1066 The Battle of Hastings 

The Normandy King, William invaded England and seized the English Crown.  William began unifying the disparate parts of England and surveyed the ownership of property and wealth in the Doomsday Book. 

1154 – 1189 King Henry II 

The early establishment of a legal system common to all England, staffed by the King’s judges. 

1215 Magna Carta 

During the reign of King John (1199 – 1216) discontent with absolute royal power led to its formal limitation under an agreement between the Crown and aristocracy.  Magna Carta established the right to jury trial and the power of monarchs was declared to be subject to law. 

The King’s advisors comprised the House of Lords.  During the thirteenth century the early House of Commons came into being with the King consulting ‘the common people’ and the introduction of elected representatives in Parliament. 

1509 – 1547 Henry VIII 

A dispute with the Roman Catholic Church over Henry’s demand for a divorce from his first wife culminated in the establishment of the Church of England.  Under the Act of Supremacy 1534 Henry was proclaimed head of the English church.  In 1536 Wales was formally united with England. 

1603: England and Scotland are united under a common Crown 

On the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, James VI of Scotland succeeded to the English throne as James I.  The King’s use of royal power to rule by royal proclamation under the royal prerogative led to increasing conflict with Parliament. 

1625 – 1649 Charles I 

1642 – 1648 Civil War 

King Charles made extensive use of the royal prerogative – at the expense of Parliament.  The King suspended Parliament to achieve his objectives.  Resistance to the abuse of the prerogative culminated in civil war between Parliament and the Crown. 

1649  

King Charles was tried and found guilty of treason and executed, ushering the first and only period the republican rule in England.  

1649 – 1660 Republican rule 

Oliver Cromwell had led the parliamentary forces to victory over the Crown during the civil war.  Cromwell now assumed power as Lord Protector of England.  The monarchy was abolished as were the House of Lords and the Church of England.  Cromwell also drafted a written Commonwealth Constitution for England, Scotland and Ireland but this was never implemented. 

1660: Restoration of the monarchy 

On Cromwell’s death in 1660, and the people weary of repressive military rule, the monarchy was restored under King Charles II (1660 – 1685).  On his death King Charles II was to be succeeded by his brother James II.  James (reigned 1685 – 1688) adhered to the Roman Catholic faith and appointed Catholics to public positions.  Concerned that James would produce a Catholic heir to the throne, parliamentarians entered negotiations with James’s brother in law, William of Orange and his wife Mary, to assume the throne.  On William’s arrival in England James II fled the country.  

1689 – 1702 William and Mary

William and Mary’s accession to the English Crown was to be subject to the conditions set out in the Bill of Rights 1689.     

1706/1707 The Treaty of Union 

Uniting England and Scotland under a single Parliament – the Parliament of Great Britain and protecting the Scottish church and legal system. 

1800 The Treaty of Union  

Uniting Great Britain and Ireland. 

1832 The Representation of the People Act:   the ‘Great Reform Act’ 

Redistributing seats in the House of Commons to give representation to large industrial areas and giving middle-class men the right to vote, subject to property ownership requirements.  Women and working-class men remained excluded. 

1867 and 1884 The Representation of the People Acts 

Further expanded the right to vote by lowering the property qualification.  Women remained excluded.  

1911 The Parliament Act 

The power of the House of Lords to reject Bills was curtailed. If a Bill was rejected twice over two years, the Commons could pass the Bill (subject to royal assent) without the Lords’ consent.  

1918 The Representation the People Act 

Women over the age of 30 were given the right to vote; the property qualification for men was abolished. 

1949 The Parliament Act  

The House of Lords’ power to delay Bill was reduced to one year over two parliamentary sessions. 

1949 The Council of Europe

The Council of Europe was formed in order to protect human rights across Europe. 

1953:  the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) 

The UK was a founder member of the Council of Europe and in 1953 became a signatory to the ECHR, committed to the protection of Convention rights.  Actions against the UK Government could be brought by other Member States, but not by individual citizens. 

1965  

Individuals were given the right to apply under the ECHR for the protection of Convention rights.  

1972 The UK became a Member State of the European Communities  

The European Communities Act 1972 provided for the law of the European Community (now European Union) to enter into and be enforceable in domestic law. 

1998:  The ‘devolution’ Acts:  the Wales Act, Northern Ireland Act and Scotland Act and 2006 Government of Wales Act 

Established national legislative bodies and devolved law-making power from the Westminster Parliament to the national assemblies. 

1998 The House of Lords Act  

Removed most hereditary peers from the House of Lords. 

1998 The Human Rights Act  

Incorporated rights under the European Convention on Human Rights into domestic law, enabling Convention rights to be protected by the domestic courts. 

2005 The Constitutional Reform Act 

Established the Supreme Court, replacing the judicial function of the House of Lords Appellate Committee and reformed the office of Lord Chancellor. 

2016 The referendum on continued EU membership 

2018/2020 Implementing the UK’s withdrawal from the EU 

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018; the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 and European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020:  gave effect to the referendum decision of 2016 to withdraw from the European Union.