CHARD TIMELINE

1086 Chard mentioned in the Doomesday Book. With a population of 150 it would have been deemed a large village in those days. Chard was initially called Cerdre. In time its name changed to Cherdre then to Cherde and finally to Chard.

1235 Bishop of Wells created a market town just north of the original site of Cerdre.

1313 Chard sent its first MPs to Parliament, John Bowditch and Thomas Haull

1570 Chard incorporated by Elizabeth 1

1577 Chard Fire destroyed the majority of the town. It was re-built with the addition of a Court House and Town Hall

1644 Charles 1st spent a week in Chard during the Civil War. He tried to negotiate peace with Oliver Cromwell. Significant damage was done to the infrastructure of the town

1671 Chard Grammar School was established after the building was donated by William Symes. Later it became a Public Boarding School. The present school was established in 1972

1685 Duke of Monmouth led the Monmouth rebellion in Southwest England travelling through Chard. 200 men from Chard joined him and afterwards 12 men were executed in the town.

1826 Arthur Hull made his first diary entry. He writes details in the diary for the next 54 years. In 1880 he started his collection that ultimately becomes Chard Museum

1828 Wightman and Dening was founded. They were a significant producer of agricultural and woodworking machinery. They are now known as Denings of Chard

1839 Chard Reservoir started to be built to provide water for the planned Chard Canal

1842 Chard Canal was completed as part of a waterway system aimed at joining the Bristol and English Channels

1842 Lace Riots, workers gathered to demonstrate against wage cuts. The situation was escalated when the Militia were called by local leaders

1848 John Stringfellow successfully had the first powered flight aeroplane in the town

1860 Chard continued to build its reputation for lace making especially that of flat lace

1863 The railway reached Chard

1874 The original Chard and Ilminster News began publication being printed in the town

1896 James Gifford work comes to fruition as the first X-Ray photograph is taken in his workshop on Crewkerne Road

1929 Margaret Bondfield appointed Minister of Labour in the Labour Government and became the first female Cabinet Member

1940 World War 2 and defence from invasion from the south west was planned along the Taunton Stop Line. Chard is a crucial spot in that defence. In 1942 the Americans arrived in Chard to support the war effort

1959 Charter of Chard is found having been lost for more than two hundred years

1962 Chard Railway Stations closed after 99 years of service

1970 Chard Museum opens and started to build on the initial collection of Arthur Hull. It celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2020

1990 Numatic, founded in Crewkerne in 1969 moves to Chard, via Beaminster to expand its production of the familiar Henry Vacuum Cleaner