Walter of Guisborough facts for kids

Walter of Guisborough was a special kind of monk called an Augustinian canon regular at Gisborough Priory in Yorkshire, England. He was also an English chronicler (a person who writes history) in the 1300s. His history book, or chronicle, is very important for understanding the past.

Walter's Big History Book

Walter of Guisborough wrote a famous history book called The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. This book tells the story of England from the year 1066, when the Norman Conquest happened, all the way up to the 19th year of Edward III's rule (around 1346). There is a small gap in the book, from 1316 to 1326.

The chronicle seems to end suddenly. It mentions a chapter about the Battle of Crécy (which happened in 1346), but the details of the battle are missing. It's thought that Walter might have passed away before he could finish writing about it. Some people also wonder if the later parts of the book were even written by him.

How Walter Wrote His Chronicle

For the first part of his history book, Walter used information from older writers like Eadmer and Roger of Hoveden. But when he wrote about the reigns of the three King Edwards (Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III), he wrote about things he saw himself or heard from people who were there. This makes those parts of his book very special and original.

Many copies of Walter's history book still exist today. One of the best copies was given to the College of Arms by the Earl of Arundel.

Why Walter's Book Is Important

One of the cool things about Walter's chronicle is that it includes copies of important old documents called charters. These are like official papers or agreements from the past. The copies in Walter's book have helped historians fill in missing parts and understand unclear sections of charters found elsewhere.