1750-1550 B.C. Stone axe hammer from this period found at Weston Point and a bronze
palstave at Runcorn.
CHECK ADDED 21/4/21
| 54 A.D. | The Romans invade Britain. |
| 84-87 | Roman road from Chester to Wilderspool (Warrington) passes through Sutton Weaver and Daresbury |
| 460 | Romans leave Britain |
| 915 | Fortress built by Aethelflaeda, daughter of King Alfred the Great, at Runcorn, as a defence against Viking raiders. |
| 1066 | Battle of Hastings. The Normans conquer England. William of Normandy becomes King |
| 1066 | William devastates the north of England |
| 1070-80 | A castle is built on the hill at Halton by Nigel, the 1st. Baron of Halton |
| 1086 | Runcorn itself is not mentioned in the Domesday Book but the surrounding villages of Halton, Norton, Weston, Aston and Enley-in-Norton are included. (These named areas still exist, with the exception of Enley.) |
| 1115 | Augustinian Priory founded in Runcorn by William FitzNigel, second Baron of Halton |
| 1134 | Priory moved to Norton by William FitzWilliam, third Baron |
| 1178 | Cistercian Abbey established at Stanlawe (Stanlow) by John FitzRichard, 6th Baron of Halton |
| c.1178 | Permanent ferry established across Runcorn Gap |
| 1207 | King John reputed to have visited Halton Castle |
| 1215 | King John signs Magna Carta at Runnynede |
| 1236 | Fire at Norton Priory |
| 1236 | Chapel built at Aston by Sir Thomas de Dutton |
| 1262 | Prior of Norton granted permission for mass to be said at a manor house in Sutton Weaver |
| c.1265 | Chapel of ease at Weston |
| 1279 | Stanlow Abbey flooded |
| 1287 | Fire at Stanlow Abbey and the tower collapsed |
| 1296 | Monks moved from Stanlow Abbey to Whalley near Cltheroe, Lancashire. |
| 1323 | King Edward II visited Halton |
| 1348-49 | The "Black Death" decimates the English population |
| 1359 | Duke of Lancaster, as 13th. Baron of Halton, claimed the right to have Halton Castle
battlemented and to have a prison in the castle |
| 1361 | John of Gaunt became 14th Baron of Halton |
| 1391 | Norton Priory raised to the status of a mitred abbey |
| 1399 | Henry Bolingbroke became 15th, and last, Baron of Halton and the barony passed to the monarchy when he usurps King Richard II and takes the throne to became King Henry IV |
| 1408 | After the Battle of Shrewsbury, prisoners are lodged in Halton Castle |
| 1450s | New gate tower erected at Halton Castle |
| 1455-85 | The "War of the Roses" |
| 1536 | Dissolution of the smaller monasteries by King Henry VIII. |
| 1536 | Dissolution of Norton Abbey |
| 1539 | Dissolution of the greater monasteries by King Henry VIII. |
| 1545 | Manor of Norton and abbey buildings bought by Richard Brooke |
| 1558 | Elizabeth I crowned. Parish registers started |
| 1568 | Rocksavage Hall complete (Elizabethan building) |
| 1579 | Halton Castle becomes a prison for recusants |
| 1617 | King James I entertained at Rocksavage by Sir Thomas Savage |
| 1620 | Voyage of the "Mayflower" to America |
| 1635 | Consecration of Aston churchyard |
| 1642 | Civil War between King Charles I and Parliament starts |
| 1642 | Henry Brooke at Norton Priory repelled Royalist attack in civil war |
| 1643 | Halton Castle garrisoned for King Charles I |
| 1643-4 | Halton Castle, Halton Old Hall and Rocksavage damaged in Civil War |
| 1649 | King Charles I executed. The Commonwealth instituted |
| 1662 | Restoration of the Monarchy. Charles II crowned King |
| 1662 | Henry Brooke made baronet by King Charles II |
| 1697 | Chancel of Aston chapel enlarged |
| c1730 | Tudor house at Norton Priory replaced by Georgian country house |
| 1733 | Chesshyre Library opened in Halton Village |
| 1736 | Nave of Aston chapel reconstructed |
| 1738 | Halton Castle's medieval gatehouse demolished and replaced by a new courthouse |
| 1740 | South aisle of Runcorn parish church rebuilt in brick |
| 1746 | Battle of Culloden |
| 1757 | Sankey canal completed from St.Helens to Widnes. |
| 1773 | Runcorn locks opened |
| 1775 | Tidal basin completed |
| 1776 | American Declaration of Independence |
| 1776 | Bridgewater Canal complete between Runcorn and Manchester |
| 1777 | Trent and Mersey canal completed |
