Alison Begbie is said to have been proposed to by Robert Burns. She was the daughter of a farmer and at the time of her courtship by Robert Burns she was a servant employed at Carnell House, then known as Cairnhill, close to the Cessnock Water. Alison Begbie may have lived at 'Old Place', now Shawsmill Farm and just a short distance downstream of Haining Place. Burns was living at Lochlea Farm at this time.
The Haining is a country house and estate in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders.


Dispute between Darnhall and Vale Royal Abbey

In the early fourteenth century, villagers from Darnhall and Over, Cheshire, were in a major dispute with their feudal lord, the Abbot of Vale Royal Abbey, over their bond condition. The Cistercian abbey had been founded by Edward I in 1274 as a result of a vow made after a rough channel crossing. The abbey was unpopular with the locals from the start, as it was granted, as part of its endowment, exclusive forest- and other feudal rights which the local villages had come to see as their own. Moreover, the rigorous enforcement of these rights by successive abbots was felt to be excessively harsh. The villagers resented being treated as serfs and made repeated attempts to reject the abbey's feudal overlordship.
The villagers' efforts ranged from appeals to the abbot, the King's Chief Justice in Cheshire and even to the King and Queen (who may have been somewhat sympathetic). They were repeatedly unsuccessful, and were unable to secure release them from their villeinhood. The abbots, for their part, may have had significant financial pressures upon them (Vale Royal had lost much of its royal funding following Edward I's Welsh campaign diverted both his money and masons from them), and this may have accounted for their strict enforcement of their rights. Either way, their tenants' struggle turned increasingly violent from 1326.
The struggle was led by the villagers of Darnhall, who conspired with their neighbours, particularly those from the nearby village of Over. On a number of occasions, when their appeals failed, they were subsequently imprisoned and fined by their abbot. On one occasion, in order to appeal to their abbot, the villagers of Darnhall and Over followed the fifth abbot, Peter, across England on an occasion when Peter was meeting the King at the King's Cliffe Hunting Lodge in order to himself appeal for royal assistance against his recalcitrant tenantry. The villagers met Peter in Rutland on his return journey; an affray broke out, a clerk of the abbot's was killed, and the villagers captured the abbot and his entourage. The King soon intervened and released him; the abbot then promptly had the villagers imprisoned again. Abbot Peter did not confine himself to confronting his serfs: he seems to have acted in a similarly high-handed fashion to the local gentry, and this resulted in Peter's killing in 1339.
Background.
The Cistercian Abbey of Vale Royal, in the Weaver Valley, was originally founded by the Lord Edward (later King Edward I) in 1274, in gratitude for his safe passage through a storm on the return from his crusade. Originally intended to be a grand structure with a complement of 100 monks, it soon fell victim to the financing of Edward I's Welsh wars. The King's campaigns meant that both money and stonemasons were diverted from the construction of the abbey, making not only its future expansion, but the current sustenance, precarious.
The new institution was unpopular in its locale, as its existence and the grants of land required — locals claimed — impinged on villagers' customary liberties. The abbey was, for example, granted the forestry rights and free warren of Darnhall. Relations between the abbey and its tenantry had thus, since the arrival of the new monks, also been precarious. In 1275, only a year after the abbey's foundation, tenants of Darnhall attempted to withdraw from paying the abbot customs and services, a position from which they would not withdraw, but rather would push with increasing vigour for the next fifty years. They complained directly to King Edward I, and brought with them their iron ploughshares. The King refused to countenance their position, telling them that "villeins you have come, and as villeins you shall return." They complained again in 1307, but again with no success; an inquest into their situation held by the Justiciar of Chester merely confirmed their bondage for them. In 1320, during the abbacy of Richard of Evesham, one of his monks was attacked (and a servant killed) while collecting tithes in Darnhall.
Abbots were not just abbots; they were also feudal lords, and as such should not be assumed to be sympathetic landlords purely on account of their ecclesiastical position. After all, when their tenants appeared before the abbot's manorial court, they were not appearing before an abbot, but before a judge, and the usual strictures of common law would apply. The dispute spread to the neighbouring village of Middlewich, with villagers demanding relief from the abbot of Darnhall's immunities, which were oppressive to them.
Although the villeins of Vale Royal's estate actually owed no labour service to their land, the villagers of Darnhall and those that joined them were still angered by the principle of their situation. Paul Booth writes: "they were the victims of the ownership of their manorial estates from the crown to a desperately under-endowed religious corporation." They were probably not alone; theirs was not the only dispute of its kind. Villagers from nearby Middlewich also complained that the abbey owed them restitution for the loss of two salt pits which had been part of the abbey's endowment. Similar disputes had broken out between other abbeys and their tenants too. To the south of London, there was one such feud between the tenants of Tooting and Bec Abbey (the French abbey had been given possessions in Tooting Bec). This had also gone from litigation to outright violence and law-breaking, and again had lasted many years. Likewise, Bec Abbey's tenants in Ogbourne St George launched a "thoroughly organised peasant's revolt" in 1309, which also found some support amongst local gentry. In the east, there was a similar tenant's revolt against the Abbot of Bury St Edmunds Abbey in 1327 which were similar to the later struggles of Darnhall and Over. That abbey's chronicler, Jocelin of Brakelond, railed against all tenants who rose up against their lords, claiming that they "waxed fat" against the abbeys. The revolt of Darnhall and Over was thus one of many small villein uprisings before the Peasants' Revolt of June 1381.
The dispute.
In 1327 the abbot drew up a custumal for the villages of Darnhall and Over, clearly with the intention of reinforcing claims upon those tenants' villeinage which had historically been belonged to his abbey, but which had not been enforced for some time. The following year, a bitter struggle erupted in Darnhall. The village was a manor of the local Cistercian Abbey at Vale Royal, and relations between the abbot and his tenants had broken down. Ever since King Edward II had granted the village to the abbey, the villagers (now the abbot's villeins) in historian Richard Hilton's words, "appear to have been fighting against a real social degradation". It has been suggested that if the abbey was as poor as has been assumed, then this may account for the monks having to be extra harsh landlords. Ultimately though, it is impossible to be certain as to whether the abbey was as locally tyrannous as the villagers claimed. It is possible that previous earls of Chester had been lax in their enforcement of serfdom, and that the two villages had got used to their relative freedoms. It is also possible that it was the monks who had been too lax in their enforcement, and that the villagers of Darnhall and surrounding areas saw an opportunity to take advantage of them. There were at least four occasions of emancipatory manumission (without payment, unusually) taking place in the Vale Royal records between 1329 and 1340, and one scholar has noted "an element of irony in the fact that the one corporate body which is known to have liberated any native is also the most distinguished for its rigid insistence on its legal rights over bondmen." It would certainly appear the case that the monks approached the landlordly duties with zeal, but also that the manumissions that did occur were insufficient to quell the villagers' ire.
Either way, the two villages not only must have conspired together ("maliciously," states the abbey's own manorial roll), but pooled mutual resources, for their campaign would not have been cheap. Both travel and litigation cost money, from the writing of the petition by clerks to their advisement on it by lawyers. There was no such thing after all, says Edward Powell, "as cheap litigation."
The tenants' resistance included refusing to grind flour at the abbot's mill, a rejection of their own bondage, continuing efforts to prevent restrictions from the abbot on the leasing of their land, and the concomitant right to lease it out for up to ten years. This resistance in 1328 led only to punishment in the form of fines, imprisonment, and eventual submission. The abbey's ledger book records how in 1329 — as they saw it — the rebellious tenantry "plotted maliciously" against the abbey's "liberty." The Darnhall villagers had approached (on the first of many occasions) the Cheshire Justiciar, claiming to have been granted their freedom by an "aforetime" royal charter. Although the legal response is now unknown, it was presumably unsuccessful, as, on their return to the village, they were thrown in gaol until they swore an oath to cease their complaints. Presumably this oath was under duress, for they did so, and were released, only to send a delegation to the King (at this time in the north) on the same matter. It is unknown whether the party ever reached the King, but it is known to have at some point ended up in a Nottingham prison, for some reason only narrowly avoiding being executed there as thieves. This was followed by a petition before the King in parliament at Westminster, which resulted in a new Justiciar being sent to Cheshire to hear their petition. Before he did, however, he read — and had been immediately persuaded by — the abbey's royal charters. As a result, the villagers were again returned to the abbey for punishment.
The abbey's recorder returned to logging similar complaints in 1337 when, again, the tenants of Darnhall and Over "conspired against their lords" and "endeavoured to gain their liberty." Recording how the people firstly complained to the Chester Justiciar, then petitioned parliament, and finally sent a deputation from among their own to present their case to the King at Windsor, the writer concluded they were behaving "like mad dogs." This was because even though by now the abbey had asserted and reasserted its rights over them in court, and had always received favourable judgements, the villagers of Darnhall refused to accept their position, refused payment of their customary dues, and reignited the argument. Furthermore, when Abbot Peter attempted to collect the monies owed him by confiscating the villagers' goods, they merely decamped with them.
In 1336, the abbot denied the villages of Over rights of admission of burgage in the newly chartered borough; this prompted the Over villagers to join with their neighbours from Darnhall against the abbey, and the tenantry relaunched their campaign against the abbot. They attempted to utilise the law in their favour. As Hilton puts it: "They beset the Justiciar of Cheshire, the King himself, and even Queen Philippa in their search for redress of law." Indeed, the latter may actually have supported them. According to all accounts, the peasants plotted by night. The extent to which the abbot was held personally responsible is indicated by the distances that the villagers were willing to travel to confront him. They went to extreme lengths: on one occasion they travelled as far as Rutland to hunt the abbot down and ambush him.
Attack on Abbot Peter.
The abbot of the day, Peter, visited King Edward III at the latter's royal hunting lodge at King's Cliffe in June 1336, where he requested royal assistance in his struggle against his rebellious tenants. As he passed the village of Exton he was set upon by what the ledger author called a "great crowd of the country people" of Darnhall. He was not necessarily in immediate danger; indeed, the same author tells of how the abbot own cellarer rushed, mounted, from the rear of the party "like a champion sent from God" to defend the abbot. It seems though, that the men of Cheshire were then joined by some locals, and that this resulted in Abbot Peter being "ignominiously taken." In the course of the struggle, the abbot groom was killed. However, his release — and the arrest of his captors — was ordered by the King the following day. Peter was released, and his captors were imprisoned in chains in "the greatest of misery" in Stamford. Curiously, although the villagers had killed a man in the melée, the King soon released them from their chains. Even more surprisingly, perhaps, is the fact that the King subsequently wrote to Abbot Peter requesting that he return to his tenants the property he had confiscated (an order the Abbot ignored). The abbot did, however, reduce their subsequent £10 fine to £4.
As they found, the abbot had sufficient political connections and influence in central government to stymie the villagers' suits. The early encouragement that Hilton says they had received from various "royal and official personages" had clearly amounted to little. The abbot's legal victory did not assuage a serious undermining of his authority, however. As with any lord in the Middle Ages, when his authority was questioned by those of a lower social strata, the law would almost inherently find for him, but (notes Hewitt) it would also "be idle to identify legality with justice." It is certainly unlikely that the abbey attained its near-permanent favourable legal position without a fair amount of legal manipulation and chicanery. The villages resorted to further violence, and in 1339 — probably in the course of raiding the abbey's crops or outhouses — they killed both Abbot Peter and his cellerer.
Legacy.
Despite its assertions of right, the abbey was never able to fully dominate its own estate, or to prove itself as the regional lord from which all other tenure relationships sprang. Abbots of Vale Royal continued to face disruption from the populace almost up until the time of the abbey's dissolution by King Henry VIII in 1536. In 1351, they complained that they were "so wrongfully annoyed and harassed in many other ways." The late fourteenth-century Edward the Black Prince wrote to the Justice of Chester that he believed the abbots to be "wrongfully annoyed and harassed in many...ways by the people of these parts...the Justice is therefore to restrain any persons who from malice are going about to molest or annoy them." And as late as 1442, the abbot moaned that when he attempted to travel to Llanbadarn Fawr, Ceredigion, he was continually at risk of attack.


