Timeline of Cheshire history


The timeline of Cheshire history shows significant events in the history of the English county of Cheshire.

1–500 AD

70: The Romans found the fortress and town of Deva Victrix, now Chester.c. 90: Legio XX Valeria Victrix arrive in Chester.410: Romans retreat from Britannia.429: Germanus of Auxerre wins the Battle of Maes Garmon, near Mold, and establishes Cadell as the Christian ruler of a region, later Powys, based on pre-Roman Cornovii territory, thought to include Cheshire.

7th century

603: Synod of Chester.616: Æthelfrith of Northumbria defeats a Welsh army at the Battle of Chester.689: Church of St John the Baptist founded outside Chester city walls by King Æthelred of Mercia and Bishop Wilfrid.

9th century

830: The district was subjugated by Ecgberht, King of Wessex and incorporated in the kingdom of Mercia.874 or 875: St Werburgh's remains brought to Chester for protection against Danish invaders.c. 890: Chester establishes a mint.890: Plegmund, probably of Plemstall, becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.893: First mention of Scandinavian settlers in Chester.893–894: A Danish force overwinters in Chester.894–895: King Alfred drives the Danes from Chester.

10th century

907: Chester refounded as a burh by Æthelflæd and King Edward the Elder, and re-fortification starts.907: Church to St Werburgh, later Chester Cathedral, founded by Æthelflæd, rebuilt from an earlier church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul.907: Æthelflæd founds new church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul in Chester.914: The Iron Age hill fort at Eddisbury is re-fortified by Æthelflæd.915: Æthelflæd builds a burh at Runcorn.915–920: Re-fortification of Chester probably completed.919: Edward the Elder builds a burh at Thelwall.923–924: Chester revolts against rule from Wessex and is subdued by Edward the Elder.17 July 924: Edward the Elder dies at Farndon or Aldford.937: King Æthelstan defeats the armies of Dublin, Alba and Strathclyde at the Battle of Brunanburh, probably near Bromborough.958: King Edgar of England grants a charter to St Werburgh's Abbey, Chester.973: Edgar of England visits Chester.980: Vikings raid Chester.980: First recorded use of the shire or county of Chester.

11th century

1007: Eadric Streona becomes the King's ealdorman of Mercia.1016: Edmund Ironside ravages Chester.c. 1017: King Cnut executes Eadric Streona, and makes Leofric Earl of Mercia.1062: Edwin succeeds as Earl of Mercia.1069–1071: William I leads the Norman Conquest into Cheshire; besieges Chester and kills Edwin, Earl of Mercia.1070: Hugh d'Avranches created as first Earl of Chester.1070: Chester Castle built.1070: Frodsham Castle built.1075: St John the Baptist's Church, Chester becomes a cathedral.1092: Monastery founded on site of current Chester Cathedral by Hugh d'Avranches.

12th century

1115: Norton Priory founded.1133: Combermere Abbey founded.1140: Serious fire in Chester.c. 1150: Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester founds a Benedictine nunnery in Chester.1157: Henry II entertained at Chester Castle.1165: Henry II entertained at Chester Castle again.1180: Serious fire in Chester.1182: Cheshire land north of the Mersey becomes part of the new county of Lancashire.1190: Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester founds Little St John's Hospital in Chester.c. 1195: Liber de Luciani laude Cestrie, the oldest surviving piece of Cheshire writing, was created.

13th century

1211: King John entertained at Chester Castle.1215–16: In the Carta Communis Cestriensis, Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester grants limited concessions to his feudal lords.1220s: Beeston Castle built.1236: Dominican friars arrive in Chester.1237: 7th Earl of Chester, John, dies without a male heir. [King Henry IV of England|Henry IV of England|Henry IV] passes the title to his son, Prince Edward – later to become King Edward I.1237–38: Franciscan friars arrive in Chester.1237–51: Stone walls replace the wooden palisade around Chester Castle.1253: Aldford and Alderley markets created.1261: Macclesfield market created.1264: The castle and city of Chester were granted to Simon de Montfort. 1272: Congleton market created.1275: Monks of St Werburgh's Abbey build Kaleyard Gate in Chester city walls.1277: King Edward I lays foundation stone to Vale Royal Abbey.12 May 1278: Serious fire in Chester when nearly the whole of the city is burnt.1279–80: Timber superstructure of the Old Dee Bridge swept away.1280: Over market created.1281: Serious fire in Middlewich.1292–93: Chambers for the king and queen, and a new outer gatehouse built at Chester Castle.

