A TIMELINE OF ENGLISH HISTORY C.

270

By Tim Lambert At this time a network of forts is built along

the eastern coast of England, the Saxon shore.
PREHISTORIC ENGLAND It is called that because fierce Saxons have
begun raiding. Roman civilisation has begun to
C. 8,500 BC decline.

Following the end of the ice age the

climate grows much warmer. Forests
spread across England. Also the sea Portchester Castle, a Roman fort (with a
level rises and England is cut off from Medieval Keep)
Europe.
286-293
C. 4,500 BC Farming is introduced into
England Admiral Carausius breaks away from the rest
of the Roman Empire and makes himself
C. 2,500 BC Stone age farmers build emperor of an independent Britain
monuments called henges
367 'The Great Barbarian Raid'. A combined
C. 2,000 BC Bronze is first used in force of Irish, Scots and Picts attack Roman
England Britain

C. 650 Iron tools and weapons are 388 The Roman army abandons Hadrian's Wall
introduced by a people called the Celts
407 Last Roman soldiers leave Britain
C. 150 BC The potters wheel is
introduced into England To read about Roman Britain click here.

To read about Prehistoric England click ANGLO-SAXON ENGLAND

here.
C. 450 Invasions by Angles, Saxons and Jutes
ROMAN BRITAIN begin

55 BC Julius Caesar leads an expedition 477 According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

to Britain Saxons led by Aella land in Sussex this year
near Pevensey
54 BC Julius Caesar leads a second
expedition C. 520

43 AD The Romans invade Britain. They The Celts utterly defeat the Saxons at the
land in Kent. battle of 'Mount Badon', somewhere in
Somerset, halting their advance for decades
C. 50 A town grows up at London
577
51 Caractacus, a leader of British
resistance to the Romans is captured The Saxons defeat the Romano-Celts at the
battle of Deorham. Afterwards the Saxons
60 capture, Bath, Cirencester and Gloucester.
They cut the Celts in Wales off from the Celts
Boudicca (also known by her Latin name in Southwest England.
Boadicea) leads an unsuccessful
rebellion against the Romans. She burns 597 St Augustine arrives in Kent and begins to
the towns of, St Albans and London convert the Saxons

78-85 Agricola is governor of Roman To read a history of Christianity in England

Britain click here

122-128 Hadrian's Wall is built 601 Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of
Canterbury
604 The first Bishop of London is 975-978 The reign of Edward the Martyr. He is
appointed stabbed to death in Dorset.

664 The Synod (church meeting) at 978-1016 The reign of Ethelred

Whitby
1016-1035 The reign of Canute
735 The Venerable Bede dies
1035-1040 The reign of Harold I
757-796 Offa reigns in Mercia
1040-1042 The reign of Hardicanute
793 The first Viking raid on England.
They sack the monastery at Lindisfarne. ENGLAND IN THE MIDDLE AGES

865 The Danes invade England 1042-1066 Reign of Edward the Confessor

871 1066

The Saxons defeat the Danes at Harold becomes king, although William Duke
Ashdown of Normandy also claims the throne. Harald
Hardrada, a Norwegian claims it as well. He
Alfred the Great becomes king of invades England but his army is crushed at the
Wessex battle of Stamford Bridge in September.

878 Alfred crushes the Danes at the The Normans win the battle of Hastings in
battle of Edington. October. William the Conqueror is crowned
king in December.
879
1069-1070
By the treaty of Wedmore England is
split between the Saxons and the The 'harrying of the North'. Enraged by
Danes. Watling Street forms part of the rebellion in the north of England Norman
border. London is left in Danish hands. soldiers burn houses and crops and kill
livestock. The area north of the Humber is left
886 Alfred recaptures London from the devastated.
Danes
1086 The Domesday Book is compiled. It lists
899 Alfred dies aged 50 all the manors of England and their value.