Paul Max Bertschy

Paul Max Bertschy (; 1 January 18401 February 1911) was a Baltic German architect, working mainly in what is now Latvia. He was city architect of Liepāja for more than 30 years and designed numerous both public and private buildings for the city, around 70 of which are extant.
Biography.
Paul Max Bertschy was born in Strausberg in Germany, in a family of carpenters. He was one of nine children. He studied in Berlin and also abroad. He left Berlin due to its fierce competition and sought a career as an architect in the what are now the Baltic states. The first years of his career he worked for several different architectural firms. From 1860 to 1864, he was in Riga working in the firm of Heinrich Scheel. He then moved to Daugavpils, where he was engaged in the construction of a railway line between Daugavpils and Vitebsk. At the same time he accepted separate commissions and took on Wilhelm Neumann as his pupil.
In 1871 he was invited to become city architect of Liepāja by the mayor of the city, and he would keep the position until 1902. At the time, the city experienced a rapid growth due to industrialization and trade, and through his many commissions Bertschy contributed significantly to the architecture of the city. He worked mainly in medievalist styles such as Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romanesque. Red brick, or a mix of red brick and other materials, was often favoured by Bertschy. His range was broad, and he designed private residences as well as religious and public buildings. Despite many of these buildings having been destroyed during World War II, more than 70 buildings designed by Bertschy are extant in Liepāja. This includes the former spa hospital (1871–1875), the Liepāja Gymnasium building (today owned by University of Liepāja) (1883–1884), the Lutheran Church of Saint Anne (1892–1893), the former district court building (now City Council), and numerous residential buildings.
Bertschy died in Liepāja in 1911. His archive is in Liepāja Museum. Many of the buildings which he designed are today marked with plaques bearing his name.


Staatstheater Braunschweig

The Staatstheater Braunschweig is a theatre company and opera house in Braunschweig, Germany, presenting and producing music theatre (opera, operetta, musical), Tanztheater, theatre, Theatre for Young Audiences and concerts.
The "Staatstheater Braunschweig" is owned by the State of Lower Saxony.
History.
The earliest incarnation of the Staatstheater Braunschweig was the "Opernhaus am Hagenmarkt" in Braunschweig, founded in 1690 by Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Theatre works such as "Emilia Galotti" by Lessing and Goethe's "Faust" had their first openings in Braunschweig.


