Tenterden Timeline
c.724 King grants rights to Men of Thanet for the pasturing of pigs
c.735 Approximate date of death of St Mildred, Abbess of Minster-in-Thanet (owners of the Tenterden area - the "den of Thanet folk" - Tenet-wara-den)
c.840 Approximate date of total destruction of Minster Abbey. The presumption is that the church dedication to St Mildred must precede this
968 Charter of sale of the Heronden estate - Tenterden's oldest original written document
Conquest period - written records suggest Tenterden church was paying certain church fees in the Saxon period
c. 1150 The Abbot of Battle Abbey assesses the only dwelling house at Tenterden to be taxed at a rate of one mark (thirteen shillings and four pence) The valuer comes to collect the money and is beaten off by the inhabitants. The valuer returns with an escort of soldiers but is unable to find Tenterden which is lost in the forest
c. 1169 Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, passes through Tenterden on his way home from France
1180 First written record of a Rector in Tenterden church - Hugo the Norman
1180-1200 approx. - the earliest masonry visible in the present St Mildred's church
1252 Serious riot (1 death) in churchyard during dispute over who had the right to present a Vicar to Tenterden's church.
1305 Edward 1 ("Hammer of the Scots") visited Tenterden when he came to inspect the works for draining for the Walland Marsh
1305 The Prince of Wales, the future Edward II, stayed in Tenterden when he and his close friend Piers Gaveston were banished from court in disgrace for killing a bishop's deer. Both ultimately came to a grim end
1333 The coming of the Flemish Weavers; the commencement of the wool industry in Tenterden
1416 Henry V probably made several visits to Tenterden's shipyards. Certainly he was at Smallhythe in 1416 when he received the news of naval victory at Harfleur. His ship "Jesus" (claimed to be 1,000 tons) may have been the largest built at Smallhythe
1449 On 1 August 1449 Henry VI granted the town and hundred of Tenterden its original charter confirmed by Edward IV in 1463
1449 The first Bailiff was elected - Thomas Pittlesden
1449 Tenterden became a member of the Cinque Ports
1461 St Mildred's Church Tower constructed. The Bishop of Rochester is entertained at Tenterden and is shown the plans of the tower. He blesses those who have brought gifts of money and kind. He is so pleases with the architect’s elaborate proposal as against those submitted to him officially that he re-presents the builders with five bags of gold intended for the repair of the sea wall at Deal
1487 Henry VII visited Reading Street in August 1487 to oversee the building of "The Regent"
1514 Fire destroys Smallhythe, except for two buildings
1521 Grammar school opened
1525 Free booters from the Isle of Oxney attack and rob a boat load of sailors from Tenterden
1537 or 1538 Visit of Henry VIII to Tenterden. The King comes to watch the laying down of the great ships of war at Smallhythe. Henry hears anthems and songs sung by the choir. A monk is brought in chains before the King for preaching a seditious sermon and the King in jovial mood sets him free. His ship "The Grand Mistress" similar to "The Mary Rose" was built there in 1545
1600 Elizabeth I granted the town a new charter, and becomes a Borough with the appointment of the Mayor and Jurats
1635 The people of Tenterden take part in May Day revels including a maypole dance, when word is brought that Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector is approaching. They hastily bury the maypole and hide their gay clothes under their puritan cloaks. Cromwell arrives and discovers the deception
1655 Tenterden families emigrated to New England
1656 Eleven men taken by the press gang for service with the Commonwealth Navy escape from Rye and are hidden by the burghers of Tenterden. Rye demands their return but the burghers who have been bribed send in their place old men, blind men, cripples and boys.
1661 Tenterden Court Hall burnt down
1662 George Hawe set up the Presbyterian Church (now the Unitarian Church)
1688James II makes his first attempt to flee the country after the revolution. He arrives at New Romney where he is mistaken for a popish priest and is put into a pound. He is eventually recognised and rescued by the Earl of Tenterden, son of Sir Richard Hales of Hales Place
1700 William III issued a replacement charter, after the original was list in a fire in 1661
1730 The Angel Inn renamed the Six Bells (later Eight Bells)
1754 Riots in England due to famine and the price of corn. Oliver Goldsmith visits Tenterden with a troupe of strolling players. A bridal party comes to see their performance on the green. While the play is in progress a detachment of soldiers arrive. This is the signal for malcontents to create a brawl. The bridal party scatters in fright and the players caught between the soldiers and rioters barely escape with a beating.
1768 Tenterden Annuity Society formed
1770 the church peal was increased. The Six Bells became the Eight Bells public house
1774 Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman visits Tenterden with his friend Joseph Priestly, and attends the Unitarian Church
1792 Tenterden Brewery started by Isaac and Thankful Cloake
1792 Town Hall is built to replace the original Court Hall destroyed by fire in 1661
1799 Theatre is built in Theatre Square for the entertainment of Officers, Soldiers were billeted in and around Tenterden throughout the Napoleonic Wars
1804 Emigrants for America leave Tenterden, taking with them Caxton the Printers book. At one end of the street a sad little group take their last farewell of England and home. At the other end a gay bevvy of ladies present an embroidered banner to The Volunteers, while the town band plays a martial tune. The emigrants break into a hymn, which gradually drowns the noise of the band and the laughter and talk of the ladies.