899-924 1074 William creates the New Forest in

Hampshire where he can go hunting.
The reign of Edward the Elder. In 901
Edward calls himself 'King of the Angles 1087 William the Conqueror dies while at war.
and Saxons'. In 913 he recaptures Essex William Rufus becomes king.
from the Danes. Over time the Saxon
kings take over all of the Danish 1100
territory (the Danelaw).
William Rufus is killed by an arrow while
924-939 hunting in the New Forest. (It is not clear
whether it was an accident or whether he was
The battle of Brunanburh. The English murdered). Henry I becomes king.
defeat an army of Danes, Scots and
Irish. 1120

939-946 The reign of Edmund The White Ship sinks in the English Channel.
William, the heir to the English throne (Henry's
946-955 The reign of Edred only legitimate son) drowns.

955-959 The reign of Edwy 1135

959-975 The reign of Edgar Henry I dies. There are now two contenders for
the throne. Henry wanted his daughter Matilda
to rule after him. However many barons Glass windows and chimneys are becoming
refuse to accept a woman ruler and common among people who are well off but
support Henry's nephew Stephen. 'The below the nobility such as rich merchants.
19 long winters' of civil war between (Most people have a hole in the roof to let out
Matilda and Stephen begin. smoke).

1138 The English defeat the Scots at the 1307 Edward I dies. Edward II becomes king.
battle of the Standard
1314 The battle of Bannockburn. The Scots
1154 The civil wars end. Henry II utterly defeat the English
becomes king.
1315-1316 Famine stalks the land
1170
1324-1384 Life of John Wycliffe the religious
Thomas Becket is killed is Canterbury reformer
Cathedral. He is later canonised (made
a saint) and pilgrims flock to his tomb. 1327 Edward II dies. Edward II becomes king.

1180 Rich people in England have glass 1337 The Hundred Years War between
windows for the first time since the England and France begins
Roman era
1340
1189 Henry II dies. Richard I (the
Lionheart) becomes king. The English win the naval battle of Sluys
against the French
1199
Geoffrey Chaucer is born
Richard I dies when he is hit by a
crossbow bolt while fighting in France. 1346 The battle of Crecy. English longbow
John becomes king. men crush the French army.

1207 King John founds Liverpool 1348

1215 King John seals Magna Carta The Black Death comes to England. Perhaps a
third of the population died over the next year.
1216 John dies. Henry III becomes king.
1356 The battle of Poitiers. Once again the
1221 Dominican friars (known as black England crush the French.
friars) arrive in England
1381
1264 Battle of Lewes. Simon De Monfort
and rebel barons defeat the king. The Peasants Revolt. Peasants in Essex and
Kent rise up and march on London. The king
1265 Battle of Evesham. De Monfort is manages to persuade them to disperse by
defeated and killed. making promises, none of which he intends to
keep.
1272 Henry III dies. Edward I becomes
king. 1382 Winchester College is founded by William
of Wickham
1290
1388 The Scots defeat the English at the
King Edward expels all Jews from battle of Otterburn
England
1400 Geoffrey Chaucer dies. He was the first
Queen Eleanor dies great writer in the English language.

1295 King Edward calls the Model 1415

Parliament
The battle of Agincourt. Once again the
C. 1300 English win a great victory.
1453 1540 Henry marries Anne of Cleves but quickly
divorces her
The Hundred Years War ends. England
loses all its territory in France except for Henry marries Kathryn Howard
Calais.
1542
1455-1485 England suffers a series of
civil wars known as the Wars of the The battle of Solway Moss. The English defeat
Roses the Scots.

1461 The battle of Towton Kathryn Howard is beheaded

1471 The battle of Tewkesbury 1543 Henry marries Catherine Parr

1476 Caxton introduces the printing 1545 The Mary Rose sinks
press into England
1547
1483-1485 Reign of Richard III
Henry VIII dies. Edward VI becomes king.
1485 Henry VII wins the battle of
Bosworth. Richard III is killed and Henry To read a brief biography of Henry VIII click
becomes the first Tudor king. here.

1497 John Cabot sails to North America The Duke of Somerset is made Lord Protector

ENGLAND IN THE 16th CENTURY 1549

1509 An Act of Uniformity imposes a Book of

Common Prayer
Henry VII dies. Henry VIII becomes king.
The Duke of Northumberland becomes Lord
Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon Protector

1511 The Mary Rose is launched 1552 The Duke of Somerset is executed

1513 The English win the battle of 1553 Edward VI dies. Mary becomes queen.
Flodden against the Scots
1554 Lady Jane Grey is beheaded
1533 Henry divorces Catherine of
Aragon. He marries Anne Boleyn. 1555-1558

1534 Henry VIII makes himself head of Queen Mary persecutes Protestants. Nearly
the Church of England 300 people are burned to death for 'heresy'.