| 1781-2 | John Wesley preached in the neighbourhood |
| 1789 | The French Revolution |
| 1789 | Party of Methodist preachers expelled from Runcorn |
| 1790 | Norton Priory remodelled |
| 1791 | New dock for sailing flats opened |
| 1800 | Methodist Sunday School opened in a room in the Holloway |
| 1802 | Galleries added to parish church |
| 1803 | John Johnson opened soapery on south bank of Bridgewater canal. The "Runcorn and Weston Volunteer Corps" founded. |
| 1804 | Runcorn to Latchford (Old Quay) Canal opened, providing another water route to Manchester |
| 1805 | Battle of Trafalgar |
| 1806 | Plans for building Bridewell in Bridge Street approved. Runcorn Friendly Society established |
| 1810 | Weston Canal completed, this extended the Weaver Navigation Canal from Northwich to the Mersey at Weston Point. |
| 1811 | Parish (National) school established. Weekly market started |
| 1815 | Battle of Waterloo. |
| 1815 | Halton Female Friendly Society formed |
| 1816 | Thomas Hazlehurst opened soapery on north bank of Bridgewater canal |
| 1817 | First Runcorn to Liverpool Steam packet by teh "Prince Regent" |
| 1818 | Small Methodist chapel built in Halton Village. St John's Congregational chapel opened. Colours of Runcorn and Weston Volunteers Corps deposited in the parish church |
| 1819 | Runcorn to Northwich road turnpiked. |
| 1820 | Methodist Sunday School moved to Martins Gardens (later Nelson Street). |
| 1822 | Salt water baths built |
| 1823 | Dennis Brundrit and Philip Whiteway joined in partnership as stone merchants and shipbuilders |
| 1824 | Stocks renewed. Halton Methodist Sunday school opened |
| 1825 | Dock constructed at Old Quay |
| 1827 | Organ presented to parish church E Timmins & Sons, engineers, established at Delph Bridge |
| 1828 | New line of locks opened on Bridgewater Canal down to the Mersey Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist chapel opened |
| 1829 | Welsh chapel, Back King Street, opened |
| 1830 | St Luke's Congregational chapel and schoolroom, Mason Street, opened Liverpool to Manchester Railway opened |
| 1831 | Belvedere Terrace built. "The Ladies' Charity for Poor Mothers" commenced. Runcorn Dorcas Society established, Mariners' Mission, Irwell Lane opened. |
| 1832 | Parish churchyard extended. Town Offices and Police Station opened. Cholera epidemic. |
| 1833 | National school replaced by a new parish school. Dennis Kennedy & Thomas Maguire built soap and chemical works at Weston. Sankey canal extended to Widnes. |
| 1835 | Bethesda Congregational chapel and schoolroom, High Street, opened |
| c1835 | Runcorn Literary Institute established |
| 1836 | Hazlehurst's chimney built. Forester's Hall, Devonshire Place, opened. Kennedy & Maguire sold soapworks to Johnson's |
| 1837 | Runcorn Gas Company formed. Crewe to Warrington Railway built with stations at Preston Brooke and Moore. |
| 1838 | Holy Trinity church consecrated. Primitive Methodist chapel, Regent Street, opened. |
| 1841 | Christ Church, Weston Point, consecrated. |
| 1846 | Catholic Chapel (St. Edwards) opened on Windmill Brow. Old Parish Church demolished. |
| 1849 | New Runcorn Parish Church consecrated. |
| 1851 | St.Mary's Church, Halton, built. Chester to Warrington Railway built with staions at "Runcorn Road" (later Halton), Norton and Daresbury. |
| 1862 | Town now governed by an elected "Board of Improvement Commissioners". |
| 1853 | Ragged School, Mill Brow, built. Railway branch line built from Chester-Warrington line at Norton to Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook |
| 1856 | Welsh chapel built in Rutland Street. Market hall opened. |
| 1857 | Fountain erected outside town hall. Dutton workhouse opened. Fire engine purchased. |
| 1858 | Public library opened in High Street. Methodist Sunday school held in converted cottage, Gilbert Street. |
| 1859 | Runcorn Penny Bank opened. Freemasonry started in Runcorn with the formation of Ellesmere Lodge. Runcorn and Weston canal completed, joining the Weaver navigation canal to the Bridgewater canal. William Collier established works in Weston. |
