The Oxford History of the English Language

c 1500 BC

First evidence for some languages of the Indo-European group.

c 1000–500 BC

Emergence of Proto-Germanic.

c 300–200 BC

Break-up of Proto-Germanic.

c 45–c 410

Britain becomes part of the Roman Empire, forming the Roman colony ‘Britannia’.

c 410

Collapse of Roman Empire; Romans leave Britain.

449

Traditional date for the invasion of Britain by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes.

597

Arrival of Roman mission in England and introduction of Christianity.

601

Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

664

Synod of Whitby.

670s

Presumed date of composition of Cædmon’s Hymn.

c 700

First surviving written evidence of Old English.

c 700–20

Lindisfarne Gospels written (in Latin).

731

Bede completes his Ecclesiastical History of the English People (in Latin).

735

Death of Bede.

757 (–96)

Reign of Offa as King of Mercia.

780s

Period of Scandinavian invasion begins.

793

Sacking of the monastery at Lindisfarne by Scandinavian invaders.

849

Alfred born in Wantage, Oxfordshire.

870s

Scandinavian settlement in England.