active 1173-1215 de Brakelond Jocelin

Very little is known about his life beyond what can be gathered from his own writing. He was a monk of Bury St Edmunds Abbey in Suffolk, and he is chiefly remembered for the Chronicle of the Abbey of St. Edmunds, which follows the fortunes of the monastery from 1173 to 1202.

His chronicle stands out because it does not read like a dry record. It gives a direct, detailed view of life inside a major medieval abbey, especially during the time of Abbot Samson, and it has long been admired for its clear, vigorous storytelling.

The dates often attached to him, "active 1173-1215," reflect the period when he is known to have been at work or mentioned in records, rather than firm birth and death years. No suitable verified portrait image was found from the sources checked, so none is included here.