| 1860 | Halton became separate parish. Charles Wigg, Neil Matheson & Duncan McKecknie set up Old Quay Works. Alfred Dock completed. Cemetery opened off Greeenway Road. Public Hall built. |
| 1861 | Aston became separate parish Camden Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Lowlands Road, opened. |
| 1862 | Runcorn Industrial Cooperative Society opened shop in Devonshire Square. Runcorn again became an independent customs port. Runcorn Guardian newspaper launched. William Collier sold his works to Johnson's. |
| 1863 | Church of England school opened in Weston (also served as mission church) |
| 1864 | Weston Penny Bank opened. First stone of railway bridge laid by Philip Whiteway. Foundation stone of St Paul's chapel laid. |
| 1865 | Day school opened by Runcorn locks for migratory boat children. Johnsons' ships sunk at Charleston, South Carolina, during the American Civil War Johnsons became the Runcorn Soap & Alkali Company. Runcorn Ferry leased to the London and Liverpool Railway. Theatre Royal built in Duke Street. |
| 1866 | St Paul's Wesleyan Methodist chapel, High Street, opened. Roman Catholic day school opened in St Edward's church. |
| 1867 | Day school opened in former Brunswick chapel. |
| 1868 | Large entrance porch added to Norton Priory. Newtown Mission and St Michael's, Shaw Street, school opened. Runcorn railway bridge and its footpath opened. Waterworks commenced operation. |
| 1869 | Widnes separated from Runcorn Methodist District. |
| 1870 | Thelwall made into a separate parish from Runcorn. Runcorn and Widnes Examiner first appeared. Camden school enlarged |
| 1871 | Halton Road Wesleyan Methodist chapel opened. Greenway Road Primitive Methodist chapel and schoolroom opened |
| 1872 | St Peter's Mission, Dukesfield, closed. Weston Methodist day school opened. Bridgewater Navigation Company bought Bridgewater Canal and Irwell Navigation. Weston Point Wesleyan Methodist chapel opened |
| 1874 | "Runcorn School Board" formed. |
| 1875 | Seamen's Mission founded. Trinity Wesleyan Methodist chapel, Halton Village, opened. Fenton Dock opened. Runcorn branch of Young Men's Christian Association formed. Brunswick school enlarged. |
| 1876 | Upper Mersey Navigation Commission constituted, Runcorn Weekly News launched Runcorn and Weston Canal opened. |
| 1879 | Strike of dock workers of Bridgewater Company |
| 1880 | Daresbury became separate parish. First board school opened in old ragged school, Mill Brow. Methodist Sunday school restarted in Nelson Street |
| 1882 | Runcorn Free Public Library opened. Bethesda Board School opened |
| 1883 | Runcorn Old Hall demolished |
| 1884 | Waterloo House became new Town Hall |
| 1886 | Greenway Road Board School opened (later Victoria Road) |
| 1887 | St Michael's church, Greenway Road, opened. Building of Manchester Ship Canal started. Manchester Ship Canal Company purchased the Bridgewater Canal Company. |
| 1888 | Marble reredos given to Parish Church. Roman Catholic church opened in Irwell Lane. Weston School (Catholic) opened Salt Union formed |
| 1890 | United Alkali Company formed |
| 1891 | Seamen's Institute, Station Road, opened. Serious fire at Bethesda Congregational chapel. Congregational school opened adjacent to the chapel. |
| 1892 | Norton water tower built. Ship Canal complete to Weston Mersey Lock. Runcorn end of the Old Quay canal destroyed due to Ship canal construction work. |
| 1893 | Welsh Presbyterian schoolroom opened in Victoria Road. Waterworks company sold to the town. |
| 1894 | Mill Brow quarry ceased production. Customs port of Runcorn abolished; became part of Port of Manchester. Manchester Ship Canal opened completely. Technical Institute, Waterloo Road, opened. Runcorn Urban District Council formed. |
| 1895 | Runcorn rugby club left the Union to form the Rugby League. Granville Street school transferred to Runcorn School Board |
| 1897 | The Castner-Kellner Alkali Company established in Weston Point. Weston Cross restored. |
| 1898 | St John's church, Weston, opened. Brunswick school for boys closed |
| 1899 | Runcorn & Widnes Transporter Bridge Company formed |