Russell Deacon

Russell Deacon works in governance and policy.
Early life.
Deacon was born in Newbury, Berkshire in 1966. He has lived in the Rhondda Valley, Caerphilly, and Pontypridd in the 31 years he has lived in Wales.
Education.
Deacon went to Denefield School, then to Reading and Aylesbury Colleges. He studied Business Studies, Accountancy and Law at vocational and A level. He went onto work for a number of major companies in a finance role, including Equitable Life, Granada TV and Medicare. In 1987 he spent a period living in Memphis, Tennessee and has been a regular visitor to the United States in the following decades. In the same year as he lived in Memphis, Deacon became an undergraduate on the BA (Hons) Public Administration degree programme in the University Glamorgan. This was a four-year degree and he spent the sandwich year working in the European Affairs Division of the Welsh Office. After graduating from the University of Glamorgan he spent a further year undertaking postgraduate study at Cardiff University. In 1999 he was also awarded a PhD from the University of Glamorgan on 'The Welsh Office and the Policy Process'.
Academic career.
Deacon's professional career started in 1992 at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) when he was employed to teach public affairs to the National Council for Journalists professional training courses. He served in the Business School for the next 8 years finishing as the director of research on the MBA programme. In 2001 he helped start the Humanities courses at UWIC in the School of Lifelong Learning. The first cohort had around 45 students, the degree programmes now, in the School of Education, have around 350 students connected with the Humanities pathways. In 2006 he became Head of the newly formed Department of Humanities. Then in 2008 he became the Acting Director of Research for the School of Education. In April 2010 he was awarded a personal chair by UWIC and made his inaugural lecture on "Politics and Humour" in February 2011. Deacon left UWIC in July 2011 and from the Autumn of 2011 he worked with the Department of History at the University of Wales Trinity St Davids before starting lecturing at Swansea University.
Deacon was previously associated with the running of the ERASMUS programme in UWIC. In this respect he has presented on the subject at academic conferences and published in an academic journal.
Deacon has also had a long period directly involved in politics specifically for the Welsh Liberal Democrats. In 1992 and 1997 he was the agent in the Rhondda Valley, the later time for Dr Rodney Berman the ex-leader of Cardiff City Council. Although he stood for council office 15 times he was only successful twice, he served on Van Community Council as the only elected Liberal Democrat in the Caerphilly County Borough area. In the 1997 referendum Deacon served on the Board of the Yes for Wales Campaign, directed by Leighton Andrews. On the night of the referendum itself he provided the expert media coverage for ITN. In 1998 he worked for a while in Westminster in support of the Welsh Liberal Democrats during the drafting of the Government of Wales Act 1998 under the late Lord Richard Livsey. In 1999 he was seconded to the National Assembly for Wales for one year to help set up the administrative structures. There he worked directly to Lord German, the then leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
Deacon has made numerous media appearances for BBC programmes such as AM/PM, the Politics Show, television series such as "Coming Home" and The History of Wales, as well as radio programmes on Radios 2, 4 and Radio Wales. Deacon became the Chair of the Campaign for a Welsh Parliament between 2005–2008. He also serves on the Boards of the National Library of Wales Political Archives, the Welsh Council of the European Movement, History Research Wales and the Liberal History Society. In addition Deacon is the convenor of the British Liberal Political Studies Group, part of the Political Studies Association.
Deacon was an advisor to the Electoral Reform Society on the referendum in May 2011 on the Alternative Vote. He has appeared as an expert witness before many Westminster and Welsh Assembly Commissions on electoral and political reform. In recent years Deacon has also advised the WJEC and Qualifications Wales on the syllabus for the Welsh AS and A level programmes in Politics
Deacon has also been a key note speaker at the Lloyd George Society, the WJEC politic students' conference and at a number of European Universities including the Ghent University, Johan Gutenberg University in Mainz and the University of Plovdiv in Bulgaria. In 2010 Deacon was made a royal fellow when he was elected to the Royal Historical Society.
Publications.
Deacon has developed his research in both contemporary politics and history and has therefore published numerous articles and books related to this. In particular he has written on the topics of devolution and the history of the Liberal Party in Wales and the UK.
Deacon has written around 80 articles, book chapters and books. The main books he had written in the last decade are:
Devolved Great Britain: the New Governance of England, Scotland and Wales, with Dylan Griffiths and Peter Lynch, Sheffield Hallam University Press, 2000
‘God Bless the Prince of Wales’, with Steve Belzak, Centre for Reform in Wales, 2000
The Welsh Office and the Policy Process (1964–1999), Welsh Academic Press, 2002
Devolution in Britain Today, Manchester University Press, 2006
Devolved Great Britain: the New Governance of England, Scotland and Wales with Alan Sandry, Edinburgh University Press, 2007
Devolution in Great Britain, Edinburgh University Press, 2012
The Welsh Liberals: The History of the Liberal and Liberal Democrat parties in Wales, Welsh Academic Press, 2014
The Government and Politics of Wales, Edinburgh University Press, 2018


John Frowyk

John Frowyk (died after 1359) was an English-born cleric and judge in fourteenth-century Ireland.
He became Prior of the Irish chapter of the Order of Knights Hospitaller, whose house was at Kilmainham, in 1356 and in the same year was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland; apart from a brief interval when he was replaced by Thomas de Burley, he served in both offices until 1359. O'Flanagan states that no further details of his life are recorded. D'Alton however states that as Prior he obtained a confirmation of the privileges of the Order of Hospitallers. At least one record of his tenure as Lord Chancellor survives: letters patent were issued by Edward III addressed to Frowyk and other Crown officials in December 1357, giving details of an inquiry into alleged misconduct by John de Bolton, former Treasurer of Ireland.
Frowyk family of Middlesex.
It is possible that he belonged to the Frowyk family of Old Fold, Middlesex, who were prominent in the London merchant community and in local politics for two centuries. Roger de Frowyk, who built a mansion at Seething Lane, close to the Tower of London, around 1303, was a goldsmith and an English Crown official. Thomas Frowyk (died 1508) was Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. He was the grandson of Henry Frowyk, who was twice Lord Mayor of London.


Treaty of Gwerneigron

The Treaty of Gwerneigron was a peace treaty signed by Henry III, king of England and Dafydd ap Llywelyn, prince of Wales of the House of Gwynedd, on 29 August 1241. The treaty brought to an end Henry's invasion of Wales begun earlier that month.
In it, and the Treaty of London which followed in October, Dafydd agreed to cede large parts of modern-day Flintshire to Henry. The treaty also obliged Dafydd to hand over his half-brother, Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Fawr, to Henry, who promptly imprisoned him in the Tower of London. Given that Gruffudd was a rival claimant to Dafydd's princeship, Henry reasoned that Dafydd's authority could be curbed by the ever-present threat that Gruffudd might be released and sent to Wales to undermine Dafydd's position. Dafydd promised his and his own heirs' loyalty to kings of England so that in the event of breach he would forfeit all the remaining lands to the king. The king also became Dafydd's heir in case the latter died without living offspring.
The treaty effectively prevented Dafydd from pressing his rights to the territories controlled by his father Llywelyn until Gruffudd's death during an escape attempt on 1 March 1244, after which Dafydd invaded Flintshire and recovered his lost territory.


Main Street, Gibraltar

Main Street () is the main arterial street in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar.
History.
Main Street's route was established in the 14th century which was confirmed when the "Puerta de África" (now called the Southport Gates) were built in 1575, during the Spanish period.
Nearly every building in Main Street was damaged during the Great Siege of Gibraltar when from 1779 to 1783 the town was attacked by a combined French and Spanish fleet. Because Main Street was near the harbour it was easily bombarded by the ships in the harbour. Col. John Drinkwater wrote "that some few, near South-port, continued to be inhabited by soldiers families, but in general the floors and roofs were destroyed and the bare shell only was left standing."
The street's route has only had minor adjustment when the front of the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned was re-modeled and downsized in 1801 in order to straighten the street on the orders of the British Governor, Charles O'Hara. A branch of Marks & Spencer was established in Gibraltar on the street in 1968.
Description.
Main Street is Gibraltar's main commercial and shopping district. It runs north–south through the old town which is pedestrianised and lined with buildings displaying a blend of Genoese, Portuguese, Andalusian, Moorish and British Regency styles, most of which have shops on the ground floor. Upper floors provide residential accommodation or offices. Tourists and visitors will find a wide variety of shops, many of which will be familiar from British high streets.
"Irish Town" is a street name and one of Main Street's sub-districts and was named in the early 19th century when Gibraltar was split into differing quarters.
Gibraltar's town centre is largely protected by the "Gibraltar Heritage Trust" and is part of a continual restoration programme.
Grand Casemates Square.
Grand Casemates Square at the northern end of Main Street, once the centre of public executions, is the hub of Gibraltar's nightlife, and is filled with numerous restaurants, pubs and bars.