1536 1558 Queen Mary (also known as 'Bloody

Mary') dies. Elizabeth I becomes queen.
The Pilgrimage of Grace. (An uprising in
the North of England). C. 1560 to C. 1640

Anne Boleyn is beheaded 'The Great Rebuilding'. Stone and brick

replace most wooden houses. Chimneys and
Henry marries Jane Seymour glass windows become common.

1536-1540 Henry VIII closes the 1570 The Pope excommunicates Queen
monasteries and confiscates their Elizabeth
property
1573 The architect Inigo Jones is born
1537 Jane Seymour dies
1576 The first theatre opens in London
1577-1580 Francis Drake sails around Civil war between king and parliament begins.
the world They fight the indecisive battle of Edgehill.

1587 Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded Isaac Newton is born

1588 The Spanish Armada is defeated 1644 Parliament wins the battle of Marston
Moor
1596 Francis Drake dies
1645
ENGLAND IN THE 17th CENTURY
Parliament wins the battle of Naseby
1600 The East India Company is
founded William Laud is executed

1601 The Poor Law is passed. People 1646 Charles I surrenders to the Scots and the
are made to pay a rate to support the first civil war comes to an end
poor.
1648
1603 In March Queen Elizabeth dies.
James I becomes king. Charles I starts another civil war. The Scots
intervene on his behalf. However the battle of
1605 The gunpowder plot, a Catholic Preston ends hopes of restoring Charles I to
conspiracy to blow up parliament, is power
discovered.
Pride's Purge. Thomas Pride removes some
1607 Jamestown, the first successful Presbyterian MPs from parliament.
British colony in North America, is
founded 1649 King Charles I is beheaded

1611 The King James Bible is published 1651

1625 James I dies. Charles I becomes A Scottish army invades England in an attempt
king. to put Charles II on the throne. The Scots are
defeated at Worcester and Charles flees
1628 abroad.

William Harvey publishes his discovery Thomas Hobbes publishes his work Leviathan
of the circulation of the blood
1652 Inigo Jones dies
The Petition of Right is presented to the
king by parliament 1652-1654 The first Anglo-Dutch war

George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham 1653 Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector
is assassinated in Portsmouth of England

1629-1640 The Eleven Years Tyranny. 1655-1657 Rule of the Major-Generals

Charles I rules without parliament.
1658 Oliver Cromwell dies. His son Richard
1632 Christopher Wren is born takes over.

1633 William Laud becomes Archbishop 1659 Richard Cromwell resigns. His fall from
of Canterbury power is so swift he becomes known as
'Tumbledown Dick'.
1641 MP's draw up a list of grievances
called the Grand Remonstrance. 1660 Charles II becomes king

1642 1661 Robert Boyle publishes his great work

The Sceptical Chemist

1662
The Royal Society (a Scientific Isaac Newton publishes his great work
organisation) is given its charter by Principia Mathematica. He lays the foundations
Charles II of modern physics.

Charles II marries a Portuguese 1688

princess, Catherine of Braganza
The 'Glorious, Bloodless Revolution'. James II
The Act of Uniformity is passed flees abroad and William and Mary become
the new monarchs.
1663
1689 The Bill of Rights is passed
The first turnpike road is opened.
(Turnpike roads were owned by turnpike 1694
trusts that maintained them. You had to
pay to use them). Mary dies of smallpox aged 32

1665 Plague in London. This is the last The Bank of England is founded
outbreak of bubonic plague in England.
1698 Thomas Savery invents the first steam
1665-1667 The second Anglo-Dutch war engine

1666 The great fire of London. Most of ENGLAND IN THE 18th CENTURY
the city is destroyed but it is soon
rebuilt. 1701

1667 John Milton publishes Paradise The Act of Settlement is passed

Lost
Jethro Tull invents the seed drill
1670 Hudsons Bay Company is formed
1702 William dies. Anne becomes queen.
1672-1674 The 3rd Anglo-Dutch war
1704
1673
The Duke of Marlborough defeats the French
The Test Act is passed. Catholics and at the Battle of Blenheim
Protestant dissenters are prevented
from holding public office. The British capture Gibraltar

