Events from the 1130s in England.

Incumbents

* Monarch – Henry I (to 1 December 1135), then Stephen

Events

* 1130 ** New choir of

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

completed. * 1131 ** 8 September – the barons swear allegiance to

Matilda Matilda or Mathilda may refer to: Animals * Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder * Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thoroughbred racehorse * Matilda, a dog of the professional wrestling tag-team The ...

as the true heir of

Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in ...

. **

Cistercians The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

found Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. ** Gilbertine Order of nuns founded by Gilbert of Sempringham in Lincolnshire, the only completely English

religious order A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practi ...

. * 1132 **

Benedictines , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

found Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. * 1133 ** August – King Henry I leaves England for the last time for Normandy. ** A royal charter establishes the first annual

Bartholomew Fair The Bartholomew Fair was one of London's pre-eminent summer charter fairs. A charter for the fair was granted to Rahere by Henry I to fund the Priory of St Bartholomew; and from 1133 to 1855 it took place each year on 24 August within the precin ...

Smithfield, London Smithfield, properly known as West Smithfield, is a district located in Central London, part of Farringdon Without, the most westerly ward of the City of London, England. Smithfield is home to a number of City institutions, such as St Barth ...

; later to become England's largest cloth fair. ** First

Bishop of Carlisle The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York. The diocese covers the county of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District. The see is in the city of Car ...

( Æthelwold) consecrated. ** Rebuilt

Exeter Cathedral Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 140 ...

consecrated. * 1135 ** 26 May – the Great Fire of 1135 destroys the wooden

London Bridge Several bridges named London Bridge have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, in central London. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 1973, is a box girder bridge built from concrete and steel. It r ...

and seriously damages

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...

. ** 1 December – King Henry I dies (at

Lyons-la-Forêt Lyons-la-Forêt () is a commune of the Eure department, Normandy, in northwest France. Lyons-la-Forêt has distinctive historical geography, and architecture, and contemporary culture, as a consequence of the Forest of Lyons, and its bocage, and of ...

in Normandy) having nominated Matilda as his heir. ** 22 December – Stephen of Blois, nephew of Henry I, claims the throne. ** 26 December – coronation of Stephen of England at Westminster Abbey by

William de Corbeil William de Corbeil or William of Corbeil (21 November 1136) was a medieval Archbishop of Canterbury. Very little is known of William's early life or his family, except that he was born at Corbeil, south of Paris, and that he had two brothers. Ed ...

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

. ** Bruton Abbey,

Buildwas Abbey Buildwas Abbey was a Cistercian (originally Savigniac) monastery located on the banks of the River Severn, at Buildwas, Shropshire, England - today about two miles (3 km) west of Ironbridge. Founded by the local bishop in 1135, it was spars ...

and

Byland Abbey Byland Abbey is a ruined abbey and a small village in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, in the North York Moors National Park. History It was founded as a Savigniac abbey in January 1135 and was absorbed by the Cistercian order ...

founded, the latter in January by the

Congregation of Savigny The monastic Congregation of Savigny (Savigniac Order) started in the abbey of Savigny, situated in northern France, on the confines of Normandy and Brittany, in the Diocese of Coutances. It originated in 1105 when Vitalis of Mortain established a ...

. * 1136 ** 1 January – revolt in Wales; Welsh capture

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

and Cardigan from the Normans. ** 4 January – Henry I is buried in his foundation, Reading Abbey (tomb dedicated 1 December). ** 5 February – by the Treaty of Durham, Stephen concedes

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

to David I of Scotland. ** Hospital of St Cross, an

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

, is established by Bishop

Henry of Blois Henry of Blois ( c. 1096 8 August 1171), often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death. He was a younger son of Stephen Henry, Count of Blois by Adela of Normandy, da ...

; it will still be functioning in the 21st century. ** Geoffrey of Monmouth writes '' Historia Regum Britanniae''. * 1137 ** March – Stephen fails in his attempt to re-capture Normandy from Matilda. ** 3 June – a fire severely damages Rochester Cathedral, but it is soon rebuilt. ** 4 June – a fire destroys much of the city of York, including 39 churches and York Minster, but the latter is soon rebuilt. ** 27 June – a fire severely damages the city of

Bath, Somerset Bath () is a city in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary area in the county of Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 101,557. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, ...

. * 1138 ** January–February – King David I of Scotland raids Northumberland, taking the Bishop of Durham's Norham Castle (garrisoned only by nine), and besieges the castle at Wark on Tweed. ** 10 April –

Robert Warelwast __NOTOC__ Robert Warelwast (died 1155) was a medieval Bishop of Exeter. Life Warelwast and his successor, Robert of Chichester are often confused.Barlow ''English Church'' p. 93 Warelwast was the nephew of the previous bishop, William Warelwast, ...

is nominated as

Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. Since 30 April 2014 the ordinary has been Robert Atwell.

. ** May –

The Anarchy The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the accidental death of William Adelin, the only legiti ...

: Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, leads a rebellion against King Stephen in favour of his half-sister Matilda. ** 10 June – Battle of Clitheroe: Having harried

Craven Craven may refer to: * Craven in the Domesday Book, an area of Yorkshire, England, larger area than the district ** Craven District, a local government district of North Yorkshire formed in 1974 Places * Craven, New South Wales, Australia, see ...

in Yorkshire, David I of Scotland's nephew William fitz Duncan meets and defeats an English force on the edge of the

Bowland Fells Bowland at its most general most often refers to: * Forest of Bowland, an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England, with a small part in Yorkshire * Trough of Bowland, a valley and high ...