Millicent Armstrong

Millicent Sylvia Armstrong (1 May 1888 – 18 November 1973) was an Australian playwright and farmer who wrote primarily about the experiences of country life in early 20th century Australia.
Early life and education.
Armstrong was born in Waverley, Sydney on 1 May 1888. She was the fourth daughter of Irish-born William Harvey Armstrong and Tasmanian-born Jeanie (née Williams). She matriculated in French and Latin in 1905 and entered Sydney University to study arts, following her two older sisters, Ina Beatrice and Helen Daphne. She graduated BA with first class honours in English in 1910. Millicent's sister, Helen, with whom she would collaborate on plays and a novel, graduated with first class honours in French, English and German in 1902.
War experiences.
In 1914 Armstrong travelled to England to pursue a writing career but became involved in World War I work almost immediately. She served as a hospital orderly in both England and France: in England during the first two years of the war, and then in France with the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service for the latter two and half years.
She won the Croix de guerre for bravery in rescuing wounded soldiers while under fire.
It was during her time as a nurse at the Hospital Auxiliaire d'Armee No. 30 in France that, 'I first tried my hand on plays – partly in French and partly in English, acted in one or other of the wards by the staff and any of the blesses who were well enough to join in the fun, for the amusement of the rest of the hospital. Never were audiences more kindly and easy to entertain! Anything went down with them, from wildest melodrama to pantomime and variety shows.'
Life as a farmer.
In 1919, after the war, Armstrong returned to Australia. In 1921 she took up a soldier settlement block of land in Clear Hills, Gunning, New South Wales . The farm which was 1028 acres had previously belonged to her sister Ina's husband. It adjoined land later acquired by her sister, Helen. They farmed vegetables, flowers, pigs and wool together but faced indebtedness and many of the difficulties that others who had acquired land through the Soldier Settlement scheme faced.
After Helen's death in 1939, Millicent became a grazier in Kirkdale, Yarra, near Goulburn. By 1953, she was living in the city of Goulburn where she died in 1973.
Writing career.
Millicent Armstrong wrote plays and an unpublished novel, "Five Pretty Sisters", with her sister, Helen. None of her wartime writing survives, but the plays she wrote in Australia were well received and prize-winning. Eleven plays survive and some have been republished in collections.
Armstrong's first post-war play was "Fire", which won third prize in the "Sydney Daily Telegraph" playwriting competition in 1923.
In the same year, "Drought", a play about a Macedonian immigrant farmer committing suicide just before a destructive drought ends, won the Rupert Brooke Prize, which had been instituted in 1919 by the Old Collegians Association of the Presbyterian Ladies College of Melbourne in commemoration of peace. The play was chosen from over 100 submissions, winning the award for the best one act play written by an Australian or New Zealander. It was produced at the Playhouse, Melbourne, in June 1924. In 1934 it was one of three prize winners in the International One-Act Play Theatre's 1934 competition and was produced at St Martin's Theatre, London on 3 June 1934. "Drought" was also broadcast from London by the BBC on 11 December 1934 and 3KZ (Melbourne) 10 May 1938. The play was published in London by Harrap, 1934: "Prize One Act Plays" and then in a collection of Armstrong's plays, "Plays in One Act" in 1958.
Also published in "Plays in One Act" are "Thomas", first produced by the Armidale Theatre Club, Armidale, New South Wales in 1959; and "Penny Dreadful" which was first produced by the Diamond Valley Drama Group at the Arrow Theatre, Melbourne, 8 August 1961.
The play "At Dusk" was published in the 1937 collection "Best Australian One-Act Plays" editing by Tom Inglis-Moore and William Moore. A sinisterly dramatic play about two sisters who live in the Australian bush, one of whom dies of fright after encountering a vicious man from her past, is described as 'plunder[ing] the 'frontier mentality' which usually saw women scripted as saviours rather than victims of intolerably discriminatory situations.' "At Dusk" had a rich performance history and was produced by the Sydney Drama Society on 23 July 1938, by the Sydney Players' Club in 1939, the Maryborough Arts Society (5 June 1954) and at the Napier Street Theatre, South Melbourne, c.1993. It was toured by Phoenix Productions in 1956 (dir. Musgrave Horner), among other productions.
Armstrong's other plays include:
"The Unfortunate Archibalds" (1931) was written with Millicent's sister Helen.


Andreas Ascharin

Andreas Ascharin (, "Andrey Aleksandrovich Asharin"; in Pärnu – in Riga) was a Baltic German-Russian chess master.
Ascharin's father was Russian, his mother was from a Baltic German family. He read law in Dorpat (now Tartu). Between 1875 and 1879, he worked in Saint Petersburg as a journalist for the "St. Petersburger Zeitung" and the "St. Petersburger Herold". He also played in local chess tournaments. In 1876 he won ahead of Mikhail Chigorin and Emanuel Schiffers. In 1877 he lost a match to Friedrich Amelung (+3 –4 =2). In 1878/79 he took sixth place (Chigorin and Simon Alapin won).
From 1879 he lived in Riga where he worked as a teacher of German language at a gymnasium, and a translator of Russian literature into German. Among others, he published "Schach-Humoresken" (Riga 1894). He was a president of the Riga Chess Club.


Solovyovo, Priozersky District, Leningrad Oblast

Solovyovo (; ), formerly Taipale, is a rural locality (a settlement) in Priozersky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the western shore of Lake Ladoga on the Karelian Isthmus about north of Saint Petersburg. The settlement is approximately east-southeast of the post-Winter War border with Finland. Vuoksi River's southern armlet Burnaya empties into Lake Ladoga at Solovyovo. As of January 1997, its population was 7.
History.
Taipale, at the Mannerheim Line then approximately from the Finnish–Soviet border, became known for heavy fighting during the Battle of Taipale in December 1939 during the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. The area was held by the Finnish forces until the end of that war, when all of the Karelian Isthmus was ceded to the Soviet Union and had to be evacuated in haste.


Pauline Croft

Pauline Croft is an English historian, professor, and writer. She is a reader in history at the Royal Holloway, University of London. She has published on the 16th and 17th centuries (part of early modern Britain) in British history.
Major works.
James I was the first Stuart king of England. Croft's book is currently considered the best overview of his reign.


Combined Loyalist Military Command

The Combined Loyalist Military Command is an umbrella body for loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990s, recalling the earlier Ulster Army Council and Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee.
Bringing together the leaderships of the Ulster Defence Association, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando, the CLMC sought to ensure that the groups would work towards the same goals. The group was made up of a number of 'Liaison Officers' who were senior figures from the paramilitary groups themselves, as well as from the Ulster Democratic Party and the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party. The UDP was made up of representatives from UDA and the PUP was made up of representatives from both the RHC and UVF.
1991 Ceasefire.
The CLMC first tested the idea of a ceasefire in 1991 when it called a halt to all action from 29 April to 4 July of that year. The only breach of the 10-week ceasefire was the killing by the Ulster Freedom Fighters of Eddie Fullerton, a Sinn Féin Councillor in Buncrana, County Donegal. The UDA justified the killing, insisting that the ceasefire only applied within Northern Ireland. In the same period the IRA would murder 13 people. The ceasefire indicated that the CLMC was open to the possibility of ending its campaign and a line of negotiation was opened afterwards with Robin Eames, the head of the Church of Ireland.
Paramilitary action.
The only paramilitary action claimed in the name of the CLMC was a rocket attack on Crumlin Road Prison on 13 December 1991, in retaliation for an IRA bomb in the prison on 24 November 1991 which killed two loyalist prisoners. An RPG-7 was fired at the canteen block where republican prisoners were having their evening meal but the rocket bounced off a window grille and failed to explode
1994 Ceasefire.
After a long process of consultation with members and activists across Northern Ireland, the CLMC called a ceasefire on 13 October 1994, bringing loyalists fully into the peace process. The ceasefire was announced at a press conference at Fernhill House in the Glencairn area of the Shankill. Former UVF commander and PUP politician Gusty Spence read out the ceasefire statement which included an apology for the innocent victims of loyalist violence.
"In all sincerity, we offer to the loved ones of all innocent victims over the past twenty-five years, abject and true remorse. No words of ours will compensate for the intolerable suffering they have undergone during the conflict."
Drumcree.
The ceasefire, however, proved difficult to maintain and in 1996 the CLMC was forced to distance itself from the murder of Catholic taxi driver, Michael McGoldrick by the UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade. They were further embarrassed by television pictures that year showing loyalists at Drumcree Church being led against the security forces by Billy Wright, at the time the leader of the Mid-Ulster UVF. Following the unsanctioned killing of a Catholic taxi driver by his brigade, Wright, along with the Portadown unit of the Mid-Ulster UVF, was stood down by the UVF's Brigade Staff (Belfast leadership). Wright was soon expelled from the UVF for his renegade actions along with a number of his followers who soon reconstituted as the Loyalist Volunteer Force, continuing without ceasefire.
Despite no longer having full control of Loyalism, the CLMC carried on and supported the signing of the Belfast Agreement. However, since then the CLMC has effectively ceased to exist as the UVF and UDA were embroiled in a loyalist feud over Johnny Adair and commitment to the Agreement has wavered. Overall control of Loyalism has largely been lost to the CLMC and, whilst it is still theoretically maintained, it is no longer the important body that it once was.
The subsequent Loyalist Commission (LC) represented the political work of the new McMichael-ite UDA politicos, known as the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), which followed the now defunct UDP, and the David Ervine-inspired PUP. Led by the UPRGs liberal but tough East Belfast faction, Frankie Gallagher, and Dawn Purvis the new PUP leader, the testing post-Ervine vacuum murders by the CIRA-RIRA alliance were rendered ineffective when even the now larger hard-line Loyalist Volunteer Force refused to retaliate to several murders in March 2009.
Many duly credit the CLMC/LC bodies with the final say in the Northern Irish peace process, in that their groupings managed somehow to not only avoid retaliation to the March 2009 killings, but (some argue) that they brought, albeit unofficially, the un-aligned LVF more into the peace process.
At the Belfast peace rally of 12 March 2009 a community-led body calling itself the Combined Loyalists for Peace appeared. Quoted in the "Irish Independent" they stressed that the loyalist communities had a peace strategy and would stick to it. UDA leader Jackie McDonald confirmed the group's thoughts on a BBC interview when he said loyalists would not be goaded into reaction adding that "clowns" would not spoil the loyalist peace strategy. In a carefully choreographed move Frankie Gallahgher met Belfast mayor, Tom Hartley of Sinn Féin in public that same day. Despite goading from rebel republicans, three levels of formerly hard-line loyalism were evident for the first time and in public – the community, the military, and the political. All were showing overt support for no return to violence.
Subsequently, and merely weeks after the dissident republican murders, the groups which had made up the CLMC made separate announcements to the media that arms had been decommissioned. Dawn Purvis, now leader of the PUP mentioned above, quoting the input of influential liberal loyalists such as Billy Mitchell and Billy McCaughey, announced on behalf of the UVF and the RHC that all weapons had been put beyond use. Frankie Gallagher, speaking for the UDA/UFF via the UPRG, stated that their process was underway. This was confirmed by General de Chastelain hours later.
The CLMC set out to see that any conflict resolution initiatives by Irish republicans in the peace process were matched by loyalist groups, and nearly 20 years after its creation, and despite the fact that 'in essence' it no longer existed, it finally and successfully achieved its goals.