14th century

1306: Serious fire in Northwich.1322–25: Chester Water Tower built.1349: The black death arrives in Cheshire.1364: Doddington Castle built.20 July 1376: Charter of disafforestation of Wirral issued.1387: Major repairs to the Old Dee Bridge.1391: Norton Priory becomes a mitred abbey.1394: Richard II visits Chester with many of his nobles.1397: Lands in the march of Wales added to Cheshire, and it is promoted to the rank of principality.16 October 1398: Richard II gives 3000 marks to his Cheshire supporters at the Battle of Radcot Bridge.1399: Henry IV seizes Chester Castle and causes Richard II to be brought there from Flint Castle, after which Richard abdicates and Henry becomes king.1399–1407: Tower built to fortify Chester's Dee Bridge.

15th century

  • 1400: Unsuccessful attack on Chester Castle by supporters of deposed Richard II.
  • July 1403: Many Cheshire gentry support the unsuccessful uprising of Henry "Hotspur" Percy against Henry IV.
  • 1422: First reference to Chester Mystery Plays.
  • 1433: Famine led to food shortages in Chester.
  • July 1438: Serious fire in Nantwich.
  • 1444: Henry VI visits Chester.
  • 1445: Fee-farm for Chester is halved from £100 to £50, attributed to silting of the River Dee; further reductions agreed in 1484 and 1486.
  • 1450: A group of Cheshire gentry successfully petitions the Crown against the introduction of a parliamentary subsidy.
  • 1452, 1455, 1459: Margaret of Anjou visits Chester.
  • 23 September 1459: Many Cheshire gentry killed fighting on both sides in the Battle of Blore Heath, early in the Wars of the Roses.
  • 1470: Edward IV visits Chester.
  • April 1484: Richard III visits Chester.
  • March 1486: Henry VII visits Chester.
  • 1488: Stockport Grammar School is founded.
  • 1492, 1494: Fires in Chester's Foregate and Northgate Streets.
  • July 1493: Henry VII again visits Chester.
  • 1497: First performance of Chester Midsummer Show.

16th century

17th century

18th century

1700: Brine springs are discovered at Winsford.1735–36: The New Cut dug along the River Dee from Chester to Connah's Quay because of silting of the river.1744: Charles Roe builds a watermill in Macclesfield and triggers start of the silk industry.12 May 1762: Creation of the title of Baron Vernon, of Kinderton in the County of Chester. 1763: Cheshire Hunt founded.March 1776: Bridgewater Canal complete throughout its length from Manchester to Runcorn.1777: Completion of the Trent and Mersey Canal.1779: The Chester Canal opens between Chester and Nantwich.1780: Chester Eastgate rebuilt.1780: Marston salt mine opens.1781: Chester Northgate rebuilt.1784: First mail coach runs through Cheshire, between London and Holyhead.1788: Chester Watergate rebuilt.1788–1815: Major rebuilding of Chester Castle by Thomas Harrison1795: The Chester Canal extended to Ellesmere Port.

19th century

July 1804: Runcorn to Latchford Canal opens.1806: The Middlewich Branch opens, linking the Shropshire Union and the Trent and Mersey Canals.1808–10: Chester Northgate rebuilt.

20th century

1901: Population: 815,099.29 May 1905: Widnes-Runcorn Transporter Bridge officially opened by Sir John Brunner.

21st century

2002: Anderton Boat Lift reopens.1 September 2007: The Cheshire Regiment merges into the Mercian Regiment.1 April 2009: Two unitary authorities of Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East replace Cheshire County Council and its districts.14 October 2017: Mersey Gateway Bridge, a six-lane road bridge crossing the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes, opens.