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Berwick-upon-Tweed

Timeline

   9th – 20th Centuries

                                            833  First recorded mention of Berwick in Chronicles.

   867  Danes believed to have landed in the town.

                                            872  Gregory the Picts. King spent winter in Berwick.

                                          1081  The Battle of Carham - Malcolm of Scotland claims                                                    Tweed as Scottish river and Berwick as being in Scotland.

                                          1098  Berwick hands over to the Seat of Durham by Edgar.

                                                     1147  Berwick surrendered by William of Scotland as part ransom                                                    after being captured by the English at Alnwick.

                                          1150  Castle built.

                                          1199  Floods destroy timber bridge.

                                          1216  King John lays waist the Town.

                                          1247  Town at the height of prosperity.

                                          1266  King of Scotland holds birthday celebrations in the Town.

                                          1294  New wooden Bridge destroyed by floods.

                                          1296  Captured by Edward, inhabitants butchered. Notably areas                                                    of Red Hall and Wool-market were defended by Flemish Merchants.

                                          1297  William Wallace takes the Town. 

                                          1305  The left arm of William Wallace ordered to be displayed in                                                     the Town after he had been hung, drawn and quartered.

                                          1312  Robert Bruce attempts to take the Town. Barking dogs                                                    make his arrival known, and save the town. 6 years later he succeeds.

                                          1320  Edwardian Walls built. (Edward II)

                                          1326  Represented in Scottish Parliament.

                                          1333  Battle of Halidon Hill. Edward III hanged sons of                                                    Sir Alexander Seton, Governor of Town in sight of the Garrison.          

                                          1355  Retaken by the Scots, then surrendered it to England.

                                          1368  Ceases to be a Royal Burgh of Scotland.

                                          1377  Castle is taken by the Scots who only hold it for 8 days.

                                          1384  Town is betrayed to the Scots by local Earl Percy, but                                                    regained by Edward. 

                                          1405  Besieged and taken by Henry IV from the Earl of                                                    Northumberland.

                                          1459  Town handed to the Scots by Henry IV.

                                          1482  Edward IV retakes Berwick.

                                          1482  Berwick ‘finally’, having changed hands 13 times ceded to England.

                                          1492  New timber Bridge constructed. 

                                         1513  September the Battle of Flodden. Walk the battlefield                                                   James IV of Scotland killed, his body brought to the town.

                                         1529  Represented at the English Parliament.

                                         1558  Elizabethan Walls built.

                                         1579  Plague in the Town.     

                                 1603 Queen Elizabeth I England died, English Crown to next relative. King James VI Scotland. Union of  The Crowns  Festival 

                                                  1611  Construction begins of the 'Old Bridge' cost £15,000.

                                        1633  Charles 1st visits.

                                        1648  Civil war in England. Berwick taken by anti royalist Cavaliers.

                                        1649  Colonel George Fenwick made Governor.

                                        1650  Oliver Cromwell stays in Town.

                                          1657  Proclamation made in Berwick to the whole of UK that                                           'Lord Protector' Cromwell now Chief Magistrate of the UK.
                                                    Corporation of Berwick bought Manor of Tweedmouth and Spittal
                                          from Earl of Suffolk £570.

                                        1659  Great Fire in Berwick.

                                        1662  Parish Church was consecrated.

                                        1665  Town again suffered Plague. 

                                        1717  Barracks built.

                                          1746  Wales & Berwick Act. All Acts of Parliament to include Wales & Berwick.

                                  1750  Town Hall built.

                                        1751  Shipbuilding begins.

                                        1779  John Wesley preaches in Town Hall. Makes 19 visits.

                                        1810  Pier built.960 yards, £61,536.

                                        1823  Last death sentence. Grace Griffin. Hanged Gallows Hill. Nr current station.

                                        1847  Royal Border Bridge built £110,000.Opened by Queen Victoria.

                                        1857  Stocks last used. Still in existance.                                                  

                                                  1869  Berwick Amateur Rowing Club Formed Club Site  

                                        1923  November 11th, War Memorial was unveiled by Earl Haig.

                                        1925  Royal Tweed Bridge built.£180,000.Opened 1928,                                                  concrete Arch (361 ft 6 ins), and Viaduct 1,400 ft.

                                                  1926  New Railway Station.

                                        1948  Freedom of the Borough conferred to the Royal                                                  Northumberland Fusiliers.

                                        1951  Last Quarter Sessions held.

                                        1958  Grant of Coat-of-Arms.

                                          1959  Duchess of Gloucester Heads welcome to King's Own                                     Scottish Borderers return from Service in Malaya.

                                        1962  Town Hall reopens after 23 years. Archbishop of York at Berwick Church.

                                        1963  Final Parade at Barracks.

                                        1964  Barracks closes after 243 yrs. 

                                          1973  Queen Mother visits -St. George's Day Celebrations                                                  by Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

                                        1974  April – countrywide local government reorganisation.                                          End of Corporation of Berwick upon Tweed.                                          District of Berwick upon Tweed formed. Charter from
                                         Queen Elizabeth II confirms Borough status.

                                        1977  Princess Anne, visits Massed Border Pipe Bands at                                                  Shieldfield Stadium.