1670 The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford 1706 The Duke of Marlborough defeats the
is founded French army at Ramillies

1678 Titus Oates claims he has 1707 The Act of Union joins England and
discovered a 'Popish plot' against Scotland
Charles II. (The whole thing is a hoax).
1708 The Duke of Marlborough defeats the
1679 The Act of Habeas Corpus. army of Louis XIV at Oudenarde
Imprisonment without trial is outlawed.
1709
1685
Abraham Darby uses coke instead of charcoal
Charles II dies. James II (a Roman to smelt iron
Catholic) becomes king.
The Duke of Marlborough wins the battle of
The Duke of Monmouth (Charles II's Malplaquet against the French
illegitimate son) leads an unsuccessful
rebellion in Southwest England.
1712 Newcomen makes steam engines for
pumping water out of mines
1686 'Hanging' Judge Jefferys sentences
many of the rebels to death.
1714 Queen Anne dies. George I becomes king
1687
1715 The first Jacobite uprising. The 1763 The Seven Years War ends
Highlanders rise but the uprising ends in
an indecisive battle near Stirling. 1769 James Watt patents an improved steam
engine
1719 Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson
Crusoe 1771 Richard Arkwright introduces a loom
powered by a water mill
1720
1773 The Stock Exchange is founded
The South Sea Bubble (stocks in the
South Sea Company suddenly fall in 1775 Jane Austen is born
price and many people lose huge sums
of money.) 1779

1721 The world's first iron bridge is built in

Shropshire
Robert Walpole becomes the king's
main minister. People call him the Prime Samuel Crompton invents the spinning mule
Minister. (Originally it was a term of
abuse). C. 1780

1723 The great architect Christopher The Industrial Revolution begins to transform
Wren dies. Britain

1727 Lord George Gordon leads anti-Catholic riots in

London
George I dies. George II becomes king.
1783 Britain signs a treaty recognising the
Isaac Newton dies independence of the American colonies

1733 John Kay invents the flying shuttle 1784

1735 The Prime Minister moves into 10 Henry Cort invents the 'puddling' process. A
Downing Street new way of making wrought iron. As a result
iron production booms.
1739
1785
The highwayman Dick Turpin is hanged
Edmund Cartwright invents the power loom
John Wesley founds the Methodists (one worked by a steam engine). Cotton
production grows very rapidly.
1742 Prime Minister Robert Walpole
resigns 1787 The first convicts leave Britain from
Portsmouth for Australia
1745 The second Jacobite uprising. The
Jacobites invade England and reach as 1788 Lord Byron is born
far as Derby but then turn back.
1792 Gas light is invented
1746 The Jacobites are crushed at the
battle of Culloden 1796 Jenner invents vaccination against
smallpox
1756 The Seven Years War against
France begins 1799 Income tax is introduced to pay for the
war against France
1759 General Wolfe captures Quebec
but is killed. His victory ensures Canada ENGLAND IN THE 19th CENTURY
will be a British colony not a French one.
1801
1761 The Bridgwater canal opens
The first census is held
Another Act of Union joins Ireland to The Catholic Emancipation Act gives Catholics
England and Scotland civil rights

1805 The battle of Trafalgar Sir Robert Peel forms the first modern police
force (hence their nicknames 'bobbies' or
1806 Isambard Kingdom Brunel is born 'peelers')

1807 The slave trade is abolished 1830 George IV dies. William IV becomes king.

1809 Charles Darwin is born 1832

1811 Prince George become Prince The Great Reform Act is passed. Seats in
Regent as his father is insane parliament are distributed more fairly and the
middle class are given the vote.
1812
The writer Lewis Carroll is born
The Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is
shot by John Bellingham 1833 Slavery is abolished throughout the
British Empire
Charles Dickens is born
1835
1813 The Duke of Wellington defeats
the French army at the battle of Vitoria Bull baiting is banned. This 'sport' consisted of
in Spain chaining a bull to a post then using trained
dogs to attack it.
1815
1837 William IV dies. Victoria becomes queen.
The battle of Waterloo
1840
Humphrey Davy invents the miners
safety lamp, which saves many lives The penny black stamp is introduced.

