10-20 Billion Years

Origin of the Universe?

4,600 M. BC

The Earth is formed

3,300 M BC

Oldest known rocks and earliest fossils in the world

600 M BC

Life Appears

1.7 M BC

First Hominids

500,000 BC

First Ice Age

450,000 BC

First Interglacial Period Starts - Possible first inhabitants  and "The Piltdown Hoax"

400,000 BC

Second Ice Age

250,000 BC

Second Interglacial Period - Second inhabitants of Britain, "The Swanscombe People"

150,000 BC

The Third Ice Age

75,000 BC

The Forth Ice Age

15,000 BC

Last glaciers in Britain

6,000 BC

Ice retreats to its present limits

5,000 BC

Britain becomes an island

2,500 BC

Neolithic Period - The NEW Stone Age - The Windmill Hill Culture

2,300 BC

Early Bronze Age - The "Beaker" folk migrate into Britain and introduce a pastoral life style

2,100 BC

Stonehenge (1) built

1,800 BC

More immigrants arrive from the Rhineland

1,200 BC

Late Bronze Age

750 BC

Immigrants from Urnfield. Use of the light plough confined people to the light soils of the chalk downs

500 BC

The start of the Iron Age and arrivals now from Hallstatt. This was the time of the construction of the large Hill Forts like Cissbury

350 BC

Migration of the "La Tene" Iron Age people into Britain. International trade especially in metal begins to attract the attention of others!

75 BC

Belgic invasion of S.E. Britain

THE ROMAN OCCUPATION

25th August 55 BC

Caesar's first expedition to Britain. He lands near Walmer. 

55BC

Belgic tribes unite under Cassivellanus, a Chief whose lands included what is now Hertfordshire and whose capital was Wheathampstead

54 BC

Julius Caesar's second expedition to Britain this time landing near Sandwich. By July Caesar has captured Wheathampstead. By September Caesar has returned to Gaul (France)

50 BC

Commius and his followers migrate to Britain

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BIRTH OF CHRIST