William Ketel

Most of the stories are known from other works, and the main historical value of Ketel's compilation lies in its information on the growth of the saint's cult and of Beverley Minster.

Ketel was active around 1100, and is possibly the author of a work containing miraculous stories about Saint John of Beverley.

Beyond that fact, and information about the growth of Beverley Minster and John's saintly cult, historians have found his writings to be of little historical value.

The fact that the last datable event mentioned in the work is from the reign of William the Conqueror fits in with this possible dating.

It is also possible that Ketel wrote late in the 11th century, if the two clerks mentioned in the dedication are two otherwise unknown officials of Beverley.

[1] The work has been edited and published by James Raine as Vita S. Iohannis Eboracensis archiepiscopi in volume 71 of the Rolls Series.