Before 750 BC
The sites of two barrows, generally known as Wallmead I and II near Wallmead House Farm. Excavavtions find Bronze Age artefacts and four cremation burials. Iron Age occupation was indicated by a single pit and pottery.
AD 43 to AD 410
A collection of finds recovered during the construction of the houses at Lansdown Crescent in 1937. Includes Roman pottery, a bronze pin, and coins. A late Roman fibula found behind Lansdown View during drain construction in 1931.
1068
After the Norman invasion, the Lord of the manor was Gonnerd and he sublet two parts to Apius (alias Ape) and Sibus (alias Sibe)
1085
Timsbury recorded in the Doomsday Book as Temesbare and Timeserie. The Bishop of Coutance, who accompanied William the Conquerer, held 280 manors in the King’s name. One of these was Timsbury. By the time of the completion of the Domesday Book, the tenant in capite was Odo Flandrensis and both parts of the manor were held by William de Montcelli as subtenure.
1100
Godfrey, Bishop of Bath, receives from Adelais, the second wife of Henry 1, the manor of Timsbury to give to the Clunaic Priory of Monkton Farleigh, Wiltshire.
1200
William de Whaddone is Lord of the Manor.
1212
Ralph de Waddone holds Timsbury for one knight’s fee.
1232
Henry de Waddone pays 40 marks for the advowson (In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish) of St Mary’s Chapel.
1247
Prior Simon of Monkton Farleigh gives Timsbury land to Adam the Master of St John the Baptist Hospital, Bath. This included the mill.
1297
Henricus – first record of an incumbent for St Mary’s Church.
1331
Sir Michael de Waddon is Lord of Timsbury Manor.
1338
Richard de la Felde is rector.
1344
William de Edyndon buys Timsbury Manor.
1350
Robert Mercoke is rector.
1361
Nicholas de Carscombe is rector.
1362
John Pratt is rector.
1403
Sir Ayler de St Amand is Lord of the Manor.
1404
Richard Rycheman is rector.
Eleanor de St Amand, widow of Sir Ayler de St Amand, is now Lady of the Manor.
1406
Stephen Austwell is rector.
1407
John Meire is rector.
1412
Roger Bere is rector.
1416
John Grove is rector.
1441
Sir William Palton is Lord of the Manor.
1442
John Andrew is rector.
1449
William Vylers (alias Baker) is rector. He was formerly rector of Bradford upon Avon.
1457
William Cary is rector.
Sir John Cheyne is Lord of the Manor.
1483
Nicholas Lisle is Lord of the Manor.
1527
Gideon Hackluyt is rector.
Thomas Lisle is Lord of the Manor.
1546
Partition of Lisle estates and John Sambourne becomes Lord of the Manor. First of thrteen generations of Sambournes as Lords of the Manor.
1559
Richard Sheppard is rector.
1560
Barnaby Sambourne born.
1571
John Sambourne is Lord of the Manor. The first mention of coal mining in Timsbury. (John Sambourne’s will)
1575
John Sambourne dies and Barnaby Sambourne becomes Lord of the Manor.
1579
Swithan Sambourne is rector (until 1625). Patron was Queen Elizabeth 1.
1594
Barnaby Sambourne knighted by Queen Elizabeth 1.
1610
Details of three coal pits in Timsbury.
1625
Alex Agasman is rector.
1630
John Gean, first recorded death of a Timsbury coalminer.
1631
First record of coal miners cottages being built in Timsbury.
1636
Thomas Sambourne dies and Maudley Sambourne becomes Lord of the Manor.
1643
Richard Baber is rector.
1649
William Allen granted sole lease to mine coal in Timsbury Manor.
1654
John Templar of Timsbury in trouble for importing beer into the village from Bristol to sell at the Timsbury Revel.
1657
Timsbury made up of approximately 25-30 dwellings as identified in a Timsbury Court Roll. These included two bake houses and a shop.
1675
Thomas Paul is rector
1679
Maudley Sambourne dies and Thomas Sambourne becomes Lord of the Manor.
1686
Jacob Shute is rector.
1688
Bartholomew Deeke is rector.
1701
Several hand worked or horse pumps working coal at Amesbury.
1715
Captain Thomas Sambourne dies and his son Thomas Sambourne becomes Lord of the Manor.
1723
Thomas Sambourne dies, unmarried and heirless. His sister Margaret succeeds him and her husband Anthony Palmer becomes Lord of the Manor.
1730
Anthony Palmer dies and his son Thomas Palmer becomes Lord of the Manor.
1731
Thomas Rich is rector.
1750
Hayeswood Colliery is in operation. William Fernyhough is rector.
1756
Six new bells put in St Mary’s Church, paid for by Thomas Sambourne.
1759
Thomas Deeke started his Trust to educate fifteen poor children of Timsbury.
