TIMELINE 2 - Pre-recorded History

This section covers the history of the Weddington area from the earliest human activity through to the Invasion of England by William I, which preceded the Domesday Book.

50,000 BC

 

Palaeolithic flint tools found in Warwickshire (95)

 

7,500 BC

 

Middle Stone Age Mesolithic man and flint making: Anker Valley (72,87)

 

4,300 BC

 

New Stone Age Neolithic Axe Hammers found, made in the Griff area (72)

 

 

New colonies of people entered Britain with highly developed skills in farming and stock rearing. Many remains have been found which celebrate burial of the dead. The barrows and other burial remains seem to be important territorial markers. Nuneaton was in the farming group cultural area.

 

2,500 BC

 

Bronze Age. The use of metals was introduced into Britain sometime before 2000 B.C. The remains of farms and settlements were not as substantial as in other periods. Local people tended to live in small family units, larger communities existed to south west of the Midlands.
Bronze Age finds have been discovered in Weddington. (95)

 

600 BC

 

Iron Age: Fortifications were the great legacy from this period, hill top positions surrounded by ditches and banks that were originally laced with timber and palisade fencing. In lowland areas there were circular stone or timber houses. 
Iron Age finds have been discovered in Bedworth, Bramcote, Bulkington, Caldecote, Griff, Hartshill, Higham, Hinckley, Mancetter, Nuneaton, Oldbury and Wolvey. (95)
 

41-54 AD

 

Emperor Claudius is Roman Emperor

 

43-412 AD

 

The Roman Occupation. General Aulus Plautius invaded Britain for Emperor Claudius I. 40 to 50,000 troops landed at what is today called Richborough, near Ramsgate. They were men from the low countries of Holland and Belgium as well as Africans and Syrians. They found many local tribal kingdoms where infighting was common. 
The Iron Age Celts had built ramparted hill forts, the invading Romans headed straight for these sites, in particular Colchester. They used their advanced artillery weapons to conquer these fortified sites.

Some mortaria and Samian pottery was found in Weddington. Roman Diocese of Praefectus praetorio Galliarum. The Romans were in the area. By the time the Romans were in the area de-forestation had begun. Ostorius Scapula was the governor, he controlled all the land to the Trent and Severn. (1,82,95)
 

48 AD

 

A very severe famine in the Midlands according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

 

50 AD

 

Ostorius Scapula took possession of Warwickshire (then in the province of Flavia Caesariensis). The XIV and XX Legions conquered this area, striking out from St. Albans

 

54-68 AD

 

The Emperor Nero

 

59-60 AD

 

King Prasutagus of the Iceni died, he could not legally bequeath his succession to anyone. Boudicca (Boadicea or Bonduca) was his widow

 

60-61 AD

 

Boudicca’s revolt, she led thousands of Britons into battle against Romans, who were caught off their guard. The Romans had been cruel to local peoples over-taxing them and confiscating property. Boudicca attacked Colchester, St. Albans and London. The Romans sent a Procurator, to re-organise the Romans forces.
Boudicca and 80,000 of her men were killed in a battle by Roman forces led by Suetonius Paulinus near Witherley - Ratcliffe Culey (some accounts state she committed suicide by poison). The Roman casualties were 400! The story was recorded by Cornelius Tacitus in the Annals. This momentary lapse taught the Romans a bitter lesson, they set about re-building their towns and villas. 
The road network was developed to total 5,000 miles of quality carriageway.
 

70 AD

 

By this date all of lowland England had been subdued and was part of a well established province

 

78 AD

 

Conquest of Britain by the Roman Agricola re-initiated

 

98-117 AD

 

The greatest extent of the Roman Empire, the Emperor Trajan

 

117-38 AD

 

The Emperor Hadrian

 

196-97 AD

 

Clodius Albinus, governor, removed troops from Britain to fight for the throne and was defeated by Severus

 

212 AD

 

Caracella extends Roman citizenship to all free born provincial men

 

212-13 AD

 

Roman Britain divided into two provinces

 

259-74 AD

 

Midlands part of the Empire of Gaul (Emperor Postumus)

 

286-87 AD

 

Carausius, commander of the British fleet, usurped the title of Emperor and was temporarily recognised as Emperor of Britain by Diocletian and Maximus

 

296 AD

 

Britain re-conquered by Constantius Chlorus, then became a civil diocese of 4 provinces created by Diocletian

 

297 AD

 

The Roman Empire organised into 12 administrative districts (dioceses) governed by diocesan supervisors (vicari) Nuneaton was in Britanniae

 

330 AD

 

Nuneaton in the Roman Diocese of Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum

 

368-69 AD

 

Count Theodosius restored Roman rule to Britain

 

407 AD

 

Constantine III, a usurper, withdrew many Roman legions from Britain so that he could conquer Gaul and Spain

 

410 AD

 

Extensive Roman troop withdrawal from Britain. Emperor Honorius told Britain to "provide for their own defence"

 

486 AD

 

Saxons conquered parts of England (82,95)

 

c. C6th AD

 

Christianity introduced into England (95)

 

625-800 AD

 

Angles entered from the west (95)

 

800-1000 AD

 

Danelaw extended to the Watling Street (95)

 

918 AD

 

Warwickshire was created by Edward as part of his enlargement of his kingdom of Mercia (95)

 

c.1000 AD

 

Saxon Weddington existed (WATITUNE). It had all the evidence of being a purposefully planted village because it is on the flood plain of the River Anker. The river Anker was prone to flooding from its origins. It was not a good settlement site because of the flood risk. It may have been a good fishing river, but probably had coarse fish only (1)

 

1017-35 AD

 

King Canute ruled the area (95)

 

1042 AD

 

Hereward the Wake held Weddington before the Norman Conquest. A wooden church probably existed from time to time (1,42)

 

1066 AD

 

Invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Harold is killed at the Battle of Hastings

 

 

(c) Alan F Cook 1992