British Literature Timeline

By Jessica Billiter
  • Jan 1, 653

    Celtic Church spreads Christianity to Severn Valley.

    Celtic Church spreads Christianity to Severn Valley.
    Celtic Church begins to spread Christianity among people living in the Severn Valley.
  • Jan 1, 750

    Surviving version of Beowulf composed.

    Surviving version of Beowulf composed.
  • Jan 1, 1066

    The Old English Period ends.

  • Jan 1, 1066

    The Medieval Period begins with the Battle of Hastings.

    The Medieval Period begins with the Battle of Hastings.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1070 to Jan 1, 1485

    The Medieval Period occured.

  • Jan 1, 1073

    Canterbury becomes England's religious center.

  • Jan 1, 1170

    Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered.

    Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, murdered.
  • Jan 1, 1215

    King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta.

    King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta.
  • Jan 1, 1233

    First coal mined at Newcastle.

    First coal mined at Newcastle.
  • Jan 1, 1258

    The first commoners were allowed in parliament.

    The first commoners were allowed in parliament.
  • Jan 1, 1272

    Edward I becomes King.

    Edward I becomes King.
  • Jan 1, 1337

    Beginning of the Hundred Years' War with France.

    Beginning of the Hundred Years' War with France.
  • Jan 1, 1348

    Black Death sweeps through England.

    Black Death sweeps through England.
  • Jan 1, 1375

    Surviving version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written.

    Surviving version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written.
  • Jan 1, 1381

    The Bible was first translated into English.

    The Bible was first translated into English.
  • Jan 1, 1386

    Geoffrey Chaucer begins writing The Canterbury Tales.

    Geoffrey Chaucer begins writing The Canterbury Tales.
  • Jan 1, 1470

    Thomas Malory writes Morte d' Arthur.

    Thomas Malory writes Morte d' Arthur.
  • Jan 1, 1485

    The Medieval Period ends with the Battle of Bosworth.

    The Medieval Period ends with the Battle of Bosworth.
  • Jan 1, 1485

    The English Renaissance Period begins.

  • Jan 1, 1485

    Henry VII became the first Tudor King.

    Henry VII became the first Tudor King.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1485 to

    The Renaissance Period occured.

  • Jan 1, 1503

    Leonardo da Vinci painted The Mona Lisa.

    Leonardo da Vinci painted The Mona Lisa.
  • Jan 1, 1516

    Thomas More publishes Utopia.

    Thomas More publishes Utopia.
  • Jan 1, 1534

    Henry VII issues Act of Supremacy.

    Henry VII issues Act of Supremacy.
  • Jan 1, 1535

    Thomas More executed.

    Thomas More executed.
  • Jan 1, 1547

    Henry VII died.

    Henry VII died.
  • Jan 1, 1549

    The Book of Common Prayer was issued.

    The Book of Common Prayer was issued.
  • Jan 1, 1550

    Everyman was first preformed.

    Everyman was first preformed.
  • Jan 1, 1558

    Elizabeth I became queen.

    Elizabeth I became queen.
  • Jan 1, 1560

    Thomas Tallis published English cathedral music

    Thomas Tallis published English cathedral music
  • Jan 1, 1563

    Over 20,000 Londoners die from the plague.

    Over 20,000 Londoners die from the plague.
  • Jan 1, 1564

    William Shakespeare was born.

    William Shakespeare was born.
  • Jan 1, 1582

    Sir Phillip Sidney wrote Astrophel and Stella

    Sir Phillip Sidney wrote Astrophel and Stella

  • English Navy defeated the Spanish Armada.

    English Navy defeated the Spanish Armada.

  • Edmund Spencer published The Faerie Queen, Part 1.

    Edmund Spencer published The Faerie Queen, Part 1.

  • Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet.

    Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet.

  • The Globe theater opens

  • East India Company was founded.

    East India Company was founded.

  • Elizabeth I died and James I became king.

