JOHN OF GADDESDEN BRIEF CHRONOLOGY

1280 John of Gaddesden born, perhaps in a dwelling on site of present so-called

John O’Gaddesden’s House at Little Gaddesden Herts.

1294 John a pupil at Oxford Grammar School

1296 Student at Merton College, Oxford

1207 John became Bachelor of Medicine. Death of Edward I, Edward II King.

1309 John became Doctor of Medicine; later a Fellow of Merton

1314 Battle of Bannockburn: Bruce routs Edward II’s army

1316 Rector of Abingdon (John had by then taken Holy Orders)

1317 John completed his book ‘Rosa Medicinae’ (aka ‘Rosa Anglica’)

1320 Rector of Chipping Norton (then, like Little Gaddesden, in the diocese of

Lincoln)

1330 Canon and prebend at St Paul’s

1333 Canon of Chichester; court physician

1338 Start of 100 Years War with France

1339 John appointed Constable of Castle of Wallyngford

1343 Chaucer’s birth (?); d 1400

1346 Battle of Crecy, England defeated France: John served as royal physician

during the wars of 1335 to 1360

1347 A John of Gaddesden mentioned as Marshal of Calais.

The Black Death ravaged Europe; struck England 1349, again 1361-2 and in

1369, reduced population of England by at least a third, possibly by a half

1349 Some sources record that John died in this year, but he may have lived on until

about 1360, perhaps to die of the Black Death; priests and doctors were

particularly at risk of infection.

1492 John’s book printed in Pavia, also later editions Venice 1502 and Augsburg

in 1596