1817 Jane Austen dies The writer Thomas Hardy is born.

1818 Queen Charlotte dies Queen Victoria marries Albert

1819 1842 A new law bans women and children

from working underground in mines
The Peterloo Massacre. Cavalry charge
unarmed people holding a meeting on 1843 Charles Dickens publishes A Christmas
St Peter's Fields at Manchester. Eleven Carol.
people are killed.
The first Christmas card goes on sale
Sir Stanford Raffles founds Singapore
To read a history of Christmas click here.
1820 George III dies. George IV
becomes king. 1847

1821 John Constable paints The A new law bans women and children from
Haywain working more than 10 hours a day

1824 Lord Byron dies Charlotte Bronte publishes Jane Eyre

1825 The world's first public passenger Alexander Graham Bell is born
railway opens (The Stockton and
Darlington railway). 1848 There are cholera epidemics in British
towns. The Health Act is passed.
1829
1851 The Great Exhibition is held in London
1854-1856 The Crimean War is fought. 1874 The writer G K Chesterton is born
Britain and France defeat the Russians.
1875
1856 Henry Bessemer invents a way of
converting pig iron to steel A law bans the practice of sending small boys
up chimneys to clean them. From now on you
1857-58 The Indian Mutiny takes place have to be over 21 to clean a chimney that
way.
1859 Darwin publishes The Origin of
Species. It outlines his theory of The third Public Health Act is passed.
evolution. Conditions in towns and cities are slowly
getting better. In the 1870s and 1880s
1860 HMS Warrior, Britain's first iron networks of sewers are dug and water pipes
warship is launched are laid. Gas light becomes common even in
the poorest homes.
1861 Prince Albert dies.
Captain Matthew Webb swims the English
1863 The first (steam driven) Channel
underground train in London
1877 Researches on the effect of light upon
1865 bacteria and other organisms are made by
Arthur Downsend and Thomas P. Blunt
Joseph Lister invents antiseptic surgery.
1878 The Salvation Army is named
The Salvation Army is formed (it does
not get its name till 1878). 1881 Alexander Fleming is born

Lewis Carroll publishes Alices's 1884 The 3rd reform act gives more men the
Adventures in Wonderland vote

1867 The second Reform Act increases 1888 Girls who make match boxes
the number of people allowed to vote successfully strike

1868 1889

First Trades Union Congress Gas workers successfully strike

The last public execution is carried out London dockworkers successfully strike. For
in England the first time unskilled workers are forming
successful trade unions.
1869 Richard Blackmore publishes
Lorna Doone 1890 The first electric underground trains run
in London
1870
1898 Lewis Carroll dies
Education Act to provide state education
for all. 1899-1902 The Boer War is fought

Charles Dickens dies ENGLAND IN THE 20th CENTURY

1871 The Bank Holiday Act is passed. 1901 Queen Victoria dies. Her son becomes
(For most working class people bank Edward VII.
holidays are their only paid holidays).
1904 Britain signs the Entente Cordiale
1872 (friendly understanding) with France

The secret ballot is introduced 1906 The first dreadnought, a new and
powerful battleship is launched
The second Public Health Act is passed.
1908 Kenneth Grahame published The Wind In
The Willows
1909 The first old age pensions are paid 1932 Unemployment in Britain reaches 22.8%

1910 Edward VII dies. George V 1933 Unemployment starts to fall. Britain
becomes king. starts to recover from the depression.

1911 1936

The National Insurance Act is passed. In January unemployment in 13.9%. It

Some workers are allowed continues to slowly fall.
unemployment benefit and sickness
benefit is created. George V dies. Edward VIII becomes king but
soon abdicates. George VI becomes king.
The Parliament Act greatly reduces the
power of the House of Lords Television begins in Britain

1914 In August the First World War The Jarrow March is held
begins
The writer G K Chesterton dies
1916
1939
The Battle of the Somme is fought.
Tanks are used in battle for the first The Second World War begins
time.
All workers are given one weeks annual paid
Conscription is introduced holiday

Battle of Jutland About 10% of households in Britain now own a

car
1917 The Battle of Passchendale is
fought 1940

1918 The British army is evacuated from Dunkirk

The First World War ends in November Battle of Britain

Women over 30 are allowed to vote The Germans begin bombing British cities

The school leaving age is raised to 14 1942

1922 The BBC is founded The Dieppe Raid is carried out. It is a failure.

1926 The Battle of El Alamein is fought. The British

army crush the Germans and Italians.
Workers hold a General Strike but they
are defeated The Beveridge Report is published. It proposes
a new welfare state.
A. A. Milne publishes Winnie The Pooh
1943
1928 Universal suffrage is introduced.
(Everyone over the age of 21 is allowed In May German forces in North Africa
to vote). surrender.