    Elizabeth I died and James I became king.

  • Royal debt amounted to $600,000.

  • The Faerie Queen was published in its entirety.

    The Faerie Queen was published in its entirety.

  • King James Bible was published.

  • Francis Bacon published Novum Organum

    Francis Bacon published Novum Organum

  • The first patent law was passed

    The first patent law was passed

  • James I died.

    James I died.

  • The Renaissance Period ended.

  • The Seventeenth Century began.

  • Period: to

    The Seventeenth Century occured.

  • William Harvey explains blood circulation

    William Harvey explains blood circulation

  • John Donne's Songs and Sonnets were published.

    John Donne's Songs and Sonnets were published.

  • Public mail service was established.

  • John Milton published Lycidas.

    John Milton published Lycidas.

  • The English Civil War began.

  • Puritans closed the theaters.

  • John Suckling published Fragmenta Aurea.

  • Robert Herrick published Hesperides.

    Robert Herrick published Hesperides.

  • Charles I was beheaded.

    Charles I was beheaded.

  • Richard Lovelace published Lucasta.

    Richard Lovelace published Lucasta.

  • Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector.

    Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector.

  • Oliver Cromwell died.

    Oliver Cromwell died.

  • The Puritan government collapsed.

  • The Monarchy was restored.

  • The theater was reopened.

  • Samuel Pepys began writing Diary.

    Samuel Pepys began writing Diary.

  • Royal Society was chartered.

    Royal Society was chartered.

  • The Great Fire of London occured.

    The Great Fire of London occured.

  • John Milton's Paradise Lost was published.

    John Milton's Paradise Lost was published.

  • John Dryden published An Essay of Dramatic Poesy.

    John Dryden published An Essay of Dramatic Poesy.

  • James II became king.

    James II became king.

  • Sir Isaac Newton published his Principia.

    Sir Isaac Newton published his Principia.

  • The Glorious Revolution occured.

    The Glorious Revolution occured.

  • The Bill of Rights became law.

    The Bill of Rights became law.

  • John Locke published his Two Treaties of Government.

    John Locke published his Two Treaties of Government.

  • The Seventeenth Century ended.

  • The Eighteenth Century began.

  • Period: to

    The Eighteenth Century occured.

  • The first daily newspaper began publication.

  • Great Britain was created by Act of Union.

  • Alexander Pope published The Rape of the Lock.

  • George I became king.

    George I became king.

  • Daniel Defoe published Robinson Crusoe.

  • Jonathan Swift published Gulliver's Travels.

    Jonathan Swift published Gulliver's Travels.

  • William Hogarth painted The Rake's Progress.

    William Hogarth painted The Rake's Progress.

  • Last Jacobite rebellion in Scotland occured.

    Last Jacobite rebellion in Scotland occured.

  • Henry Fielding published Tom Jones.

    Henry Fielding published Tom Jones.

  • Thomas Gray published "Elegy in a County Courtyard.

    Thomas Gray published "Elegy in a County Courtyard.

  • Samuel Johnson published Dictionary of the English Language.

  • Britain entered the Seven Years' War.

  • James Boswell published The Life of Samuel Johnson.

    James Boswell published The Life of Samuel Johnson.

  • England goes to war with France.

  • The Romantic Period began.

  • William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge published Lyrical Ballods.

  • Period: to

    The Romantic Period occured.

  • The Eighteenth Century ended.

  • Act of Union created the UK and Great Britain and Ireland.

  • Union Jack became the official flag.

    Union Jack became the official flag.

  • Battle of Trafalgar occured.

  • Thomas Moore wrote Irish Melodies.

  • Lord Byron published Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

  • Jane Austen published Pride and Prejudice.

  • George Stephenson constructed the first successful steam locomotive.

  • Mary Shelley published Frankenstein.

    Mary Shelley published Frankenstein.

  • Peterloo Massacre happened in Manchester.

