Edward III introduces three new gold coins, the florin, leopard, and helm. Unfortunately the amount of gold in the coins does not match their value of six shillings, three shillings, and one shilling and sixpence, so they have to be withdrawn and mostly melted down by August of this year.
Hundred Years' War: Peace talks, sponsored by the AvignonPope, fail.[3]
By 24 June – the Black Death pandemic has reached England,[1] the bacterium Yersinia pestis having probably been brought by a sailor from Gascony to the port of Melcombe (modern-day Weymouth, Dorset).[6][7] It spreads across the south and west, rapidly reaching (or perhaps arising separately at) Bristol.
1 July – Joan, daughter of Edward III, dies of the Black Death at Bordeaux while en route to marry Peter of Castile.
28 July – William Zouche, Archbishop of York, issues a warning (Terribilis) to his diocese of "great mortalities, pestilences and infections of the air".[8]
28 September – John de Ufford nominated to the Archbishopric of Canterbury by papal bull.
By November – the Black Death has reached London.[3] There is probably pneumonic plague present here also.[7]
Black Death in England reaches the north, devastating York (May) and Chester. Over 20% and perhaps as many as 60% of the population die.[3] The plague diminishes by the end of the year. Scots raid across the border as far south as Durham but through this or other means the plague spreads to Scotland.[7]
January – Parliament is prorogued because of the plague.[7]