Peter, Abbot of Vale Royal

Peter (in office from 1322, died 1339-40) was the fifth Abbot of Vale Royal Abbey, Cheshire, in the first half of the fourteenth century. He is generally held to be the author of the abbey's own chronicle, which was published in 1914 as the "Ledger of Vale Royal Abbey". Owing to a failure to finish the abbey's building works—which had commenced in 1277 and had been intermittently on-going ever since—the abbey was unsightly, and the monks' quarters probably near derelict. Abbot Peter oversaw the transplantation of the house onto new grounds. Much of his career, however, was focussed on defending his abbey's feudal lordship over its tenants. The dispute between the abbey and its tenantry had existed since the abbey's foundation; the abbot desired to enforce his feudal rights, the serfs to reject them, as they claimed to be by then freemen. This did not merely involve Abbot Peter defending the privileges of his house in the courts. Although there was much litigation, with the Abbot having to defend himself to the Justice of Chester and even the King on occasion, by 1337 his discontented villagers even followed him from Cheshire to Rutland—very much the other side of the country—which, following a confrontation between the Abbot and his tenants, resulted in the death of a monastic servant and the capture and imprisonment of the Abbot himself. But the King intervened, and the Abbot and his party were soon freed.
Abbot Peter's quarrels were not with just his tenantry. He was engaged in a long-running lawsuit with the Abbot of Shrewsbury—for which he was summoned to appear before the Archbishop of York, and successfully defended himself—over Vale Royal's claim to the advowson of Kirkham Church. He was also involved in a feud of some description with the local gentry. This, it seems, was to be fatal. Little is known of this dispute, but, as a result of the feud—still attempting to defend his abbey and its rights as he perceived them to be—in 1340 he was killed during an incursion in which many monastic buildings and goods were burnt. He was succeeded as abbot by Robert de Cheyneston.
Background.
Vale Royal Abbey had been founded on its present site by King Edward I in 1277. Although intended to be the biggest and grandest Cistercian church in Christian Europe, building work was very much delayed (Edward had vowed to found the house in 1263, but recurring political crises, his own crusade, and the Second Barons' War prevented any work whatsoever taking place at least until 1270). Work progressed until the 1280s when the abbey's construction was once again delayed by national events, this time Edward's invasion of Wales. The King took not only the money that had been set aside for Vale Royal but also conscripted the masons and other labourers to build his Welsh fortifications. By the 1330s the monks had managed to complete the east end of the church.
Ecclesiastical career.
Abbot Peter has been described as "the most noteworthy of his line." It may well have been he, around 1338, who authored—or at least began—the chronicle known as the "Ledger Book". This recorded not only a history of the abbey and its abbots until 1338, but also contained the abbey's litigation records and papal bulla granted to the Cistercians. Abbot Peter was also responsible for re-siting Vale Royal in 1330, which was deemed necessary because the old quarters (which the house had occupied since 1281) had become, says the "Ledger", "unsightly and ruinous" but the abbey had been so short of funds to carry out its original building works that much of the church and convent buildings were still incomplete. The Abbot reported in 1336 that the vaults, the roof or the windows of the church had yet been finished, and was forced to ask the General Chapter for financial assistance.
Around late 1327 or early 1328, Abbot Peter was sued by Shrewsbury Abbey for the sum of 500 marks. This was related to the ongoing dispute over the advowson of Kirkham Church, Lancashire, which had arisen during the abbacy of Peter's predecessor, Walter of Hereford. The advowson had originally belonged to Shrewsbury in the twelfth century, but in 1196 it had been acquired—through litigation—by Theobald Walter. It had been granted, however, by Edward I to Vale Royal as part of its endowment. Theobald Butler, a descendant of Walter's, continued to press his family's claim to Kirkham. In defence of the abbey's rights to that church, Walter of Hereford had managed not only to get Edward II to confirm his father's grant to the abbey, but also to persuade the pope to confirm it as being in possession for perpetuity. This had been taxed at £160 in the 1270s, but by the time of Peter's abbacy its value had halved to £80.
Notwithstanding these confirmations, Abbot Peter was summoned to appear before the Archbishop of York, to demonstrate under what grant or law Vale Royal held Kirkham. He attended the hearing armed with a great deal of written evidence (in the form of charters) and witnesses. The fact that the abbot was forced to publicly defend his rights to his superior may well be a reflection on weaknesses in the wording of the original grant. "Even the Abbey's own chronicler," said historian Peter Coss "cast some doubt on the justice" of the grant. Although Shrewsbury's clam was for eight years' rents from Kirkham church (twelve marks annually), Peter was unable to obtain the dismissal of the suit (or other "favourable termination"). Although Peter managed to redeem "that writ and many others" from the Sheriff of Lancashire, Shrewsbury's case was not settled until after Peter's death.
In 1337 Abbot Peter became involved in a dispute with Sir William Clifton over the church's tithes from the villages of Clifton and Westby, from which Peter claimed that Sir William had unlawfully taken twenty marks (or, it has been suggested, because the Abbot refused to sell the tithes to Clifton). Peter further accused the knight of taking the money with violence, threatening the rector of Kirkham church and physically preventing him from collecting what was due to the abbey, and sending his retainers to invade the church, stop the service, and hold up a baptism. Sir William also, said Peter, injured the rector's riding horse in what the Abbot described as a "ridiculous manner". He had also abducted Thomas, one of the Abbot's own clerks, and flagellated him through the streets of Preston. Thanks to the involvement of the Abbot of Westminster, who was the head of the Cistercian Order in England, Clifton was forced to surrender himself to the Abbot in supplication. Abbot Peter received his tithe money and an oath of good behaviour from the errant knight.
Feud with the villagers of Darnhall.
Vale Royal Abbey had been unpopular with the local villagers, as its grants of local land—surrounding villagers claimed—impinged on their customary liberties. Relations between the abbey and its tenantry had always been tempestuous. In 1275, only a year after the abbey's foundation, tenants of Darnhall attempted to withdraw from paying the Abbot customs and services, a position from which they would not withdraw, but rather pushed with increasing vigour for the next fifty years. Abbot Peter continued his predecessors' campaign to maintain the villeinage of his tenants; or, to put it another way, was "an energetic defender of the rights of his house." The tenantry initially relied on the law to obtain satisfaction, but finding Abbot Peter's political connections and influence too powerful, their campaign turned increasingly violent.
The tenants of Darnhall, joined by those of surrounding villages, took such umbrage with Abbot Peter's actions that in June 1337 a group of them even followed him across England. The Abbot had visited King Edward III at his King's Cliffe Hunting Lodge. Returning through Rutland, Abbot Peter and his party were accosted by the Cheshiremen (a "great crowd of the country people" reports the "Ledger"). The latter attacked, and in the melée that followed, the Abbot was "ignominiously taken," and his groom killed. The following day the King ordered the Abbot's release, which was swiftly complied with by his captors, who were themselves then imprisoned. In a curious episode, the King later ordered the Abbot to return to his rebellious tenantry (who by then had been released) the goods Peter had confiscated from them. Less curiously, perhaps, the Abbot refused to do so.
Death.
Although details of the exact circumstances of Abbot Peter's death—and the events leading up to it—are scarce, he is known to have been involved in a serious dispute with a member of the local gentry, Thomas de Venables. The cause of the dispute was almost certainly Abbot Peter's "single-minded defence" of his house's rights and prerogatives. Just before he was killed, a number of the Abbot's houses were destroyed, much of his harvest burnt, a quantity of goods stolen and some livestock killed. A fellow monk, Walter le Walche, or Walter Welch, died with him. This is no surprise; Welch had been a loyal associate of the Abbot, and had fought in his defence once before. In the conflict in Rutland three years earlier, when Welch had seen what was afoot, he had raced up from the rear of the party "like a champion sent from God" to defend the Abbot.
Abbot Peter was succeeded as Abbot by one of his monks, Robert de Cheyneston; by 1337, he was a senior official within Abbot Peter's administration.


