Annals of St Neots facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Annals of St Neots |
|
|---|---|
| Language | Latin |
| Date | c. 1120 x c. 1140 (Dumville's dating) |
| Provenance | Bury St Edmunds |
| Manuscript(s) | Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.7.28 (770), pp. 1-74 |
| Genre | chronicle |
| Length | 75 leaves, five quires; approximately 165 x 113 mm (originally larger format, but the margins have been cut down) |
| Period covered | 60 B.C. - 914 |
| Sources | include Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum; Cuthbert's Epistola de Obitu Bedae; Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; West-Saxon king-lists; Asser's biography of King Alfred; Abbo's Passio Sancti Eadmundi; Norman annals; Annales Regni Francorum; Flodoard's Chronicle; Visio Eucherii; Visio Karoli Crassi; Visio Rollonis; Vita Sancti Neoti; John of Worcester |
The Annals of St Neots is an old book written in Latin that tells the story of history. It was put together at a place called Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. This happened sometime between about 1120 and 1140.
The book covers a long period of history, from when Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 B.C. all the way to the creation of Normandy in 914. It mostly focuses on the history of the Anglo-Saxons in England. But it also includes many stories about the Franks, who lived in what is now France. The Annals of St Neots is special because it shows events from the point of view of people in East Anglia, a region in eastern England.
About the Manuscript
Even though it's called the Annals of St Neots, this book was not actually written in St Neots. It got its name from a historian named John Leland. In the 1540s, when many monasteries were being closed down, Leland found the only copy of this book at St Neots Priory.
Who Wrote It?
Experts who study old handwriting have found that two different people wrote this book. They used a style of writing called Late Caroline script. The first part of the book was written by one person, and the rest was written by another. This handwriting style was common in the early 1100s. Both writers also wrote other books found at Bury St Edmunds. This evidence suggests the book was indeed put together at Bury St Edmunds between 1120 and 1140.
Where is it Now?
After John Leland found the book, it was owned by Matthew Parker, who was an Archbishop. He added his own notes to it. Later, a man named Thomas Neville gave the book to Trinity College, Cambridge. It is still kept there today. The book is part of a larger collection of documents and is known by its library code, R.7.28. It makes up the first 74 pages of that collection.
