Wilton Timeline

A chantry for secular priests founded by Wulstan, Earl of Wiltshire, in existence, converted from an old church, St Mary's

The royal seat of the Kingdom of Wessex. The king's palace contains royal archives and royal charters are issued from here

Wulstan, Earl of Wiltshire, builds an Oratory

King Egbert converts the Oratory into a Priory of 13 sisters

Concordat between the King of Wessex and the Archbishop of Canterbury confirmed at Wilton

King Ethelwulph grants a charter tithing a tenth of his lands to the Church with free tenure

Wilton Abbey built

King Alfred the Great defeats the Danes in battle

Minting of coins begun in the town in the reign of King Edgar

Oswulf, Bishop of Sonning and sometimes Wiltshire, buried in Wilton

The Danes, led by Sweyn, King of Denmark, invade Wiltshire and plunder and burn Wilton

According to the Domesday Book Wilton is in the custody of a keeper, Hervey, who accounts directly to the Crown for all royal rents and dues

Charter granted by King Henry I is the first of 15 charters to be granted during the life of the borough

King David I, King of Scotland, attacks Wilton

It is believed that King Stephen fortifies the town and builds a castle; a force of the Empress Maud, led by Robert of Gloucester, sets fire to the town and most of the abbey is destroyed

Hospital of St. John, Ditchampton, founded by Bishop Hubert Walter

Church of St. Mary, Brede Street, partially rebuilt

A grant of fair is in existence by this time

Robert Bingham consecrated as Bishop of Salisbury at Church of St. Mary, Brede Street

Harnham Bridge built by Bishop Bingham diverts traffic from Wilton to Salisbury causing a gradual decline in Wilton's fortunes

The Black Friars establish a community

A borough gaol exists by this time

Mints at Wilton closed

William Isembard, Mayor of Wilton, hanged in London for fraudulent practices while keeper of the chest of the Jewish Community. The chest was used for the registration of debts owed to the Jews

2 members of Parliament returned from this time

The town, although in gradual decline, still has many trades. There are several goldsmiths, skinners, glovers, needlers, tanners, dubbers, tailors and linenworkers. There are 14 bakers and many brewers. There are 8 parish churches

Robert de Brudecombe, the mayor, writes The Mayor's Common Place Book

The borough of Wilton reverts to the Crown

A keeper is appointed to the gaol

Proclamation issued defining the days on which the market may be held

By this time the borough has declined and buildings are in a state of disrepair; Church of St Mary, Brede Street, rebuilt

King Henry V grants a fair to be held in July

King Henry VI grants the right to hold 2 sheep fairs in May and September respectively

Due to great competition in the beer trade the Mayor issues an order that 5 brewers should brew on Mondays, 5 on Wednesdays and 4 on Fridays. Price of best beer set at one penny per flagon

Dissolution of Wilton Abbey

William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, granted Wilton Abbey and its lands by King Henry VIII. He demolishes the abbey

Wilton House, built by William Herbert on site of Wilton Abbey, completed

Textile industry growing by this time reviving the town's fortunes

There are stocks in Kingsbury Square; by this time 5 medieval churches have fallen into ruin or disrepair

It is believed that Shakespeare and his company first perform his play As You Like It before King James I at Wilton House

King Charles I presents a mace to the borough

Wilton House garrisoned by the Royalists during the Civil War

Fire destroys a large part of Wilton House

From this time a process of rebuilding gradually obliterates nearly all traces of medieval Wilton although the street plan remains substantially the same

Rebuilding of Wilton House by Inigo Jones and his nephew John Webb, completed

King James II presents a second mace to the borough

Church of St. Mary, Brede Street, restored; Greyhound Inn, Kingsbury Square, Wheatsheaf in Warminster Road and the Pembroke Arms in Minster Street built

Mill in Crow Lane converted to textile manufacturing

By this time a poorhouse is in existence; the first carpet factory in the town is established by this time

Two houses are licensed for Quaker meetings

Wilton Free School opened in North Street for the education of 20 poor boys of the parish. The school founded with a bequest from a London businessman, Walter Dyer

By this time regular Presbyterian meetings are being held

An outbreak of smallpox kills 132 people

Town Hall built on site of former Guildhall

Carpet factory burnt down

Sheep fairs moved from Market Place to Fairfield at Fugglestone

Fire destroys 25 houses and workshops

There is a major growth in Wesleyan Methodism in the town

Congregational Church opened in Crow Lane on the site of Presbyterian meeting house

James Wyatt employed to carry out an extensive redesign and rebuild of Wilton House

69 weavers and 200 looms employed in the town

There is a Sunday School attached to the parish church in West Street by this time

House licensed for Primitive Methodist meetings

Crow Lane Mill attacked by Swing Rioters and machinery destroyed. 11 rioters from Wilton transported to Australia

Wesleyan chapel built in North Street

Only 1 member of Parliament returned from this time

Carpet factory moves from Market Place to King Street

Congregational School in Crow Lane, which began as a Sunday School, in existence

Wilton Poor Law Union Workhouse opened; Primitive Methodist chapel opened in West Street

Mrs Sidney (Lady Georgina) Herbert's Church of England School for Girls (later known as Wilton Park School) opened in buildings in the grounds of Wilton House to clothe and educate 35 poor girls

