Bampton: A History Time Line

Middle Stone Age	Flints found south east of Bampton.
Late Stone Age	Flints found south east of Bampton. [No proof to date of Bronze or Iron Age Celtic habitation].
2nd/3rd Qr. 1st Cent.	Roman Occupation began. Fort; Roads: Ford Road/Wellington Lane; Frog Street Bampton Down. (?)1st Quarrying.
Late 7th/ea 8th Cent.	Saxons. Mound & enclosure. New Town square, farms, market, mill. (New Town = New Tun = Newton [Square]).
Until 1067	Bampton including church and its lands held by Saxon kings then William I; = Royal Manor.
1067	Bampton taken by Norman invasion.
c1068	Norman motte & bailey. Wooden.
1086	First packhorses (2) recorded.
Latter ½ 11th Cent.	Substantial stone church on present site. Probably Saxon.
c1107	Bampton church & its lands to Bath Abbey. Chapels at Petton, Denscombe, Diptford, Zeal. (? Saxon in origin).
1136	Siege of Bampton Castle.
c late 12th Cent.	Stone mansion on motte. Castellated and walled under licence 1336.
1180	Bampton being referred to as Borough. (?)First of the fairs.
Late 1300’s	Bampton second largest clothmaking town in Devon after Barnstaple.
1430	Chantry Chapel in existence at Forde. (?)St. Nicholas.
1444	Bampton church and its lands appropriated by Buckland Abbey.
1450	North aisle and Rood Screen built. Part of Swan Hotel built.
c1483	Two yew trees planted.
1536	Castle last in occupation.
c1540	9 West Street built.
1553-1875	Rectory of Bampton (advowson & tithes) in lay hands. Then to Cathedral Chapter.
c1580	7-11 Briton Street built. Converted into 3 1620.
17th Century	Packhorses taking mail to London.
(?)1607	Castle collapsed during earthquake.
1620’s	Boys’ School in Bampton.
1645	Civil War skirmish. H Q Devon Clubmen. Bampton burned.
1669	Great Fire in Bampton. £10 distributed between victims.
1672	Baptists meeting in Bampton. Cottage Meetings. Arthurshayne 1675-1725.
1722-c1830	Workhouse in operation.
1725	Baptist chapel built.
1749-1760	Castle Grove built on sites of Tristrams House and The Croft.
1758	First Turnpike Road into Bampton. Private by 3 Tiverton clothworkers.
1766	John Wesley visited Bampton.
1793	Horse-coaches operating to London.
1807	Combehead rebuilt modernising 17th century mansion.
1808	First clock face fitted. East side. Square.
1810	Bampton sorting and franking its own mail.
1816	Methodists in Bampton.
1820	Wool Trade in Bampton virtually dead
1821	National School opened financed by Mrs. Penton.
1829	Batherm Bridge rebuilt. Single arch not five.
1843	11 houses destroyed by fire 2 badly damaged High Street area.
1851	5 houses destroyed by fire Churchyard.
1858	1st Police Station purchased.
1862	Methodist church replaced converted cottages.
1867	Bampton Local Board born.
1871	Water piped to taps in the town - M J C Phillips.
1883	Telegrams/telegraph wire came to Bampton.
1884-1963	Railway in Bampton.
1894	Bampton Urban District Council born.
1895	Methodist Sunday schoolroom added to church.
1902	Barton and adjoining 17th century cottages demolished. New Buildings built on site.
1905	First car owned in Bampton.
1912	Charabanc operating in Bampton.
1913	Last meeting of the Court Leet.
1919	Two clock faces fitted. Round.
1921	First telephone in Bampton.
1922	“Wembley Terrace” built (Nissen Houses) in Frog Lane
1924	Mains water piped into houses. 1st Council Houses built by B.U.D.C. followed by Council Houses in S. Molton Road then Ford Road.
1927	Electricity comes to Bampton. Church electrified.
1934	Bampton Town Council born.
1938	New school opened.
1940	American and British army medical units in Bampton.
Late 1940’s	School Close and Meadow View built.
1959	Town Mill ceased production. Leat filled in 1960.
1963	Last railway train in Bampton
1966	Last lime produced in Bampton.
1960’s-1970’s	Barnhay and Market Close built.
1970’s-1980’s	Bourchier Close built.
1985	Last animals sold at Fair.
1990's-2007	Ashleigh Park built.
1996	Last quarrying operation finished ending nearly 2 000 years of quarrying in Bampton.
2004	Ponies re-introduced to Bampton Charter Fair
2005	Newton Court built - 14 houses
2006-2007	Old Scott's Quarry site re-developed, housing and light industrial units
2007-2008	The school closed – new school built and housing estate proposed