A TIMELINE OF DORCHESTER
By Tim Lambert
c. 60 The Romans found a town called Durnovaria
2nd Century Roman Dorchester is improved with stone buildings replacing wooden ones
4th Century Roman Dorchester is given stone walls
407 The Roman army leaves England and Roman towns are abandoned
c. 1000 Dorchester revives as a small market town
1200 Dorchester has a population of about 1,000
1250 Dorchester has 3 annual fairs and a wool industry
1563 Dorchester is struck by plague
1567 A grammar school is founded in Dorchester
1579 The plague returns
1595 Plague strikes Dorchester again
1610 Dorchester is given a charter
1613 Dorchester is badly damaged by fire
1615 Nappers Mite Almshouses are founded
1625 Trinity School is founded
1630 The charter is renewed
1643 During the Civil War royalists capture Dorchester
1685 Following a failed rebellion 312 people are tried in Dorchester and 13 are executed in the town.
1700 Dorchester has a population of about 1,700. The old wool industry is in decline.
1775 Dorchester suffers a fire
1776 Thatched roofs are banned in Dorchester because of the risk of fire
1801 Dorchester has a population of 2,042
1834 The Tolpuddle Martyrs are tried in Dorchester
1835 Dorchester gains gas light
1841 The County Hospital opens in Dorchester
1845 A museum opens in Dorchester
1848 Dorchester has a an outbreak of cholera
1854 Cholera strikes again
1847 The railway reaches Dorchester. A new Town Hall is built.
1850s Sewers are dug in Dorchester
1856 Dorchester gains a cemetery
1860 Dorchester gains a piped water supply
1895 Borough Gardens are laid out
1901 The population of Dorchester is about 9,000. Dorchester gains an electricity supply.
1911 The first cinema opens in Dorchester
1931 A statue of Thomas Hardy is erected
1966 A new library is built
1986 The Dorset Martyrs statue is erected
1987 The West Dorset Hospital is built
1988 Dorset by-pass is built
1994 Keep Military Museum opens
2001 The population of Dorchester is about 16,000