A potted history of Hedon
This potted history has been compiled by Dr. Martin Craven. Martin is a Freeman of Hedon, and a representative of Hedon Museum Society…
This potted history has been compiled by Dr. Martin Craven and we thank him for sending it to the Hedon Blog. Martin is a Freeman of Hedon, and a representative of Hedon Museum Society (links are to Hedon Blog articles):
| Significant Year | ||
| c.1130 | Hedon founded by William le Gros, earl of Aumale in Normandy and lord of Holderness. | |
| 1153-54 | Hedon becomes a royal mint town producing silver pennies of King Stephen. | |
| 1154-89 | During the reign of Henry II, William le Gros receives Hedon’s first royal charter on behalf of the burgesses. | |
| c. 1180 | Building work begins on St. Augustine’s Church. | |
| 1200 | King John grants a confirming charter to the lord on behalf of Hedon’s burgesses. | |
| 1295 | Edward I calls a parliament. As a royal borough, Hedon sends Stephen de Burton and Richard Civis to represent the burgesses. | |
| 1348 | Edward III grants the ‘Great Charter’ to Hedon. Hedon becomes self-governing with a Mayor, Bailiffs, Coroner and ‘other fit officers’. | |
| 1351 | William Cleeve, the first known Mayor of Hedon. | |
| 1415 | Henry V grants a confirming royal charter to Hedon. He presents the small mace to Hedon, now regarded as the oldest civic mace in England. | |
| 1427-37 | The tower of St. Augustine’s Church is built. | |
| 1547 | Edward VI calls a parliament. from this time Hedon regularly sends two burgesses (freemen) to Westminster. | |
| 1562 | George Painter wills three cottages in Souttergate for the use of poor widows in Hedon. | |
| 1669 | Henry Guy, one of Hedon’s MPs, presents the Corporation of Hedon with the Great Mace. | |
| 1692-93 | Henry Guy has the Town Hall built in St. Augustine’s Gate. | |
| 1705 | William Pultenay first elected a member for Hedon. He served the Borough for 23 years and eventually was created earl of Bath and Baron Hedon. | |
| 1774 | Act of Parliament passed for improving port facilities at the Hedon Haven. It places control in the hands of elected Commissioners. | |
| 1795 | The Holderness Agricultural Society founded at Hedon. | |
| 1812 | The Hedon MPs donate money towards the building of Alms Houses, known as Burgess Square in Baxtergate. | |
| 1825 | The Mayor, Dr. George Sawyer, has the houses and shops built on the east side of Market Place. Swinegate is renamed George Street after him. | |
| 1832 | Hedon is declared ‘a rotten Borough’ and loses its right to send members to parliament. | |
| 1860 | The Borough Improvement Act is passed. The old Corporation is replaced by 3 aldermen and nine town councillors, all elected periodically by residents. | |
| 1870 | Dr. William Kirk becomes the first man, not being a freeman of Hedon, to serve as Mayor. | |
| 1974 | Hedon loses its borough status and becomes a town. It retains the Town Hall, the Civic Silver and the offices of Mayor, Town Councillors, Town Clerk and Sergeant at Mace. |
