Timeline of Events: Neolithic - 1500s

Neolithic (New Stone Age): The Icknield Way, an ancient roadway constructed by prehistoric people, as well as a series of barrows - now known as the Five Knolls - on Dunstable Downs

AD44: The beginning of Roman Dunstable (Durocobrivis). Around this period, construction of the Roman road (now known at Watling Street) would have taken place. The place where it crosses the Icknield Way is now known as the crossroads

c.410: The last of the Romans leave the area

571: The Saxons raid and destroy Durocobrivis

921: The Danes raid and destroy the Saxon village built on the site of Durocobrivis

1086: The enumerators sent by William the Conqueror find nothing but burnt ruins on the site of the present Dunstable so do not mention it in the Domesday Book

1109: Probably around this time, Henry I establishes a town here

1110: Dunstable is cited as being the place of the earliest performance of a play in England, given at the Priory by the pupils of Geoffrey. The 'miracle play' told the story of St. Katherine who had the unfortunate distinction of being martyred on a wheel

1123: King Henry I and his full court keep Christmas at Kingsbury, Dunstable

1131: King Henry I grants the first Charter to the town

1132: The Priory Church of St Peter is built by Augustinian Canons (monks) under the patronage of Henry I. It included a 'hospitium' (guest house) for travellers to the Priory Church, the remains of which are now known as Priory House. King Henry keeps Christmas at Dunstable

1137: King Stephen keeps Christmas at Dunstable

1154: King Stephen and Henry, the Duke of Normandy, hold a meeting at Dunstable. King Stephen died the same year

1164: The burgesses are summoned by King Henry II to send members to Parliament, which they refused to do

1202: Richard de Morins made Prior by King John. He held office for 40 years

1203: A three-day fair in May is granted by King John, who also gave the whole of the Manor of Houghton with its rights and profits to the Priory. The body of St. Fremund is brought from Oxfordshire to Dunstable Priory. Fremund was said to have been a prince, the son of the Mercian King Offa, and to have fought against the Danes. He was perhaps murdered by Oswy, an officer of his father, possibly on the instigation of Cenwulf, but there is no certainty about this.  Fremund is not mentioned by any chroniclers.  His feast day is May 11th

1204: The Palace at Kingsbury granted to the Prior and Convent by King John

1210: Great storm. Many houses destroyed

1213: Dunstable Priory consecrated by Hugh II, Bishop of Lincoln

1215: King John passes a night at Dunstable on his way to the north. The barons under the Earl of Perche pass through the town, sparing neither churches nor windows

1217: Itinerant justices come to Dunstable to take the people's oath of allegiance to Henry III. Lewis the Dauphin, with the English barons, in arms against the king, halt for a night in Dunstable, after their defeat at Lincoln. They do great damage to the church

1219: Court of Assizes held at Dunstable. The town is partially destroyed by fire

1220: Robert, Bishop of Lismore, and Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln visit Dunstable

1221: Mossy, a Jew, sues the Prior for 700. His friends pay the king a mark of gold and 100 to save him from being hanged for forgery

1222: A great storm. One of the two church towers are blown down

1224: At the siege of Bedford Castle the people of Dunstable helped to storm the outer bail, and received a great number of horses with harness, arms, engines, live cattle, hogs, pigs and houses filled with hay and corn

1227: The Priory obtains a confirmation of the charters of Henry I and Richard I

1228: First court held for Weights and Measures

1229: Henry III, passing through Dunstable, lodges at the Priory. There is a quarrel between townsmen and Canons

1232: First tournament at Dunstable takes place

1244: Numerous discontented barons and knights assemble at Dunstable and Luton under the pretence of holding a tournament, which was banned by the king

1247: Henry III, his Queen, Prince Edward and Princess Margaret stay in Dunstable. On being informed that the waste lands proved a temptation to squatters to make encroachments, a suit was entered at the Assizes to effect their dislodgment. This took place the same year

1249: Bishop of Lincoln at Dunstable. A general chapter of Augustinians held

1250: Bishop of Lincoln at Dunstable

1254: A cup of silver gilt worth 100 shillings sent to the king. A tournament was prohibited at Dunstable