  • Percy Shelley wrote "Ode to the West Wind"

    Percy Shelley wrote "Ode to the West Wind"

  • John Keats published "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

    John Keats published "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

  • John Nash began the rebuilding of Buckingham Palace.

    John Nash began the rebuilding of Buckingham Palace.

  • The water purification system was installed in London.

    The water purification system was installed in London.

  • Robert Peel established Metropolitan Police in London

  • Liverpool-Manchester railway opens.

    Liverpool-Manchester railway opens.

  • The Victorian Period began.1830

  • Michael Faraday demonstrates electromagnetic induction.

    Michael Faraday demonstrates electromagnetic induction.

  • First Reform Act extends voting rights.

    First Reform Act extends voting rights.

  • The Romantic Period ended.

  • Slavery was abolished in the British empire.

    Slavery was abolished in the British empire.
  • Period: to

    The Victorian Period occured.

  • Victoria became quenn.

  • Michael Faraday offered the general theory of electricity.

  • William Wordsworth became poet laureate.

    William Wordsworth became poet laureate.

  • The Irish Potatoe Famine began.

    The Irish Potatoe Famine began.

  • Women began attended University of London.

    Women began attended University of London.

  • Elizabeth Barrett Browning published Sonnets from the Portuguese.

  • Britain entered the Crimean War.

  • Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species.

  • Florence Nightingale found a school for nurses.

  • Lewis Carrol published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

    Lewis Carrol published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

  • Robert Browning published The Ring and the Book.

    Robert Browning published The Ring and the Book.

  • Debtors' prisons were abolished.

    Debtors' prisons were abolished.

  • Joseph Swan installed the first electric lighting.

  • First book of Oxford English Dictionary was published.

  • First Sherlock Holmes tale was published.

  • Thomas hardy published Tess fo the d'Urbervilles.

  • A.E. Houseman published A Shropshire Lad.

    A.E. Houseman published A Shropshire Lad.

  • Queen Victorian died, and the Victorian Period came to an end.

    Queen Victorian died, and the Victorian Period came to an end.

  • The Edwardian Period began.

  • Henry VII became king.

    Henry VII became king.
  • Period: to

    The Modern and Postmodern Periods occured.

  • Joseph Conrad published Heart of Darkness.

    Joseph Conrad published Heart of Darkness.

  • Britain entered World War I.

  • The Edwardian Period ended.

  • The Modern Period began.

  • Women over thirty achieved the right to voted.

  • T.S. Elliot published The Waste Land.

  • James Joyce published Ulysses.

    James Joyce published Ulysses.

  • Britain entered World War II.

  • William Churchill became Prime Minister.

    William Churchill became Prime Minister.

  • George Orwell published Animal Farm.

    George Orwell published Animal Farm.

  • The Modern Period ended.

  • The Post Modernism Period began.

  • Elizabeth II became queen.

    Elizabeth II became queen.

  • Doris Lesing published The Golden Notebook.

    Doris Lesing published The Golden Notebook.

  • North Sea oil production begins.

  • Margaret Thatcher became the first woman prime minister.

    Margaret Thatcher became the first woman prime minister.

  • V.S. Naipaul published A Bend in the River.

  • Parliament privatizes national electric and water companies.

  • Nadine Gordimer won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

    Nadine Gordimer won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

  • Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister.

    Tony Blair was elected Prime Minister.

  • The celebration of the New Year's Eve in the Millennium Dome.

  • Rock Star Sting is made Commander of the British Empire for services to the music industry.

  • The Old English Period begins.

    The Old English Period begins.

  • St. Augustine found Christian monestary at Canterbury, Kent.

    St. Augustine found Christian monestary at Canterbury, Kent.

  • Vikings attack Lindisfarne.

    Vikings attack Lindisfarne.

  • Alfred the Great becomes King of Wessex.

    Alfred the Great becomes King of Wessex.
  • Period: to Jan 1, 1066

    The Old English Period occured.