The cloth industry is now in final decline with only 10 looms in operation

Parochial Sunday School becomes a day school

Church of St. Mary and St. Nicholas in West Street built on the site of an earlier church of St. Nicholas replacing the Church of St. Mary, Brede Street as the parish church of Wilton

Church of St. Mary, Brede Street, partially demolished

Severe outbreak of cholera

Literary and Scientific Institution established in Kingsbury Square

Severe outbreak of cholera; Local Board of Health elected: gas works built and drainage and water works established

Station (Wilton North) opened on newly opened Great Western Railway line from Salisbury to Warminster

Felt manufacture begun at Crow Lane Mill; station (Wilton South) opened on the newly opened London & South Western Railway line from Salisbury to Gillingham

Brewer's Agricultural Merchants founded by Albert Brewer as a blacksmiths

Methodist Reform Church opened in Kingsbury Square; Blondin, a famous tightrope walker, performs in Wilton Park before an audience of 20,000 people

The Talbot and Wyvern Hall built in Kingbury Square as the headquarters of the Wilton Total Abstinence Society

The Congregational School is closed by this time

Primitive Methodist Chapel moves from West Street to a new building in Kingsbury Square

Quaker meeting house opened in Russell Street

Charter of Incorporation granted by Queen Victoria; Fugglestone St Peter, Burcombe and South Newton now included in the borough

Markets are no longer held by this time

Jubilee Clock Tower on theTown Hall unveiled by Earl of Pembroke

New cemetery dedicated

Arthur G Street, writer and broadcaster, born in Wilton

Methodist Reform Church closed

The Church House, West Street, built

By this time the Quaker's meeting house has moved to South Street; the Post Office is in Kingsbury Square

Statue of 13th Earl of Pembroke, near entrance to Wilton House, unveiled

Drinking fountain built as a memorial to the Earl of Pembroke

Wilton Parochial School united with the National Society and renamed the National School

Edward Slow's Chronology of Wilton published

Carpet factory closed but a new company, Wilton Royal Carpet Factory, formed

Quaker meetings have ceased

Recreation Ground opened

A severe flood in the town, which is prone to flooding, gives the impetus for an extensive flood relief programme

Borough of Wilton disenfranchised

First bus service between Wilton and Salisbury run by Wilts and Dorset Motor Services; Wilton Park School closed

War memorial dedicated

Wilton Free School closed

Memorial to Sidney, 14th Earl of Pembroke, in Market Place unveiled; Riverside Preparatory School opened

Electricity first introduced in Wilton

Wilton Methodist Church formed from the amalgamation of the Primitive Methodists, the Wesleyans and the United Methodists, using the former Primitive Methodist chapel in Kingsbury Square as their home

Gas works closed; National School reorganized into Wilton Church of England Junior School and Wilton Church of England Senior School: the Senior School moves to the Hollows

Wesleyan chapel closed

A third annual sheep fair, to be held in October, is introduced; Edith Olivier elected Wilton's first lady mayor; the Michael Herbert Hall completed

Carpet factory ceases the manufacture of carpets during World War II to wash army blankets and manufacture camouflage, kitbags and tarpaulins

Churchyard of the Church of St. Mary, Brede Street, transformed into a garden of peace and dedicated. The chancel, all that remains of the church, is rehallowed

Wilton Church of England Senior School becomes a secondary modern and renamed Wilton Church of England Controlled Secondary Modern School

Riverside Preparatory School closed

The Town Council moves from the Town Hall into a former Masonic Hall in Kingsbury Square

Carnival week held for the first time

Street renumbering takes place

Library in South Street opened in former Friends' Meeting House

Wilton North railway station closed to passenger traffic

Carnival no longer held

An extension to Wilton Church of England Controlled Secondary Modern School completed

Goods traffic at Wilton South railway station ceases; South Street Bridge rebuilt

Talbot and Wyvern Hall demolished; Wilton North railway station closed to goods traffic

Methodists and Congregationalists merge to form the Free Church of Wilton at the Congregational Church in Crow Lane; passenger traffic at Wilton South railway station ceased

The old Methodist chapel in Kingsbury Square opened as the Roman Catholic St. Edith's Church

Wilton loses its borough status and is now governed by Salisbury District Council

Wilton Church of England Junior School moves to a purpose built school in Burcombe Lane and is renamed Wilton Church of England First School when a three tier education system is introduced to south Wiltshire. The old school building becomes a Community Centre; Wilton Church of England Controlled Secondary Modern School is renamed Wilton Church of England Middle School and pupils aged 14+ move to new school at Bemerton Heath

Wilton Health Centre opened

Weekly market started again in Market Place; Baptist Church opened in former Town Hall

The Free Church building in Crow Lane is closed. The congregation moves to St. Edith's Catholic Church, which it shares with the Catholic congregation, and is renamed St. Edith's Methodist and United Reformed Church

Brewer's Agricultural Merchants ceased trading

Annual carnival revived

Carpet factory closes but re-opens following a management buy-out

Wilton Shopping Village opened

St. Edith's Methodist and United Reform Church ceases services due to declining numbers and St. Edith's returns to being a Roman Catholic Church only

Wilton Church of England First School is renamed Wilton and Barford Church of England Primary School; Wilton Church of England Middle School is closed and all pupils are transferred to Salisbury High School as south Wiltshire reverts to a two tier education stystem

Felt manufacture has ceased