1256: A tournament was prohibited at Dunstable

1258: Boniface, Archbishop of Canterbury, visits Dunstable

1259: Convent of Dominican Black Friars was established opposite the Priory. This was the only house of the order in Bedfordshire

1263: Simon de Montfort visited Dunstable and became a brother of the Priory

1264: Two men were hanged on the top of Pascombe Pit for sheep stealing. A tournament was prohibited at Dunstable

1265: King Henry III, his queen, legate and Simon de Montfort at Dunstable. A tournament was prohibited

1266: King Henry III and Richard, King of Germany, visited Dunstable

1267: Two Welshmen were beheaded for robbery

1272: Four marks paid by the Priory for Prince Edward's crusade in the Holy Land. A blind man was taken into the Priory "for his soul"

1274: Eudo la Suche throws down the Prior's gallows at Edessuthe (Blow's Downs) and sets up a gallows below Pudele, now Gibbet Arch beyond Puddle Hill

1275: Five thieves hanged. A sixth turns evidence and as a result 13 more are hanged. The royal family lodge at the Priory and King Edward I gives one "rich banddekyne" (valuable cloth). Richard, bishop of Lincoln visits Dunstable

1276: Edward 1 visited the town.

1277: Work is begun on a large room for Edward I, next to the Prior's chamber. The Archbishop of Canterbury stays for 5 days

1279-1293: Tournaments held at Dunstable

1283: Oliver, Bishop of Lincoln at Dunstable. The Prior dines with John Durrant, who makes a feast. The Prior owes him "much money, so he dares not offend him"

1284: Bishop Oliver Sutton and John, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Dunstable

1287: Bishop Oliver Sutton at Dunstable

1288: Bishop Oliver Sutton at Dunstable. General chapter of Augustinians at Dunstable

1290: Queen Eleanor, wife of Edward I, dies. The funeral cortege spends a night at Dunstable on its way back to Westminster Abbey

1293: A great cross painted in the church with images of St. Mary and St. John

1294: The pope's nuncio at Dunstable. King Edward I orders a search for wealth laid up by monasteries, cathedrals, etc. Although all the secret places were searched in the Priory, only 40 was found. This belonged to Walter Rudham and was later returned. Bishop Oliver Sutton and Archbishop Winchelsea visit the Priory

1295: Two robbers escape from the Borough Gaol. The gaol is rebuilt. Dunstable sends two members to Parliament until 1338

1311: Queen Eleanor Cross erected at Dunstable. It remained standing for 370 years until it was destroyed by the Roundheads.

1312: Tournament prohibited at Dunstable.

1319: Tournament prohibited at Dunstable.

1341: Edward III and Queen Philippa attend a grand tournament at Dunstable. This was the final tournament in Dunstable. They were usually held in the flat fields at the base of Blow's Downs or in the flat fields near Bullpond Lane, the old Butts

1349: During an outbreak of the plague, the townsmen made themselves a new bell called Mary

1375: Confirmation of the liberties of the Priory by Edward III

1390: Birth of John of Dunstable, a famous musician and mathematician.

1414: William Murlie, a Dunstable brewer and Lollard was hanged at Harringay.

1453: Death of John of Dunstable.

1457: Henry VI and Queen Margaret at Dunstable.

1459: Henry VI at Dunstable. Proclamation to the townsmen.

1533: A court sitting in the Priory annuls the marriage of Queen Catherine and King Henry VIII. The Queen is ordered by Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, to appear at Dunstable, but she refuses. The decision is read in her absence in the Lady Chapel of the Priory.

1539: Dissolution of the Priory. Gervase Markham the last Prior. The Priory lands subsequently appropriated by the Crown.

1540: Henry VIII visits Dunstable. It is reported in "Willis's Mitred Abbeys" that he wished to make Dunstable a cathedral city.

1541: Henry VIII revisits Dunstable.

1552: Edward VI grants the rectory and advowson of Dunstable to the Dean and Canons of Windsor.

1561: Gervase Markham, the last Prior, dies in September and was buried at Dunstable. The site of the Priory granted by Queen Mary to Dr. Leonard, Chamberlain.

1569: A primitive fire-engine made.

1572: Visit by Queen Elizabeth I.