Torrean civilization

The Torrean civilization was a Bronze Age megalithic civilization that developed in Southern Corsica, mostly concentrated south of Ajaccio, during the second half of the second millennium BC.
History.
The characteristic buildings of this culture are the "torri" ("towers"), megalithic structures similar to the Sardinian nuraghes (although the "torri" were smaller and less impressive), from which the culture takes its name, and the "castelli" ("castles"), more complex buildings that include a wall, a tower and huts.
According to preliminary investigations conducted during the 1950s by the French scholar Roger Grosjean, the Torrean civilization began when, at the end of the second millennium BC, the Sea People known as Sherden landed on the island from the Eastern Mediterranean, subduing the native megalithic population. The Sherden brought metallurgy to the island and built the "torri", which Grosjean thought were temples dedicated to the worship of fire and the dead. They also erected statue menhir representing their leaders armed with swords and a horned helmet, similar to the Sherden immortalized in the temple of Medinet Habu in Egypt.
Currently, the Torrean civilization is seen as an indigenous civilization, and the result of a local evolution started since the Neolithic with possible Sardinian (Bonnanaro culture), North Italian (Polada culture) and later Central Italian (Apennine culture) influences. In fact, according to modern dating, the first towers and castles were built a millennium earlier than Grosjean thought, at the end of the third millennium BC, at the same time or even before the appearance of the first protonuraghes in Sardinia. Also, contrary to what Grosjean thought, metallurgy had existed in Corsica for centuries before the supposed "arrival of the Sherden near Porto Vecchio." The Terrina site, near Aleria, shows that the processing of copper had spread on the island from the early centuries of the third millennium B.C.
However, some scholars think that Sherden may have migrated to Corsica from the west (Sardinia) instead of the east, and that they themselves pushed toward the Eastern Mediterranean for piracy, possibly in the pay of the Mycenaean lords.
During the Iron Age, the towers and castles were still occupied, but the relationships with Sardinia become less intense (the characteristic Nuragic bronze statuettes are absent in Corsica), while in the north there were increasing contacts with Tuscany and Liguria.
The Torrean civilization disappeared in the middle of the first millennium BC, when Corsica was settled by the Greeks of Phocaea, the Etruscans, the Carthaginians, and then the Romans.
The Torrean people might be associated with the "Corsi", a people that lived in Corsica and north-east Sardinia during Roman times, described as one of the main tribal groups of the two islands together with the Sardinian "Ilienses" and the "Balares". The "Corsi" were in turn divided into several other tribes that dwelt in Corsica: the "Belatoni", "Cervini", "Cilibensi", "Cumanesi", "Licinini", "Macrini", "Opini", "Subasani", "Sumbri", "Tarabeni", "Titiani", and "Venacini". Potential "Corsi" tribes in Nuragic Sardinia included the proper "Corsi", from whom Corsica derives its name, and who dwelt at the extreme north-east of Sardinia; Longonensi; and the "Tibulati", who dwelt at the extreme north of Sardinia, around the ancient city of Tibula.
Politics.
The Torrean society was not organized into a complex political system with a strong central power; the villages of huts at the foot of the castles rather indicate that it was structured into small chiefdoms that dominated the valleys.
Society.
The representations in anthropomorphic statues reflect a hierarchical society led by a warrior class that flaunted its military virtues. Some interpretations also reveal the existence of lower classes such as traders and craftsmen.
Religion.
Torrean buildings with specifically religious functions are unknown, making it difficult to identify a possible priestly caste; religiosity was expressed, as in the past, in the maintenance of places like coffres (circular tombs with stone cists) and the dolmens.
Economy.
The economy was based mainly on agriculture and livestock, particularly of cattle, goats and pigs. In Bronze Age Corsica there was a notable expansion in metallurgy and trade with the East, as evidenced by the discovery at Borgo of a copper oxhide ingot and some cobalt beads, goods coming from Cyprus and the Aegean, respectively. However, there have been only sporadic discoveries of Mycenaean goods, which are quite common in Sardinia.


Matilda of Frisia

Matilda of Frisia (died in 1044) was the first queen of Henry I, King of the Franks. Her date of birth is unknown.
She was the daughter of Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia, and Gertrude of Egisheim.
Matilda and Henry were married in 1034 after the death of his fiancée Matilda of Franconia.
Around 1040, Matilda of Frisia gave birth to a daughter via Caesarian section, but four years later in 1044 both she and her daughter died only weeks apart. Matilda was buried in St Denis Abbey, but her tomb is not preserved.
Henry married Anne of Kiev after her death.


