The Normans control London!

1066 William the Conqueror wins the Battle of Hastings.

Before being crowned on Christmas day 1066, he sent soldiers to London to build a fortress outside the city – that may have been the start of what was to become the Tower of London. If not, it was started after his coronation. About 12 years later, the wooden structure was replaced with stone, and this was the White Tower and was probably completed by 1100, when records show it was being used as a prison.

In the Domesday survey of 1086, many Norman names appear holding lands in the manor of Stepney (from either the king or the Bishop of London). That means it was given as reward to William’s (Norman) followers. In reality, this would have had little effect on the daily lives of people living in the area.

Find out more about The Domesday Book

There was a manor house in Bethnal Green which regularly held tournaments – and many nobles would hunt in the area (as much was covered in woodland in the C12th).

Much of the area was used for farming and pastureland for animals. The most ‘developed’ bits were just beside the Tower, Bethnal Green, Bow, Ratcliff, Limehouse, Poplar and Blackwall.

In 1299, because there had been a fire in Westminster, a parliament was held at the Great Place and the Magna Carta was ratified by Edward I.

The Great Place was in Stepney, the home of Henry de Waley who was Lord Mayor of London.

The Tower of London was burned and the Archbishop of Canterbury killed!

The leader of the revolt, Wat Tyler met with the 14 year old King Richard II, who agreed to his terms, but in a fight the next day
Wat Tyler was killed, probably by one of the king's servants.

In 1381 The Peasants Revolt took place.

It was in protest against a poll tax. Men arrived from Essex and Kent, with the men of Essex camping at Mile End. King Richard II met the rebels at Mile End Green (the area around Stepney Green).

There was a second meeting at Smithfield where the king agreed to their demands. Once the men went home, King Richard went back on his promises – and many of the peasants were rounded up and punished (hung!).

1450 Jack Cade led a revolt against the king, leading men from Kent to Blackheath, who met up with others from Essex again at Mile End.

Their demands were similar to those of the peasants of 1381, in that they were protesting about the high levels of taxes being raised, by King Henry VI, and his hated Lord Treasurer, Lord Saye. Despite taking London and executing Saye, the rebels were eventually defeated, and Cade himself was eventually caught and killed on 12th July 1450.

Martin Frobisher

Find out about Frobisher's Inuit Voyage

Throughout the C16th and C17th development continued in the area, particularly along the river, where many people were involved with ship building, repairs and fitting.

Famous voyages include that of 1576 when Frobisher set sail from Ratcliff to look for a northwest passage to China (he failed!), and in 1606 when three ships left Blackwall to found the new colony of Virginia in America.

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