Staines grew up where people could cross the River Thames. Stone Age farmers, Romans, Vikings, monks, kings and factory workers have all left their mark on the town.
Oldest first
Newest first
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Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages
Before AD 43
About 3500 BC
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Stone Age people
Stone Age people lived near Staines. In 1959, a photo taken from an aeroplane showed the outline of a 'causewayed enclosure', a ring of ditches they dug, west of St Mary's Church. Pieces of a stone axe made of jadeite were found on Staines Moor in the 1980s.
From the records: “A Neolithic causewayed enclosure, about 800 metres (1⁄2 mile) west of St Mary's Church, was identified by aerial photography in 1959.”
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Romans
AD 43 – 410
About AD 150
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A Roman town grows
By the middle of the 100s, Roman Staines was growing richer. Round houses were replaced by buildings with stone foundations. Later in that century the town shrank, possibly because winter floods became more common.
From the records: “By the mid-2nd century, Staines had increased in size and prosperity and the early Romano-British roundhouses had been replaced by stone buildings with flint and rag-stone foundations.”
About AD 250
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'At the bridges'
The oldest document to mention Staines is a Roman list of routes called the Antonine Itinerary. It calls the place Pontibus, which means 'at the bridges'.
From the records: “The earliest document to refer to Staines is the Antonine Itinerary, thought to have been written in the early 3rd century AD, in which the location appears as Pontibus, meaning "at the bridges".”
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Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
410 – 1066
1009
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Vikings cross the Thames
Viking raiders used the River Thames to travel into England. In 1009, a large Viking army attacked Oxford, then went back along the Thames and crossed the river at Staines.
From the records: “In the 9th century, the river was used by Danish Viking raiders to travel into the heart of England.”
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Middle Ages
1066 – 1485
1086
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In the Domesday Book
The Domesday Book, the first great survey of England, lists Staines as 'Stanes'. It was owned by Westminster Abbey and had land for 24 ploughs, six mills and woodland for 30 pigs.
From the records: “In Domesday Book of 1086, the settlement is referred to as Stanes.”
1179
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St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church is first written about in 1179, but it may have been there for at least 100 years before that.
From the records: “St Mary's Church is first recorded in 1179, but it is thought to have been in existence for at least 100 years before that.”
1218
Still here today
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The market begins
The first record of a market in Staines is from 1218, when it was moved from Sunday to Friday. There is still a market in the High Street today.
From the records: “The first record of a market at Staines is from 1218, when the Sheriff of Middlesex was ordered to change the day on which it was held from Sunday to Friday.”
1222
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Mending the bridge
In 1222 the king gave wood from Windsor Forest to repair the bridge at Staines. Later, boats had to pay tolls to help pay for the bridge.
From the records: “The first surviving mention of a bridge from the medieval period is a document from 1222, that authorises repairs using wood cut from Windsor Forest.”
1228
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Staines fair
King Henry III allowed a yearly fair in Staines in 1228. Much later there was an Onion Fair every September, selling food and trinkets.
From the records: “An annual fair to be held in the settlement was granted to Westminster Abbey by Henry III in 1228.”
1280 or 1285
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The London Stone
The City of London put up a stone by the Thames at Staines in 1280 or 1285, after buying rights over the river. The stone you can see today is a copy from 1986.
From the records: “The first stone was erected by the Corporation of the City of London in 1280 or 1285, following its purchase of the river rights from Richard I.”
1335
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Pillory and ducking stool
Staines had a town gaol by 1274. In 1335, a new pillory and ducking stool were put up to punish people. There were stocks in the Market Square until at least 1790.
From the records: “The first surviving record of a town gaol in Staines is from 1274 and the erection of a new pillory and ducking stool is described in 1335.”
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Tudors and Stuarts
1485 – 1714
1540
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Henry VIII's hunting land
When Westminster Abbey was closed in 1540, Staines passed to the Crown. Henry VIII used it to make his Windsor hunting grounds bigger.
From the records: “Westminster Abbey was dissolved in 1540 and Staines then became a possession of the Crown, allowing Henry VIII to extend his Windsor hunting grounds further to the east.”
1613
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The man who caught Guy Fawkes
In 1613, King James I gave Staines to Thomas Knyvet. Eight years earlier, Knyvet had arrested Guy Fawkes at the Palace of Westminster during the Gunpowder Plot.