1761
Thomas Sambourne Palmer dies, outlived by his father Thomas Palmer.
1766
Old Grove Colliery sunk. Thomas Palmer (Snr) dies and his grandson Sambourne Palmer becomes Lord of the Manor.
1782
John Wood is rector.
1783
William Brudenell Barter is rector.
1784
Timsbury consists of about 50 houses most of which form a street near the church. The lands are mostly pasture, well wooded with elm and are worth 15-30s an acre.
1788
Anniversary of Club feast at Timsbury on Monday 4 August. 150 members walked in procession to church with red staves and ribbons preceded by a band. Sermon by Rev Mr Gunning. Dinner after at Club room.
1791
New Tyning and New Grove coalworks started: a partnership between Messrs Crang, Mogg and Samborne Palmer. Conygre Coalworks started: a partnership between Messrs Adams, Crang, Mogg, Samborne Palmer, and Savage.
1792
4,000 colliers from Timsbury and Paulton met High Sheriff J H Coxe, esq; Major Tucker; Messrs Mogg, Crang and James, and other proprietors of pits, demanding increased wages. Demands granted – haulers increase from 14d to 17d/day, miners from 16d to 18d. All returned to work.
1793
Somersetshire Coal Canal – coal proprietors met at Old Down to consider a canal from collieries to Bath.
1794
Somersetshire Coal Canal excavations started.
1795
On Thursday 2 July, a man belonging to the New Coal Works Timsbury, drew in a wagon from the pit to Mr Groom’s yard in Bath, a piece of coal weighing 1 ton 5¾ cwt 26 lbs.
1805
Methodist Church founded in Timsbury.
1814
Sambourne Palmer dies. Sambourne Stukley Palmer becomes Lord of the Manor.
1815
Captain John Parish builds Parish’s House. Withy Mills pit started.
1822
Timsbury consists of 198 inhabited houses and 208 families, 22 of whom are employed in agriculture, 20 in trade and 166 not comprised in either class. Of the later the greater part are employed in the coal works. The population of the parish has increased by 1/3 within the last 20 years.
1825
Rebuilding of St Mary’s Church completed, but Reverand Barter died before the completion of the work. Charles Trelawney Collins is rector.
1830
First National School built at junction between Mill Lane and South Road.
1841
Richard Hill is rector.
1845
Accident at Hayeswood Colliery on 23rd January. Seven men injured. On 4th February, Hayeswood Colliery is flooded and seven men and four boys drowned.
1852
Transepts and nave added to St Mary’s Church.
1858
Lower Conygre Colliery sunk. Some coal transported on the Somersetshire Coal Canal.
1862
Hayeswood Colliery closed.
1865
Sambourne Stuckley Palmer died. His son, Samborne Stuckley Palmer Samborne, becomes Lord of the Manor.
1878
Old Grove Colliery closed.
1884
Leigh Thomas Rendell is rector. He is the nephew of Reverend Richard Hill.
1885
Old pews removed from St Mary’s Church.
1894
First elected Parish Council installed to replace the old Vestry Meetings.
1895
Conygre Colliery disaster on 6th February. Seven miners killed.
1902
William Yorke Fausset is rector.
1904
Samborne Stuckley Palmer Samborne dies. His son John Stuckley Palmer Samborne becomes Lord of the Manor. He is the last member of the Samborne family to be Lord of the Manor.
1910
Lower Conygre Colliery closed for a year. GWR Timsbury Halt opened. Charles Ruddock Mead King is rector.
1911
A year of labour disputes.
1912
Upper and Lower Conygre Collieries closed for a month.
1914
Lower Conygre Colliery flooded when Withy Mills workings breached.
1916
Upper and Lower Conygre Collieries closed in June.
1919
John Stukley Palmer Sambourne gives more land for the cemetery.
1926
First council houses built in Newman’s Lane.
1934
Joseph Claude Rose is rector. Stage 1 of the Lansdown housing scheme. New Senior Secondary School opened in Crocombe.
1946
Prefabricated houses built at Greenvale.
1956
Hugh Vipond Davies is rector. Stage 2 of Lansdown housing scheme.
1960
Demolition of Timsbury House begins.
1973
Newly built Conygre Hall opened.
1975
Land purchased for permanent allotments in Lippiatt Lane.
1976
Peter Cole Robson is rector.
1977
Centre of the village designated a Conservation Area.
1978
First copies of the Timsbury Letter.
1980
Clifford Albert Jones is rector.
1986
John Peter Cyril Reed is rector.
1994
Christopher Charles Brown is rector.
1995
Miners Memorial Garden opened.
2000
Christopher Hare is rector.
2013
Martin Blewett is rector.
2015
William Smith, the father of geology. Commemorations of bicentenary of his map that changed the world. The ideas for which he developed while working near the village.