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NORTH EAST TIMELINE

Above: St. Aidan's Statue, Holy Island, Northumberland. Photo courtesy of freefoto.com

Prime Minister Tony Blair and The Millennium History of North East England by David Simpson. Photo courtesy of The Northern Echo

 

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Timeline of North East History

THE BIRTH OF DURHAM 990AD - 1031AD

By David Simpson

The rising power of Wessex weakened the North of England in the last decade of the first millennium and left the region vulnerable to the attacks of Danes and Scots. The Community of St Cuthbert at Chester-le-Street, a remnant of Northumbria's greater days, fled to Ripon in 995 to escape one such raid. The monks returned north in the same year, but chose Durham as their new home where their visitors would include King Canute.

990AD – ALDHUN IS LAST BISHOP AT CHESTER-LE-STREET
(County Durham)
Aldhun has become the Bishop of Chester-le-Street

993AD – NEW VIKINGS ATTACK BAMBURGH
(Northumberland Coast)
A new force of Vikings under Olaf and Swein Forkbeard
have attacked Bamburgh, the coastal Bhold of the Eadulfsons who are the virtual rulers of Bernicia.

995AD – SCOTS ATTEMPT TO SEIZE NORTH-EAST
(North-East)
Kenneth of Scotland is defeated in an invasion of the North-East by Uhtred Eadulfson, son of the Earl of Bamburgh. The monks in the Community of St Cuthbert have fled Chester-le-Street with St Cuthbert's body to escape the Scots and, accompanied by Bishop Aldhun, they settle for a short time at Ripon.

995AD – CITY OF DURHAM FOUNDED BY MONKS OF ST CUTHBERT
(Durham City)
St Cuthbert's Community has returned north to settle at Dunholm (Durham). The site is naturally defended like an island, formed by the horse-shoe gorge of the River Wear. The monks are said to have been guided by a vision, but it is more likely to have been a deliberate political decision. They are constructing a minster of wood called the White Church for St Cuthbert's remains at Durham. Uhtred Eadulfson of Bamburgh employed labour from the Coquet to the Tees to fortify the site. Aldhun is the first Bishop of Durham and is Uhtred's father-in-law.

999AD – STONE MINSTER AT DURHAM
(Durham City)
A new 'White Church' minster is built at Durham but this time of stone for the shrine of Cuthbert.

1000 – A NEW MILLENNIUM
(The Christian World)
The Christian world enters a new millennium. It is thought to be 1,000 years since the birth of Jesus Christ.

1000 – DANES ATTACK
(England)
England is subjected to continuous raiding by the Danes.

1003 – DARLINGTON GIVEN TO BISHOP OF DURHAM
(York)
Darlington receives its first mention in history. It has been given to the Bishop of Durham by Styr, son of Ulphus, at a ceremony in York. (In those days, the region's ruling elite were very closely connected: Styr's daughter, Sigen, is the third wife of Uhtred of Northumbria and one of Uhtred's previous marriages was to the daughter of Aldhun, Durham's first bishop.) Styr also gives land at Coniscliffe, Cockerton, Normanby and Seaton.

1006 – SCOTS MASSACRED AT DURHAM
(Durham City)
The Scots under King Malcolm have been heavily defeated once again by Uhtred during an attack on Durham City. Malcolm was attempting to seize the North-East. Heads of the best-looking Scottish soldiers were displayed around the city walls after Durham wo men had washed their faces and combed their hair (the women were presented with the gift of a cow for their work).

1006 – ATHELRED APPOINTS NORTHERN EARL
(North-East and Yorkshire)
Athelred, King of England, has appointed Uhtred as Earl of York which means he now rules all Northumbria.

1013 – FORKBEARD SEIZES NORTH
(North)
Swein Forkbeard, King of Denmark, has returned to England with an army to become King of England. Entering the Humber and encamping at Gainsborough he has forced Uhtred the Earl of Northumbria to submit. After capturing London he seized the English throne.
THE BIRTH OF DURHAM (Viking period) other dates
990AD / 1000AD / 1010AD / 1020AD

THE TIMELINE BY ERA

ROMAN PERIOD

ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD

VIKING PERIOD

NORMAN PERIOD

MEDIEVAL PERIOD

TUDOR AND STUART PERIOD

GEORGIAN PERIOD

VICTORIAN PERIOD

TWENTIETH CENTURY

 

THE MILLENNIUM HISTORY OF NORTH EAST ENGLAND

by David Simpson

Published by leighton in association with The Northern Echo

ISBN 0-9536984-3-2

The Millennium History of North East England by David Simpson is published by Leighton, The Teleport, Doxford International, Sunderland, SR3 3XD, Tel +44 (0) 191 5252400 Fax +44 (0) 520 1815 www.bepl.com. The book is a 322 page full colour hard back book covering the history of the region from Roman times to the present day. To order copies of the book you can e-mail Andrea.Murphy@bepl.com

Author David Simpson and Paul Callaghan, Managing Director of leighton at the book launch held at Lumley Castle, Durham December 1999

www.northeastengland.talktalk.net