Princess Augusta of Great Britain

Princess Augusta Frederica of Great Britain (31 July 1737 – 23 March 1813) was a British princess, granddaughter of King George II and the only elder sibling of King George III. She was the duchess of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel by marriage to Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. Her daughter Caroline was the spouse of King George IV.
Early life.
Princess Augusta Frederica was born at St. James's Palace, London. Her father was Frederick, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of George II and Caroline of Ansbach. Her mother was Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. As the eldest child, she was born second in the line of succession to the British throne, after her father. This would change the next year in 1738 when her younger brother George was born.
Fifty days later, she was christened at St. James's Palace by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Her godparents were her paternal grandfather, the King (represented by his Lord Chamberlain, the Duke of Grafton), and her grandmothers, Queen Caroline and the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Gotha (both represented by proxies).
Her third birthday was celebrated by the first public performance of Rule, Britannia! at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire.
Augusta was given a careful education. She was not described as a beauty, having protuberant eyes, loose mouth and a long face.
In 1761–62, a marriage was discussed between Augusta and her second cousin, the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel. The negotiations were delayed because her mother disliked the House of Brunswick. This obstacle was overcome due to a reason described by Walpole: "Lady Augusta was lively, and much inclined to meddle in the private politics of the Court. As non of her [The Princess's] children but the King, had, or had reason to have, much affection for their mother, she justly apprehended Lady Augusta instilling their disgust on to the Queen. She could not forbid her daughter's frequent visits at Buckingham House, but to prevent ill consequence of them, she often accompanied her thither. This, however, was an attendance and a constraint the Princess of Wales could not support. Her exceeding indolence, her more excessive love of privacy, and the subjection of being frequently with the Queen, whose higher rank was a never ceasing mortification, all concurred to make her resolve, at any rate, to deliver herself of her daughter. To obtain this end, the profusion of favours to the hated House of Brunswick was not though too much. The Hereditary Prince was prevailed to accept Lady Augusta's hand, with four-scour thousand pounds, an annuity of £5.000 a year on Ireland, and three thousand a year on Hanover."
On 16 January 1764, Augusta married Charles William Ferdinand at the Chapel Royal of St James's Palace. The wedding was followed by a state dinner at Leicester House, congratulations from the House of Parliament, a ball given by the Queen and an opera performance at Covent Garden, before departing from Harwich on the 26th.
Life in Brunswick.
Augusta never fully adapted to life in Brunswick due to her British patriotism and disregard of all things "east of the Rhine". This attitude did not change with time, and twenty five years after her marriage, she was described as: "wholly English in her tastes, her principles and her manners, to the point that her almost cynical independence makes, with the etiquette of the German courts, the most singular contrast I know".
After her first pregnancy in 1764, she returned to Great Britain in the company of Charles to give birth to her second child. During their visit in England, it was noted that the Brunswicks were cheered by the crowds when they showed themselves in public. This, reportedly, exposed them to suspicion at court. During their visit, her sister-in-law Queen Charlotte apparently refused them some honors at court, such as military salutes. This attracted negative publicity toward the hosting royal couple. During the negotiations thirty years later for the marriage of her daughter to the Prince of Wales, Augusta commented to the British negotiator, Lord Malmesbury, that Queen Charlotte disliked both her and her mother because of jealousy dating from the visit of 1764.
Augusta regarded the residence in Brunswick as too simple, and was bored with the scholarly tone of her mother-in-law's court, particularly during the summers, when her spouse was absent at camp. A summer retreat was built for her in the southern part of Braunschweig where she could spend time away from court, built by Carl Christoph Wilhelm Fleischer and called "Schloss Richmond" to remind her of England. In her retreat, Augusta amused herself spending her days eating heavy luncheons, gossiping and playing cards with her favourites, often receiving English guests.
The marriage was an arranged dynastic marriage. However, Augusta was attracted by Charles's handsome looks and initially pleased with him. Shortly after the birth of her first daughter, she wrote: "No two people live better together than we do, and I would go through fire and water for him", and it was noted that she seemed to be unaware of his flirtations in London.
In 1771-72, Augusta visited England on her mother's invitation. On this occasion, she was involved in another conflict with her sister-in-law Queen Charlotte. She was not allowed to live at Carlton House or St. James Palace despite the fact that it was empty at the time, but was forced to live in a small house on Pall Mall. The queen disagreed with her about etiquette, and refused to let her see her brother the king alone. According to Mr. Walpole, the reason was jealousy on the part of the queen. She attended her mother's deathbed during her second visit to England, and upon her return to Brunswick, extended her period of mourning, which eventually led to her retirement from participation in court life.
When her sister, Queen Caroline Matilda of Denmark, was convicted of adultery and exiled near Brunswick in Celle, Augusta took the habit to regularly visit her for weeks on end, to the disapproval of her spouse and parents-in-law.
In 1777, Augusta announced to Charles that she would retire from court life and devote herself to the upbringing of her children and religious studies under the Bishop of Fürstenberg. The reason was her disapproval of the relationship between Charles and Louise Hertefeld whom he, in contrast to his previous mistress Maria Antonia Branconi, had installed as his official royal mistress at the Brunswick court.
In 1780, Charles succeeded his father as sovereign Duke of Brunswick, and Augusta thus became Duchess consort.
Of Augusta's four sons, the eldest three were born with handicaps. The Swedish Princess Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte described her, as well as her family, at the time of a visit in August, 1799: Our cousin, the Duke, arrived immediately the next morning. As a noted military man he has won many victories, he is witty, literal and a pleasant acquaintance, but ceremonial beyond description. He is said to be quite strict, but a good father of the nation who attends to the needs of his people. After he left us, I visited the Dowager Duchess, the aunt of my consort. She is an agreeable, highly educated and well respected lady, but by now so old that she has almost lost her memory. From her I continued to the Duchess, sister to the King of England and a typical English woman. She looked very simple, like a vicar's wife, has I am sure many admirable qualities and are very respectable, but completely lacks manners. She makes the strangest questions without considering how difficult and unpleasant they can be. Both the Hereditary Princess as well as Princess Augusta — sister of the sovereign Duke — came to her while I was there. The former is delightful, mild, lovable, witty and clever, not a beauty but still very pretty. In addition, she is said to be admirably kind to her boring consort. The Princess Augusta is full of wit and energy and very amusing. [...]
The Duchess and the Princesses followed me to Richmond, the country villa of the Duchess a bit outside of town. It was small and pretty with a beautiful little park, all in an English style. As she had the residence constructed herself, it amuses her to show it to others. [...]
The sons of the Ducal couple are somewhat peculiar. The Hereditary Prince, chubby and fat, almost blind, strange and odd — if not to say an imbecile — attempts to imitate his father but only makes himself artificial and unpleasant. He talks continually, does not know what he says and is in all aspects unbearable. He is accommodating but a poor thing, loves his consort to the point of worship and is completely governed by her. The other son, Prince Georg, is the most ridiculous person imaginable, and so silly that he can never be left alone but is always accompanied by a courtier. The third son is also described as an original. I never saw him, as he served with his regiment. The fourth one is the only normal one, but also torments his parents by his immoral behavior.
Later life.
In 1806, when Prussia declared war on France, her husband, the Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, 71 at the time, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Prussian army. On 14 October of that year, at the Battle of Jena, Napoleon defeated the Prussian army; and on the same day, at the Battle of Auerstadt, the Prince was seriously wounded, dying a few days later. Augusta, with the Hereditary Prince and Hereditary Princess, fled to Altona, where they were present at her dying spouse's side. Because of the advancing French army, they were advised by the British ambassador to flee, and they left shortly before the death of the Prince.
They were invited to Sweden by the Hereditary Princess's brother-in-law King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden. However, Augusta preferred to stay at the Duchy of Augustenborg, where her nephew-in-law was sovereign. She remained there with her niece, the Duchess of Augustenborg (daughter of her sister the late Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark), until her brother George III of the United Kingdom finally relented in September 1807, and allowed Augusta to come to London. There she resided at Montagu House, at Blackheath in Greenwich, with her daughter, the Princess of Wales, but soon Augusta fell out with her, and purchased the house next door, Brunswick House. Augusta lived out her days there and died in 1813 aged 75.
Arms.
Augusta was granted use of the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a "label argent of five points, the centre bearing a cross gules, the other points each bearing a rose gules".
Issue.
Together the couple had 7 children:


Pyotr Rumyantsev

Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (; – ) was one of the foremost Russian generals of the 18th century. He governed Little Russia in the name of Empress Catherine the Great from the abolition of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764 until Catherine's death 32 years later. Monuments to his victories include the Kagul Obelisk in Tsarskoye Selo (1772), the Rumyantsev Obelisk on Vasilievsky Island (1798–1801), and a galaxy of Derzhavin's odes.
Early life.
Peter was the only son of Count Alexander Rumyantsev by Maria, the daughter and heiress of Count Andrey Matveyev. As his mother spent much time in the company of Peter the Great, rumours suggested that the young Rumyantsev was the monarch's illegitimate son. He was named after the ruling Emperor who was his godfather. He was the brother of Praskovya Bruce, confidant of Catherine the Great.
Pyotr Alexandrovich first saw military service under his nominal father in the war with Sweden (1741–1743). He personally carried to the Empress the peace treaty of Abo, concluded by his father in 1743. Thereupon he gained promotion to the rank of colonel.
His first military glory dates from the great battles of the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), those of Gross-Jägersdorf (1757) and Kunersdorf (1759). In 1761 he besieged and took the Pomeranian fortress of Kolberg, thus clearing for Russian armies the path to Berlin.
First Russo-Turkish War.
Throughout the reign of Catherine the Great, Rumyantsev served as supreme governor of Little Russia. In this post, which his father had held with so much honesty, Rumyantsev made it his priority to eliminate any autonomy of the hetmans and to fully incorporate the newly conquered territories into the Russian Empire. Some accuse him of having promoted serfdom in New Russia, but the choice of such a policy remained out of his control.
With the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish war in 1768, Rumyantsev took command of the army sent to capture Azov. He thoroughly defeated the Turks in the Battles of Larga and Kagula, crossed the Danube and advanced to Romania. For these dazzling victories he became Field-Marshal and gained the victory title "Zadunaisky" (meaning "Trans-Danubian"). When his forces approached Shumla in 1774, the new Sultan Abdul Hamid I started to panic and sued for peace, which Rumyanstev signed upon a military tambourine at the village of Küçük Kaynarca.
Second Russo-Turkish War.
By that point, Rumyantsev had undoubtedly become the most famous Russian commander. Other Catharinian generals, notably Potemkin, allegedly regarded his fame with such jealousy that they wouldn't permit him to take the command again. In times of peace, Rumyantsev expressed his innovative views on the martial art in the "Instructions" (1761), "Customs of Military Service" (1770), and the "Thoughts" (1777). These works provided a theoretical base for the re-organisation of the Russian army undertaken by Potemkin.
During the Second Russo-Turkish War, Rumyantsev suspected Potemkin of deliberately curtailing supplies of his army and presently resigned his command. In the Polish campaign of 1794 he once again won appointment as commander-in-chief, but his rival Suvorov actually led the armies into battle. On this occasion Rumyantsev didn't bother even to leave his Ukrainian manor at Tashan which he had rebuilt into a fortress. He died there on 19 December 1796, just over a month after Catherine's death, and was interred in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
As the story goes, old Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky grew enormously fat and avaricious, so that he pretended not to recognize his own sons when they came from the capital to ask for money. Under his son Sergey's administration, Tashan fell into ruins, although he erected a mausoleum near Balashikha for his father's reburial (which never took place). Neither Sergey nor his brother Nikolay Petrovich Rumyantsev married, and the comital branch of the Rumyantsev family became extinct upon their death.