. ** 22 August –

Battle of the Standard The Battle of the Standard, sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, took place on 22 August 1138 on Cowton Moor near Northallerton in Yorkshire, England. English forces under William of Aumale repelled a Scottish army led by King David ...

: English army defeats that of David I of Scotland at Cowton Moor near Northallerton in Yorkshire. ** December – Legatine conference in Westminster led by

Alberic of Ostia Alberic of Ostia (1080–1148) was a Benedictine monk, and Cardinal Bishop of Ostia from 1138 to 1148. He was born at Beauvais in France. He entered the monastery of Cluny and became its sub-prior and, later, prior of Saint-Martin-des-Champs, b ...

. **

Alcester Abbey Alcester Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Alcester, Warwickshire in England, founded in 1138 by the Botellers of Oversley, Warwickshire.A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 2: Religious Houses, William Page ed 1908 pages 56-61 URL: http: ...

and

Bourne Abbey Bourne Abbey and the Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a scheduled Grade I church in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. The building remains in parochial use, despite the 16th-century Dissolution, as the nave was used by the parish, probably ...

established. * 1139 ** 8 January – Theobald of Bec enthroned as

. ** 9 April – the second Treaty of Durham between King Stephen of England and David I of Scotland; David's son Earl Henry takes control of most of Northumberland, excluding

Bamburgh Bamburgh ( ) is a village and civil parish on the coast of Northumberland, England. It had a population of 454 in 2001, decreasing to 414 at the 2011 census. The village is notable for the nearby Bamburgh Castle, a castle which was the seat of ...

and Newcastle upon Tyne. ** June – Stephen orders the arrest of Roger of Salisbury,

Justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term ''justiciarius'' or ''justitiarius'' ("man of justice", i.e. judge). During the Middle Ages in England, the Chief Justiciar (later known simply as the Justiciar) was roughly equivalent ...

and Bishop of Salisbury, and

Alexander of Lincoln Alexander of Lincoln (died February 1148) was a medieval English Bishop of Lincoln, a member of an important administrative and ecclesiastical family. He was the nephew of Roger of Salisbury, a Bishop of Salisbury and Chancellor of England und ...

, Bishop of Lincoln. ** 30 September – The Anarchy: Empress Matilda lands near

Arundel Arundel ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Arun District of the South Downs, West Sussex, England. The much-conserved town has a medieval castle and Roman Catholic cathedral. Arundel has a museum and comes second behind much large ...

to begin her campaign to regain the throne from Stephen. ** 7 November – The Anarchy: Gloucester's army sacks Worcester. **

King's School, Pontefract The King's School is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. It is one of the four oldest schools in Yorkshire, dating from 1139 and was refounded by King Edward VI in 1548. Histor ...

, founded.

Births

* 1130 ** Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (died

1176 Year 1176 ( MCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1176th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 176th year of the 2nd millennium, the 76th ...

) * 1133 ** 5 March – King Henry II of England (died

1189 Year 1189 ( MCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In English law, 1189 - specifically the beginning of the reign of Richard I - is considered the end of time immemorial. ...

) * 1136 ** William of Newburgh, historian (died c.

1198 Year 1198 ( MCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * March 8 – Philip of Swabia, son of the late Emperor Frederick I, is elected "Ki ...

)

Deaths

* ''year unknown, after 1130'' ** Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury (born

1052 Year 1052 ( MLII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place England * Summer – Godwin, Earl of Wessex, sails with a large fleet up the Thames to London, ...

) * 1130 ** Maud, Countess of Huntingdon (born

1074 Year 1074 ( MLXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – Norman mercenaries, led by Roussel de Bailleul, proclaim Jo ...

) * 1134 ** 28 March –

Stephen Harding Stephen Harding (french: Étienne Harding) ( 106028 March 1134) was an English-born monk and abbot, who was one of the founders of the Cistercian Order. He is honoured as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. Life There is little archival ev ...

, Abbot of Cîteaux and saint (born c. 1050) **

Biddenden Maids Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst (or Chalkhurst), commonly known as the Biddenden Maids (1100–1134), were a pair of conjoined twins supposedly born in Biddenden, Kent, England, in the year 1100. They are said to have been joined at both the shoulder ...

, supposed earliest known conjoined twins (born

1100 Year 1100 ( MC) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1100th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 100th year of the 2nd millennium, the 100th and ...

) * 1135 ** 1 December – King

(born c. 1068) * 1136 ** 15 April –

Richard de Clare, 1st Earl of Hertford Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare (died 15 April 1136) 3rd feudal baron of Clare in Suffolk, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. A marcher lord in Wales, he was also the founder of Tonbridge Priory in Kent. Life Richard was the eldest son of Gilbert Fitz ...

(born 1094) ** 21 November –

(born c. 1070 in the Île-de-France) * 1137 ** 10 July – Pain fitzJohn, nobleman and royal administrator (killed in ambush) ** c. 26 September – William Warelwast,

Bishop of Exeter The Bishop of Exeter is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. Since 30 April 2014 the ordinary has been Robert Atwell.

and diplomat * 1138 ** 11 May –

William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey (died 11 May 1138) was the son of William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey and his first wife Gundred. He was more often referred to as ''Earl Warenne'' or ''Earl of Warenne'' than as Earl of Surrey.G. E. Co ...

* 1139 ** 11 December – Roger of Salisbury, bishop and Lord Chancellor

References

{{England year nav