| 1900 | Parish church altar rails replaced and further windows added to chancel. Runcorn Hill quarry closed. |
| 1902 | The original Weston (Catholic) school closed and became the village hall. Technical Institute also accommodated Runcorn County Secondary School. |
| 1903 | Victoria Memorial Hospital opened |
| 1904 | St John's Welsh Presbyterian chapel, Victoria Road, opened. |
| 1905 | Transporter Bridge opened |
| 1906 | Theatre Royal destroyed by fire. New Public Library, paid for by Andrew Carnegie |
| 1911 | Curve of Ship Canal to west of railway bridge increased |
| 1912 | New vicarage for Parish Church built |
| 1914-18 | First World War, (the "Great War") |
| 1914 | Hazlehurst & Sons soapworks closed; became Camden Tannery |
| 1916 | Private T.A.Jones gained the Victoria Cross at
Morval Castner-Kellner company merged with Brunner-Mond |
| 1920 | War memorial, Moughland Lane, unveiled |
| 1921 | Brooke family left Norton Priory. Castner-Kellner Alkali Company started building houses in Weston Point |
| 1923 | Runcorn Soap & Alkali factory in town centre closed |
| 1924 | Mersey Road constructed |
| 1926 | I.C.I. (Imperial Chemical Industry) formed, an amalgamation of many separate chemical companies in the UK, Castner-Kellner being among them. |
| 1928 | Norton Priory demolished |
| 1930 | St John's(Weston) and St Michael's became separate parishes. |
| 1931 | Weston Works (formerly Johnson's) closed. This later became the site of Rocksavage Works ( ICI and now INEOSFLUOR) |
| 1932 | Halton Grange acquired and became Runcorn Town Hall |
| 1937 | Salt Union merged with ICI |
| 1939-45 | Second World War. |
| 1940 | Aston church damaged by a bomb |
| 1942 | Weston quarry abandoned |
| 1950 | Parliamentary constituency of Runcorn created |
| 1952 | End of Commercial traffic on the Bridgewater Canal |
| 1956 | St Edward's Roman Catholic church, Ivy Street, opened. Construction of new road bridge over the Mersey commenced |
| 1958 | Camden Tannery closed. Church Street redevelopment scheme commenced. |
| 1959 | The first part of the ICI "The Heath" offices were opened. |
| 1960 | Weston Cross restored again |
| 1961 | New single-arch Road Bridge to Widnes opened by HRH Princess Alexander and the
Transporter bridge closed. London to Liverpool railway line electrified. New Market Hall and Bus Station opened. |
| 1964 | Puritan and Astmoor Tanneries closed. Runcorn New Town designated Railway bridge footpath closed |
| 1967 | Highfield Tannery closed |
| 1971 | Excavations began on the site of Norton Priory |
| 1972 | The Queen opens the new shopping centre in Runcorn New Town, ("Shopping City") |
| 1974 | Runcorn Urban District Council merged with Borough of Widnes to form the Borough of Halton |
| 1975 | Norton Priory Museum established |
| 1977 | Halton Borough Council leases Halton Castle from the Duchy of Lancaster. The Road Bridge is made into 4 lanes and new access roads from Runcorn are added. Renamed the "Jubilee Bridge" to mark 25th year of the Queens accession. |
| 1981 | Runcorn Development Corporation merged with Warrington New Town Corporation |
| 1982 | New museum building opened at Norton Priory by the Duke of Gloucester. Sir Richard Brooke also present. |
| 1998 | The Queen opens the Rocksavage Power Station, and the renovated first Town Hall in Bridge Street. |
| 2001 | ICI sell the Castner Kellner and Rocksavage chemical works to INEOS. (The ICI Company itself delists from the Stock Exchange in Jan. 2008). |
| 2004 | "The Brindley" arts centre opens. It has a 400+ seat auditorium plus workshop and display areas. |
| 2014 | Work starts on building a new bridge across the Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes ( The "Mersey Gateway project"). It will be have three-lanes in each direction, but it will be a toll bridge. Completion date is autumn 2017 |
| 2017 | The new Mersey Gateway bridge at Runcorn is opened at midnight, Oct 13th/14th. Jubilee bridge closed for repairs and major changes. |
| 2021 | Jubilee bridge reopens. Reverted to a two lane highway plus dedicated cycle track over the bridge itself. The new access roads added 1977 removed. Same tolls imposed as on Mersey Gateway bridge. |