In the first of this timeline series, we see the origins of the first settlements through to the start of the name Thatcham, right through to the near destruction of Thatcham from Black Death.
8400-7500BC (circa) Mesolithic village was known to have existed
7500BC (circa) the village was flooded
1500BC (circa) Bronze Age Settlement
500BC (circa) Iron Age Settlement
43AD England was invaded by the Romans & a road was constructed from Silchester, through Thatcham, soon after.
250-375 the Romans build a village in the area of Henwick Lane and Roman Way in Thatcham
500 the village settlement was known as Taceham – after a Saxon Chief
675 Saxon Church was built
971 (circa) Thatcham becomes a Manor
1086 Thatcham had a population of about 250 and comprised of seventeen ‘Manors’
1121 King Henry I founded the great Abbey of Reading
1125 King Henry I granted Thatcham to the Abbots of Reading Abbey – they effectively became Lords of the Manor and were also allowed to run a Sunday market in the church
1141 (circa) Norman Church was built
1160 (circa) Thatcham market was attacked by the jealous men of Newbury market. King Henry then subsequently issued an order that the men of Newbury couldn’t interferring or injuring the market.
1218 King Henry III ordered the market day to change to Thursdays
1222 King Henry II granted that a fair should be held on St Thomas A’Becket’s day
1304 town had a period of great prosperity, was granted ‘borough’ status and the Chapel known as St Thomas – after St Thomas the Martyr – was constructed (known as Bluecoats School)
1316 Thatcham got it’s first Vicar was installed in the Vicarage
1348-1350 Black Death decimated the area, almost wiping out the population
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