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| ALFRED THE GREAT (SOURCE) |
70 The Romans build a town on the site of Winchester. They called it Venta Belgarum.
c. 200 The Romans build stone walls around Winchester. The town flourishes.
407 The Roman army leaves Britain. Afterwards town life breaks down and Winchester is abandoned.
650 The Saxons build a church called the Old Minster inside the walls of Winchester.
c.676 The Bishop of Wessex moves his seat to Winchester and the Old Minster Church is made a cathedral.
c. 880 Alfred the Great revives the Roman town at Winchester. He creates a burh or fortified settlement.
903 A nunnery is built in the flourishing town of Winchester.
1086 The population of Winchester is about 8,000 making it one of the largest towns in England.
1079 The Normans demolish the Old Minster Cathedral. They build a new cathedral to replace it.
1136 The Hospital of St Cross is built in Winchester
1141 During a civil war a terrible battle is fought in Winchester
c. 1230 The Black friar and Grey friars arrive in Winchester
1265 During another civil war Simon De Monfort's men capture Winchester and loot it.
1348-49 The Black Death strikes Winchester and kills perhaps half the population. Afterwards the town goes into decline.
1382 Winchester College is founded.
1500 The population of Winchester has fallen to about 4,000.
1522 Henry VIII meets the Emperor Charles V at Winchester. (It is believed the Round Table was painted in Henry's reign).
1538 Henry VIII closes the friaries and abbeys in Winchester.
1579 A House of Correction for the poor is built.
1603 The plague strikes Winchester.
1625 Another outbreak of plague.
1642-45 During the Civil War Winchester changes hands several times.
1665-66 The plague is back in Winchester.
1700 The population of Winchester is still about 4,000.
1736 The Royal Hampshire County Hospital is built.
1755 Horace Walpole calls Winchester 'a paltry town and small'.
1771 A body of men called the Paving Commissioners is formed to pave the streets of Winchester and light them with oil lamps.
1785 A theater opens in Jewry Street.
1801 Winchester has a population of less than 6,000.
1838 A Corn Exchange is built in Winchester.
1840 The railway reaches Winchester. A Teacher Training College opens in Winchester. Later it becomes King Alfreds College.
1847 A Museum opens in Winchester. The streets are lit with gas for the first time.
1856 Winchester gains a piped water supply.
1891 The population of Winchester is over 17,000.
1898 Westgate is made a museum.
1908 A riot takes place in Winchester.
1914 The first cinema is built in Winchester.
1921 A War Memorial is erected.
1938 A by pass opens.
1948 Winall Industrial estate is created.
1966 A new Police HQ is built.
1988 River Park Leisure Centre opens.
1989 Winchester Cattle Market closes.
1991 The Brooks Centre opens.
1993 A new Public Records Office opens.
