Cranfield Timeline

Events in Cranfield's History

918: The first mention of Cranfield appears in the history books when Ailwyn Niger gives the Manor of Cranfeldinga to Ramsey Abbey. Ramsey Manor held the Manor until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII.
1144: During the civil war between King Stephen and Queen Matilda, King Stephen pillages the village.
1180: First stone church built in Cranfield. Parts of this church remain in the north aisle, north door and the window behind the organ.
1250: The chancel arch, pillars of the nave and lower half of the church tower built.
1349: The Black Death arrived in Cranfield killing many people including the priest Thomas de Newby.
1539: Henry VIII dissolves the monasteries and the Manor of Cranfield becomes crown property until the reign of James I.
1568: A number of refugees from Flanders settled in the village bringing the techniques of lace making with them.
1660: Cranfield Baptist Church built.
1769: John Wesley visited Cranfield where it is reported that he found "a serious congregation".
1845: During restoration work on the church nearly 2000 small bronze coins and one debased silver one are discovered in a fourth century Roman jar.
1848: The Rev. G. G. Harter restores the church putting in new windows, pulpit, font, lynch gate etc. The windows were blown out during the Second World War and subsequently re-restored in 1948.
1863: The niece of General George Washington is buried in Cranfield churchyard. Her name was Lydia Hallworth and she died aged 83 years.
1935: Work on Cranfield airfield started.
1937: Cranfield airfield opened under No.1 Group of Bomber Command.
1938: Cranfield airfield transferred to No. 2 Group of Bomber Command.
1939: Cranfield airfield becomes a training airfield and No. 6 Training Group take over.
1939/40: Runways at Cranfield upgraded to become 'firm' runways.
1945: The government appoints a board of governors with the task of forming a college to provide post graduate training in aeronautics. The former RAF station at Cranfield is selected.
1946: The College is opened with the first students arriving in October. The different academic buildings were accommodated in the former RAF buildings.
1946: Britain's first College of Aeronautics' founded in Cranfield.
1946: A hoard of 5th century Roman coins found, deposited in AD 348.
1947: The Empire Test Pilots School move from Boscombe Down to Cranfield airfield.
1959: An Advanced School of Automobile Engineering founded at Cranfield Institute of Technology.
1968: The Cranfield Unit of Precision Engineering (CUPE) set up at Cranfield Institute of Technology. The School of Management formed at Cranfield Institute of Technology.
1969: Cranfield College of Technology receives its Royal Charter and University status as a result of the Robbins report to Parliament. The first Vice Chancellor was Professor A.J. Murphy, he was succeeded by Dr. A.H. Chilver.
1975:The National College of Agricultural Engineering at Silsoe becomes a school of Cranfield Institute of Technology.
1989: The Nissan Motor Company announces its decision to establish a new European Technology Centre at Cranfield.
1991: Cranfield University Library construction begins. The building was designed by the world famous architect Sir Norman Foster (he also designed Stanstead Airport terminal). The library opened 13 months later.
1992: Nissan's European Technology Centre wins a commendation in the Civic Trust Awards.

Sources:
Cranfield, its church and people by M.K. Street
Cranfield Institute of Technology by Peter O.Scott in Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol.15 No. 118

This Timeline is reproduced courtesy of the Bedfordshire Libraries Virtual Library website. You can find it here

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