Welcome to Norman Connections... Discover Norman History
Select an icon in the timeline to discover history.
TOGGLE HISTORIES  NORMANANGLOALL 
SELECT TOPIC
1050
1060
1070
1080
1090
1100
1110
1120
1130
1140
1150
1160
1170
1180
1190
1200
1210
1220
1230
1240
1250
1260
1270
1280
1290
1300
1310
1320
1330
1340
1350
1360
1370
1380
1390
1400
1410
1420
1430
1440
1450
1460
1470
1480
1490
1500
1510
1520
1530
1540
1550
1560
1570
1580
1590
1600
1610
1620
1630
1640
1650
1660
1670
1680
1690
1700
1710
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040

DATE: 1076

Traditional date for William the Conqueror ordering the building of Colchester Castle, on foundations of the roman Temple of Claudius

DATE: 1101

Castle of Rochester and town granted by Henry I to Eudo, Steward of Normandy, who is responsible for a second phase of building work

DATE: 1120

Eudo dies and Hamo de St Clair becomes Constable of Castle

DATE: 1132

Visit by Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy

DATE: 1153

William, Count of Boulogne, William de Warenne and Archbishop. Theobald de Bec negotiate at Colchester with the future Henry II

DATE: 1157

Henry II, King of England and Duke of Normandy visits Colchester

DATE: 1196

William de Lanvalei becomes Constable of Colchester Castle

DATE: 1203

King John visits Colchester and again in 1205, 1209 and 1212

DATE: 1204

Hawise de Lanvalei, widow of William, entrusted the Castle by John

DATE: 1211

William de Lanvalei, son of William, becomes Constable of Colchester Castle

Revolt of the barons and the Magna Carta

DATE: 1214

John removes William de Lanvalei because of his support of the Barons

DATE: 1215

Castle of Rochester occupied by a French garrison in support of the Barons ; King John besieges Rochester Castle which is held by the rebel Barons by undermining the walls. Custody of castle is regained by the Crown.

DATE: 1215

Following the signing of the Magna Carta with the Barons John forced to re-appoint William de Lanvalei

DATE: 1216

John besieges Castle of Colchester and retakes it from the French

DATE: 1226

First mention of Colchester Castle as a prison

DATE: 1454

Thomas Mallory, author of Le Morte d’Arthur, imprisoned in Castle of Colchester

DATE: 1557

Five Protestants imprisoned for their faith in the Castle and then burnt at the stake

DATE: 1600

Colchester Castle no longer defensible

DATE: 1629

Charles I grants Castle to the Earl of Carlisle and it ceases to be in royal ownership

DATE: 1645

Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, uses the Castle as a base for his interrogations of people suspected of witchcraft

DATE: 1648

Royalist commanders, Lucas and Lisle, held in Castle before their execution at the end of the Siege of Colchester during the English Civil War

DATE: 1656

James Parnell becomes the first Quaker to perish for his faith when he dies, aged 19, of injuries sustained during his imprisonment in Colchester Castle

DATE: 1683

John Wheely purchases Colchester Castle and starts to demolish parts of it.

DATE: 1727

Colchester Castle given to Charles Gray and Sarah Creffeild as a wedding present

DATE: 1746

Charles Gray starts to repair and restore parts of Colchester Castle

DATE: 1836

Colchester Castle ceases to be a prison

DATE: 1860

Castle of Colchester opens as a museum

DATE: 1934

Colchester Castle re-roofed

Second World War

DATE: 1939

Roman vaults under Castle of Colchester used as an air raid shelter

Norman Connections

DATE: 2009

Towns of Caen, Bayeux and Falaise, the Calvados General Council, the Calvados Departmental Committee for Tourism, the counties of Hastings, Colchester, Norwich and Medway Council collaborate within the framework of the Norman Connection project on the restoration and improvement of Norman châteaux.

European Regional Development Fund
The European Union, investing in your future
European Union Flag Interreg Fonds Européen De Développement Régional
L’Union Européenne investit dans votre avenir