Time Line
Last updated Wednesday, 20 March, 2019
| c.634 | Birinus landed in Wessex (Anglo-Saxon Chronicles). |
| 7th /8th cent. | First Saxon church built at Twynham. |
| 1086 | A Priory of 24 secular canons recorded in Domesday Book. |
| 1094 | Building of church commenced by Ranulf (Ralph) Flambard. |
| c.1100-1135 | Roof partly completed. Transepts built. |
| c. 1145 | Nave roofed at Triforium height. |
| 1150 | Prior Reginald appointed as first Prior and a community of Augustinian Canons Regular were established. |
| c. 1200 | Aisles vaulted. |
| 1210 | Oldest Misericord seat carved. |
| 1214 | Nave Altar consecrated. |
| 1290 | Clerestory completed and roof raised. North Porch started. |
| 1320 | Quire screen carved. |
| 1360 | Jesse screen (reredos) carved. |
| 1370 | Two King's Head bells cast. |
| 1390 | Lady Chapel commenced. |
| c. 1420 | Central tower collapsed or taken down |
| 1460 | Tomb of Sir John and Lady Chidiock installed in North Transept |
| 1480 | West Tower added. |
| 1486 | Berkeley Chantry built. |
| 1502 - 1520 | Great Quire rebuilt by Prior William Eyre. |
| 1520 | Prior John Draper elected. |
| 1539 | Priory surrendered to King Henry VIII and monastic buildings destroyed (The Dissolution). |
| 1549 (Oct 23) | Church granted to town's inhabitants and churchwardens as their parish church in perpetuity. |
| 1552 | Prior Draper died. |
| 1662 | Grammar School established in St. Michael's Loft |
| 1788 | An organ placed on top of Quire Screen. (Gustavus Brander Bequest). |
| 1828 | Grammar School ceased but Vicar's Academy continued in St. Michael's Loft (until 1869). Church school established in the town. |
| 1848 | Organ moved from screen to South Transept gallery |
| 1854 | Shelley Monument installed. |
| 1865 | Rebuild of organ by Father Willis. |
| 1867 | Church School moved to Wick Lane. |
| 1869 | School in Priory closed. |
| 1910-1912 | Galleries removed from North and South Transepts. |
| 1934 | Electric lighting installed. |
| 1973 | Coal-burning stoves replaced with new gas-heating system. New electronic organ installed. |
| 1981 | Cloister Way built. St Michael's Loft opened as a museum. |
| 1996 - 1998 | Seven stained glass windows installed in Cloister Way depicting the history of the Priory. |
| 1999 | New pipe organ installed (Nicholsons). Made possible by an appeal and an Arts Council grant from the Capital Lottery Fund. Installation of Ninth Centenary Window in North Transept (Jane Gray). |