1930 In July the allies invade Sicily.

Frank Whittle invents the jet engine 1944

Following the Wall Street Crash the Allied invasion of France

depression bites and unemployment
rises sharply The Germans fire V I flying bombs from June
and V II missiles from September
The Butler Education Act is passed 1959

1945 The Conservatives win a 3rd election victory

Second World War ends Cars are becoming increasingly common. A

survey shows 32% of households own one.
George Orwell's novel Animal Farm is
published 1960 Britain is becoming increasingly affluent.
A survey shows 44% of households own a
Labour win the general election washing machine.

1947 The school leaving age is raised to

15

1948 The National Health Service is

founded

1949 George Orwell's novel 1984 is

published

1950 George Orwell dies

1951

The Festival of Britain is held

Conservatives win a general election

1952 George VI dies. Elizabeth becomes

queen.
Bournemouth Pier
1953
1962 The Beatles release their first single
Coronation of Elizabeth II 'Love Me Do'

TV becomes increasingly common. 1963

(Many people buy a TV. to watch the
coronation). By the end of 1953 Doctor Who is broadcast for the first time
approximately 25% of households in
Britain have a TV. Dr Beeching axes minor railways
1954 Food rationing ends 1964
1955 The Labour Party wins a general election.
Harold Wilson becomes prime minister.
ITV begins broadcasting
A survey shows 90% of households in Britain
The Conservatives win a second general own a TV. It is now the main form of
election entertainment in Britain.

1956 The last executions in Britain are carried out

The Suez crisis in Egypt. Britain sends 1965 Capital punishment is abolished for an
troops but is soon forced to withdraw. experimental period of 5 years
The event proves that Britain is no
longer a great power. 1966 Labour wins a second general election
The first nuclear power station opens at 1967 Colour TV begins
Calder Hall
1969 Capital punishment is abolished The Conservatives win a second general
permanently election with a large majority

1970 1984 The miners strike begins

Conservatives under Edward Heath win 1985 The miners strike ends. The miners are
the general election defeated.

The minimum age for voting is lowered 1986 Unemployment reaches a peak. The
from 21 to 18 'official' figure reaches 14.1%

1971 Britain switches to decimal 1987 Corporal punishment ends in state

currency schools

1972 The school leaving age is raised to 1990

16
Margaret Thatcher falls from power. She is
1973 Britain joins the EEC (forerunner of replaced by John Major.
the EU)
Britain enters a recession. Unemployment
Unemployment stands at 3% starts to rise rapidly.

1975 Conservatives win a 4th general election

The Sex Discrimination Act is passed 1993

Unemployment passed one million. It is Britain starts to recover from the recession.
over 5% for the first time since 1945. Unemployment starts to fall.

1976 1994

Harold Wilson resigns The Channel Tunnel opens

In June and July a heat wave creates a The National Lottery begins
very hot summer and water shortages
1997
1978 The first test tube baby is born
Labour wins the general election
1979 The Conservatives win a general
election. Margaret Thatcher becomes ENGLAND IN THE 21st CENTURY
Britain's first woman prime minister.
2004 The population of England reaches 50
1980 Britain enters recession. million.
Unemployment rises sharply and
reaches 2 million. 2005 Hunting foxes with dogs is banned

1981 Prince Charles marries Diana 2007

1982 Gordon Brown becomes prime minister

The Falklands War is fought against Jacqui Smith becomes the first female Home
Argentina Secretary

The Mary Rose is raised from the sea 2009 A severe recession afflicts the nation
bed
2010 Recovery from recession begins. After a
Channel 4 begins general election Conservatives and Liberals
form a coalition government.
1983