From the records: “In 1613, James I granted the manor to Thomas Knyvet, who had arrested Guy Fawkes at the Palace of Westminster eight years earlier.”
1640s
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The Civil War
Staines Bridge was destroyed in the English Civil War and not rebuilt until the 1680s. Lead from St Mary's Church roof was sold to pay for Parliament's side.
From the records: “The bridge was destroyed in the Civil War and was not rebuilt until the 1680s.”
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Georgians
1714 – 1837
1759
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Cricket on the moor
People have played cricket on Staines Moor since at least 1759. Nearby Laleham Burway had the first recorded 11-a-side match in Surrey in 1778.
From the records: “Cricket has been played on Staines Moor since at least 1759 and the nearby Laleham Burway was the site of the first recorded 11-a-side match in Surrey in 1778.”
1796–1803
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Bridges that cracked
A new stone bridge opened in 1796, but closed two years later when cracks appeared. An iron bridge opened in 1803 and cracked within two months!
From the records: “The first, designed by Thomas Sandby, was opened in 1796, but was closed two years later after cracks started to form in the stonework.”
1832
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Today's Staines Bridge
King William IV opened the Staines Bridge we still use today in April 1832. People had to pay to cross it until 1871.
From the records: “The foundation stones were laid on each side of the river in September 1829 and William IV opened the bridge in April 1832.”
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Victorians
1837 – 1901
1848
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The railway arrives
The railway reached Staines in 1848. The town grew fast: from 2,487 people in 1841 to 4,638 in 1881.
From the records: “The population of Staines grew from 1,750 in 1801 to 2,487 in 1841 and 4,638 in 1881.”
1864
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The lino factory
Frederick Walton, who invented linoleum, opened the first lino factory in Staines in 1864. It closed in 1973, and the Two Rivers Shopping Centre now stands on the site.
From the records: “Staines became a centre for linoleum manufacture in 1864, when Frederick Walton, the inventor, opened the first factory to produce the floor covering on the Hale Mill site, to the north of the town centre.”
1880
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The Town Hall
The Town Hall in the Market Square was finished in 1880. Today it has been turned into flats.
From the records: “The Town Hall, in the Market Square, was designed by John Johnson in the Renaissance style and was completed in 1880.”
1890
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One of the oldest hockey clubs
Staines Hockey Club began in 1890 and is one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world. Some of its early players won gold medals at the 1908 Olympic Games.
From the records: “Staines Hockey Club was formed in 1890 and is one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world.”
1894, 1947, 2014
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Big floods
Living next to the Thames means floods. Staines had very bad floods in 1894, 1947 and 2014.
From the records: “Severe flooding events have taken place in Staines in 1894, 1947, and 2014.”
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The World Wars
1901 – 1945
1936
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Cheetah racing!
In 1936, twelve cheetahs were brought from Kenya to Staines Stadium. They were trained to race alongside greyhounds, chasing a mechanical hare.
From the records: “Staines Stadium, on Wraysbury Road, was opened in 1928 and was primarily used for greyhound racing.”
1940–1944
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Bombs in the Second World War
Staines was badly bombed on the night of 24–25 August 1940. In June 1944, a V-1 flying bomb landed on Kingston Road, killing four people.
From the records: “There was a severe bombing raid on Staines on the night of 24–25 August 1940 and a V-1 flying bomb landed at the junction of Stanish Crescent and Kingston Road on 19 June 1944, killing four people and injuring a further 17.”
1939–1947
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The fog experiments
The King George VI Reservoir was built by 1939 but left empty during the war. In 1942 the RAF used it to test ways of clearing fog for aeroplanes. King George VI opened it in 1947.
From the records: “The King George VI Reservoir was completed in 1939, but was left unfilled for the duration of the Second World War.”
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Modern times
Since 1945
1980
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The Queen opens a shopping centre
Queen Elizabeth II opened the Elmsleigh Shopping Centre on 22 February 1980.
From the records: “The Elmsleigh Shopping Centre was opened by Elizabeth II on 22 February 1980, providing 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m2) of retail space.”
2012
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A new name
On 20 May 2012, Staines officially became Staines-upon-Thames.
From the records: “Spelthorne Borough Council voted in December 2011 to change its name from "Staines" to "Staines-upon-Thames".”