Meredith Hanmer

Meredith Hanmer (1543–1604) was a Welsh clergyman, known as a controversialist, historian, and translator. He was considered embittered, by the Lord-Deputy William Russell, 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh; but he appears now as a shrewd observer of the Protestant and nonconformist life of Ireland as founded around Trinity College, Dublin.
Life.
The son of Richard ap David ap Howel Goch of Pentre-pant, Selattyn, near Oswestry, he was born at Porkington in Shropshire in 1543. He was educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he obtained a chaplaincy in 1567, and graduated B.A. 1568, M.A. 1572, and D.D. 1582. On 7 June 1575, by a special dispensation, he was allowed to supplicate for the degree of B.D., as a nobleman's chaplain, while of less than the customary standing; but the degree was not granted till 1581.
He was vicar of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, from 8 December 1581 till June 1592, and vicar of St Mary's, Islington from 4 November 1583 to 5 September 1590. At Shoreditch he made himself notorious by removing the monumental brasses in the church, which he was believed to have done for his own gain. In 1584, when George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury was examined as to the circulation of a libel that he had got Mary, Queen of Scots by child, Hanmer appeared as a witness against the earl, and is described by William Fleetword, recorder of London, who appeared in the case, as 'regarding not' an oath, 'and as a very bad man'. According to the consistorial acts of the diocese of Rochester, Hanmer was charged between 1588 and 1590 with having celebrated a marriage without banns or license.
He crossed over to Ireland about 1591. In that year he appears as archdeacon of Ross and vicar of Timoleague. He was commended to Francis Walsingham by Christopher Carleill as a diligent preacher. On 4 December 1593 he was appointed treasurer of Waterford Cathedral, vacant by the deprivation of Thomas Granger; in April 1594 vicar-choral of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin; on 8 June 1595 prebendary of St. Michan's in Christ Church; and on 1 November of the same year rector of the Blessed Virgin Mary de Borages, in Leighlin. On 1 June 1598 he was presented to the parish church of Muckalee, the vicarage of Rathpatrick, and the vicarage of Kylbeacon and Killaghy, all in county Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory. On 10 October in the following year he was presented to the rectory or wardenship of the new college of the Blessed Mary of Youghal in the diocese of Cloyne (ib. 6345). He appears to have resigned this and his prebend of St. Michan's in 1602. On 16 June 1603 he was appointed chancellor of the cathedral church of St. Canice, Kilkenny, and at the same time vicar of Fiddown and St. John the Evangelist, and rector of Aglish-Martin.
He died in 1604, and was buried in St. Michan's Church, Dublin. It is likely that he fell a victim to the bubonic plague. Hanmer married at Shoreditch, 21 June 1581, Mary Austin, by whom he had four daughters.
Works.
His "Chronicle of Ireland", first published by Sir James Ware in 1633, is a scholarly work. He translated three early ecclesiastical historians - Eusebius, Socrates of Constantinople and Evagrius Scholasticus - in 1576.
Hanmer also wrote:


Juan Mateos

Juan Mateos (?-1594) was a wealthy inhabitant of Gibraltar during the Spanish period. He was remembered for being the founder of Gibraltar's first hospital, which subsequently became the old St Bernard's Hospital.
Early life.
Juan Mateos was a Spanish innkeeper from Gibraltar. He ran an inn at Albalate, in Gibraltar's municipal area, the "Campo de Gibraltar". In his youth he was active in defending Gibraltar against the 1540 raid of the corsairs from the Barbary Coast and became famous when he took part in the resistance of one of their landings, killing one of the Berber leaders. Mateos later took advantage of his reputation becoming a successful merchant, amassing a considerable amount of money. He later became the official "Dispenser of Royal Licences", therefore having many opportunities to increase his fortune.
Gibraltar's first hospital.
In 1567 Mateos suddenly changed his way of life by converting his large house in the Upper Town, on the slopes of The Rock, into a 20-bed infirmary, and putting all his fortune towards running the hospital. It was the result of seeing the difficult situation of the poor sick people in the town, and also of the miserable sight of the many ill sailors that arrived in Gibraltar after returning from the New World (many of whom suffered from a virulent form of syphilis, a disease that had had its European outbreak just a century before with ineffective treatment). Mateos' spent almost nothing on himself wearing only sackcloth and eating frugally. He just retained a small room in his former house for himself. For twenty four years, Mateos devoted his time and personal services in support of the charitable institution he had founded. When his fortune was over and he run into debt, he began to beg asking for alms to keep the hospital running. He became well known in the surrounding countryside, with patients coming to him from far and wide. Mateos eventually earned himself a saintly reputation.
In 1591, the Bishop of Cádiz, García de Haro, travelled to Gibraltar (which belonged to the diocese of Cádiz at the time) to pay a visit to Mateos and his renowned foundation. However, he found him so weak and tired "in consequence of much work and fasting" that he had to ask the "Orden de San Juan de Dios" () from Granada (a religious order devoted to the medical care or poor sickmen) to look after the hospital, which begun to be known as the Hospital de San Juan de Dios (). The friars later built a convent and a church close to the hospital. Mateos joined the order himself, maintaining his activities at the hospital, though to a lesser extent. He died three years later, in 1594. He was mourned by all Gibraltar locals and honoured with masses and religious ceremonies for several days after his death. He was buried by the altar of the parish church of St. Mary the Crowned (now the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned). The hospital, however, did not disappear along with its founder but continued to not only serve Gibraltar's population, but also the sick for miles around. This was to remain Gibraltar's main hospital until its move in 2005.


Lublin Department

The Lublin Department (Polish: "Departament Lubelski") was a unit of administrative division and local government in Polish Duchy of Warsaw in years 1810-1815. Its capital was Lublin. The division contained 10 counties. In 1815 it was transformed into the Lublin Voivodeship.


Princess Sophie of Baden

Princess Sophie of Baden (Sophie Pauline Henriette Marie Amelie Luise; 7 August 1834 in Karlsruhe – 6 April 1904 in Karlsruhe), was a Princess of Baden by birth and the Princess consort of Lippe by marriage.
Life.
Sophie was the second daughter of Prince William of Baden (1792–1859) and Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Württemberg (1802–1864), daughter of Duke Louis of Württemberg. Her paternal grandparents were Charles Frederick, the first Grand Duke of Baden, and his second wife, Louise Caroline Geyer von Geyersberg, Countess of Hochberg. She grew up in Karlsruhe, together with her two younger sisters, Elizabeth (1835–1891) and Leopoldine (1837–1903).
Marriage.
Sophie was married to Woldemar, Prince of Lippe (1824–1895) second son of Leopold II, Prince of Lippe (1796–1851) and Princess Emilie of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen (1800–1867) on 9 November 1858 in Karlsruhe. The marriage was childless, leading to a dispute that lasted two decades between the two lines of the House of Lippe to inherit the principality after the death of Woldemar, in 1895.


Kings of Fermanagh

Throughout the 11th and 12th centuries the Kings of Fermanagh (Fhear Manach or Fear Manach in Irish) O'hEignigh, O'Maolruanaidh and O'Dubhdara were drawn from the Kingdom of Airghialla, Other names include Oirghiall, Oriel, Airgéill and Uriel. The oldest and more correct form is Airghialla denoting both the territory and the inhabitants of the territory. This is stated in the early genealogies to go back to one of the Three Collas. The Ó hEignigh and Maolruanaidh septs were noted as kings of Fermanagh until becoming tributary to the Maguires (Meicc h-Uidir) around 1202.
Kings of Fermanagh.
The "Annals of the Four Masters" mention the following as Kings of Fermanagh.


Val di Crati

The Val di Crati was an administrative region in the Kingdom of Sicily. It was the territory originally conquered by Robert Guiscard in the 1050s. At that time, its population was a mix of Greek and Lombard (Latin) Christians. Under the Hohenstaufen and Angevin kings, the Val di Crati became closely associated with the "terra iordanis", the land of Jordan (died 1092), son of Roger I. The "terra iordanis" retained its distinct identity into the 13th century.
In 1145, the first Cistercian monastery in southern Italy, Santa Maria della Sambucina, was founded in the Val di Crati. In 1150, Roger II issued a new law ("novella") for Calabria and the Val di Crati, instructing judges on how to divide property among heirs. It had its own justiciar in 1150 and its own chamberlain ("camerarius").