1089     St. Mary’s Abbey founded by the Normans

1349     Black Death beginning to afflict province and diocese of York

1377     York the wealthiest provincial town in England

1457     Reign of Henry VII one of comparative peace and fair prosperity,

             encouraging 1509 men from Kendal, Cockermouth, Penrith,

             York and  elsewhere in the North to go to Carlisle.

1485     Epidemic in York

1486     Domp. Rob. Wanhope admitted to Corpus Christi Guild, York

1487     York’s population allegedly halved, perhaps in aftermath of an epidemic.

1493-94   Epidemic in York

1496     William Senhouse, the Abbot of St Mary’s, York, became Bishop of Carlisle from

             1496 to 1502.  He retained his appointment at York  until he was translated to Durham

             in 1502, whereupon Robert Wanhope succeeded him as Abbot of St. Mary’s

1500’s   York population varied between 8,000 - 12,000

1502     Robert Wanhope initiated as  the Abbot of St Mary’s Abbey on  20  December 1502,

             after translation to Durham of William Senhouse, Bishop of Carlisle, the previous Abbot

1504     Riots when commoners opposed the election and installation of the mayor.

             Epidemic in York

1507     Death of Robert Wanhope, Abbot of St Mary’s circa 6 May 1507

             Prior of Carlisle elected a member of the Corpus Christi Guild

1510-60  York’s fortunes at their lowest

1514     Serious disorders in the city

1520’s   Government deposited large sums at St. Mary’s Abbey between 1520’s and the 1530’s

             to pay garrisons to the north.

1524     York sunk to be only the fourteenth most wealthy town in England from being second

             to London in 1377. A major reason was the ascendancy in cloth gained by the West

             Riding, and the consequent desertion of York.

             876 taxpayers in York

1525     The Cliffords of Skipton made Earls of Cumberland

1530     William Thornton was Abbot of St. Mary’s, being previously Prior of Wetheral.

1536     Enclosure riots and Parliament allowed the King to suppress religious houses worth

             under £200  a year,  including  St. Clements  and  Holy Trinity in York. Subsequent

             wide-spread revolt against government policies in Yorkshire in the  Pilgrimage of  Grace,

             which  was  supported  by  the  York  ‘commons’  and probably largely inspired by the

             monastic suppressions.  No vengeance was exacted on York subsequently,

             although several leading rebels were executed in the city in 1537.

1536-9   Fall of the monasteries and friaries

1537     Council of the North established, reviving an earlier institution with increased authority.

             The Council was led by William Sever,  Abbot of St. Mary’s and Bishop of Carlisle, on

             behalf of Henry VII. After 1537, York was firmly and permanently  under Government

             supervision - as it had not been before and particularly in the years 1455-85.

1538-41  First well-recorded epidemic in York; more serious than any attack in the previous

             thirty years

1539     St. Mary’s surrendered for dissolution on 29 November 1539; having been the richest

             house in the North, its lands were now sold off.

1541     Johnes  Wanot,   ‘sepultus eod die’  Buried St Olave’s York

             (Note: St Olave’s is earliest surviving York register  beginning in December 1538 )

1545     Mercenaries from Cleves billeted in York

             Johaune Wanhope, ‘filie Rolande Wanhope Bapt. XIo die julii’   Baptised  St Olave’s York

1546     John Wauhope, ‘ j garthen in tholdyng of John Wauhope xiii jd.’ Deanery of  the

             Christianity of York. ‘Chauntre of William Frost and Isobell his Wyffe,  wuthyn the sayd

             Parisshe Churche’

             Ellyne  Wannopp, Spouse: Christopher Sugden Record at St. Crux,York

1548     Roulandus Wanhep, ‘fili ‘lorentius Wanhep   Bapt. octo die novembris’   Baptised

             St Olave’s York

1549     1000 German mercenaries billeted in York.

1550     Last serious Tudor riots in York, by local rural labourers protesting against the

             requisitioning of corn supplies.

1550-51  Heavy mortality from bubonic plague, with death of perhaps half of York’s population.

             St Mary’s Abbey demolished, but King’s Manor spared.

1550’s  Rise in food prices caused trouble at York with city’s craftsmen  demanding

             higher wages.

1558     Commencement of reign of Elizabeth, during which York’s population doubled by 1603

             due to massive immigration, but only after possibly worst of the century’s epidemics.

             Part of nationwide outbreak of influenza. Number of  deaths in York unknown due to an

             apparent cessation of registration but seemingly high. Combined with severe economic

             depression, deaths caused York population to drop by a third or more. By the end of

             Mary’s reign the city was very unfortunate; monks and friars had been turned out, with or

             without pensions after the end of legalized  Catholicism.

1559     ‘Item, payed to Rolland Wannope for kepying clene St.Leonards lendyng at all tymes

             neydfull  ii js. ii jd.’ Fabric Rolls of York Minster.

1560     Admissions of freemen rose sharply following the severe death rate of 1558

1568      First ‘trial’ of Mary Queen of Scots at York.

             Robartus Wanhope, baker, admitted as a Freeman. Robartus probably from outside

             York, his sons Edwardus a labourer and --------- (unnamed) a milner, becoming freemen

             through their father. The Freeman title  was  reserved almost  entirely for men from

             outside York and for freemens’ sons. 33 came from Cumbria, closely connected to  York

             by trade in Kendal cloth.

1572     Four leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace executed, including the Earl of Northumberland.

1575     Intolerance of Catholic practice, such as opening of shops on Sundays and fair days.

1576-8  Most leading recusants either scattered or imprisoned, although up to about 80

             recusant adults persisted until end of the century

1580     Merchants and tradesmen prospering again after York’s decline in period 1460-1560.

1582-89  Twenty people martyred at York.

1587     Nationwide famine, but with slight effect in York where corn remained cheap.

1592-94  Harrying of Catholics in the North, all over Yorkshire, Richmondshire, Cleveland,

             Durham and Northumberland

1596-98  Nationwide famine with more effect on York, which had to import grain.

1599     Hugo Waunope, glover, admitted as a Freeman

1600     Up to about 80 recusant adults persisted until end of the century

1603     James VI of Scotland broke his journey at York while on his way to assume also the

             crown of England, following Elizabeth’s death.

             During Elizabeth’s reign, York’s population doubled to around 11,500. The city’s recovery

             coincided with the establishment of the  Council of the North on a permanent basis and

             the allied increase of trades - glovers, etc., serving the associated gentry.

1603-04  ------ Wanop, milner, son of Roberti, admitted as a Freeman

1604     Last terrible epidemic of bubonic plague killed 3,512 people or 30% of York’s

             population.

             Edwardus Wanopp, laborer, son of Roberti, admitted as a Freeman