1830 Horatia Nelson Ward comes to live in Tenterden with her husband Rev. Philip Ward. Horatia is the daughter of Horatio Lord Nelson, Vice Admiral of the White, and Lady Emma Hamilton.
1836 Inauguration of Tenterden Borough Council under the Municipal Act of 1835
1843 National School opened in Church Road (was known as School Lane)
1845 British School opened in Ashford Road
1846 Workhouse opened in Union Lane
1862 St Michaels Church of England School opens
1863 Boresisle renamed St Michaels when St Michael & All Angels Church is consecrated
1871 Tenterden High Street avenue of trees were planted
1875 Soup kitchen set up in Jacksons Lane
1879 The Corporation took over the control of the town's fire engines
1880 The Turnpike Trust was abolished in about 1880 and the Tollgate by Church Road was taken down and burnt at the annual bonfire at East Cross
1884 St Michael & All Angels Church - a clock was added to the spire
1900 Tenterden Railway Station opens, actually the station now known as Rolvenden. The line runs to Robertsbridge
1900 or thereabouts many houses in Beacon Oak Road were built
1900-1910 Elmfield built
1903 The Rother Valley Railway became the Kent & East Sussex Railway
1903 The railway line is extended to Tenterden Town Station
1905 Tenterden to Headcorn railway line opened to traffic on 15 May 1905
1912 The old cinema was built (now the Fairings) Electric Palace (1912-1937)
1912 A balcony is added to the Town Hall
1917 A small airfield was completed at Leigh Green
1919-20 or thereabouts the first part of the houses in Shrubcote (the west side of Appledore Road) were built
1920-25 the avenue of trees in Appledore Road (from East Hill for 1.5km south) were planted at about the same time as the houses on the east side of Appledore Road which were built sometime around 1920. This avenue comprised of 84 trees; 42 pairs of trees planted opposite each other, one pair Horse Chestnut trees, one pair Lime trees each side of the road. 35 of the original trees are no longer there due to disease, decay, and building of newer houses. Some of the trees have been replanted however not necessarily the same species of tree.
1921 "A" and "B" numbering of roads was introduced in 1921 so if you want to date an archive photo of Tenterden High Street and see "A28" on a fingerpost-style sign the photo will probably have been taken in 1921 or after that
1928 Caxton Book, Polychronicon is returned from America and is presented to The Mayor and Corporation of Tenterden by Mr. Boies Penrose, an American citizen and president of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
1933-34 Ivy Court House extension at the front of the building to provide for shop units. The original front door was brought forward to be the entrance to the new shops
1934 St Andrews RC Church opened
1935 The Duchess of York opened the Service Training Centre at St Michaels Grange
1937 The Embassy Cinema opened (the cinema closed in 1969 and the Art Deco building became a supermarket)
1949 500th anniversary of the Town Charter
1948-1949 Homewood School opened
1950 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother stopped at the Town Hall on her way from Cranbrook and Benenden
1954 Rail passenger services discontinued from Tenterden
1955 The Local History Society was founded
1957 Tenterden Church of England Junior School opens in Recreation Ground Road
1957 The row of Georgian cottages adjacent to the White Lion was demolished to make way for a branch of the Midland Bank, later HSBC
1964 Eastwell House (East Cross) demolished https://www.mytenterden.co.uk/directory/eastwell-house-tenterden-archive-article-317.aspx
1969 The Embassy Cinema closed
1971 Fire station moved from the High Street to a new building opposite the Fat Ox, St Michaels
1972 End of sheep sales on the Recreation Ground
1973 Tenterden Infants School opens in Recreation Ground Road leaving the National School building in Church Road to eventually become the Day Centre
1974 Tenterden ceases to be a Borough, becoming instead a town within the Borough of Ashford.
1974 Tenterden Railway re-opens after many years of hard work by a dedicated group of enthusiasts
1982 Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother visited Tenterden Railway Station
1987 The Great Storm ("Hurricane")
1989 Tenterden is twinned with Avallon, France
1990 Princess Diana officially opened Tenterden Leisure Centre
1995 Visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey
1999 550th anniversary of the Town's charter
2000 Railway line extended to Bodiam. The Duke of Gloucester visited Tenterden Station whilst carrying out the official opening of Bodiam Station
2000 The Millennium Garden opened
2004 Tenterden Town sign erected
2007 Tour de France competitors cycled through Tenterden
2010 Heronden Gatehouse is fully restored after many years (damaged in the hurricane of 1987)
2013 A serious fire occurred on 5th November 2013 in Tenterden High Street
2014 Centenary of the outbreak of the First World War
2017 Tenterden Town Council begins the transfer process for the sale of its land sited to the south of the Leisure Centre
2018 Centenary of end of First World War, three services were held to celebrate: a Remembrance Service, a visit to Tenterden Railway Station to greet the Edith Cavell van when it arrived, and the lighting of the beacon on Tenterden Recreation Ground