4000 B.C. Stone Age Flint Scrapers and a pick found at Hammonds Mill Farm.
1000 B.C. Late Bronze Age Pottery and Loom Weights found at Manor Road site.
100 A.D. Roman road constructed across ( what is today’s) town centre.
950 A.D. 950 – 1000 A.D. Saxon Churches in Clayton and Keymer Parishes were built.
1100 A.D. Norman additions and extensions to both Parish Churches.
1300 A.D. John Burgeys owned farmland (Burgeys Hill Farm)
1342 A.D. First mention of Sheep Fair held on mid-summer day 24th June (St. John the Baptist Day)
1480 A.D. Chapel of Ease built (later known as Chapel Land Farm)
1565 A.D. “Hammonds Place” rebuilt on the site of an earlier dwelling
1580 A.D. 1580 – 1600 A.D. Eight farms built around St. Johns Common: - Anchor,Burgess Hill, Bedelands, Chapel Land, Frankbarrow, Fowles, Barbers and Purtons.
1600 A.D. 1600 – 1650 A.D. Seven more farms built around St. Johns Common:- Dunstall, Franklands, Gattons, Grove, Inholmes, Leylands and Sheddingdean.
1770 A.D. London Road Turnpiked (travellers paying tolls for the maintenance of the road).
1650 A.D. 1650 – 1780 A.D. Twenty-Three more farms built around the Common:- Batchelors,
Birchwood, Blackhouse, North Blackhouse, Burdocks, Butchers, Cants, Coopers,
Dartford, Dumbrells, Folders, Fricks, Hillmans, Little Burgess Hill,
Lowlands, Manor, St. Johns, One O’Clock, Peppers, Poveys, Shelleys, West End, and Woodwards.
1796 A.D. St. Johns Windmill built in Windmill Lane (now Mill Road)
1803 A.D. First shop built at the top of Fairplace Hill (on the western side - opposite the old “King’s Head” public house, now demolished)
1812 A.D. Normans pottery works established in London Road
1828 A.D. Keymer Common enclosed.
1829 A.D. St. John’s Congregational Chapel built in Leylands Road.
1840 A.D. London Brighton & South Coast Railway being built.
1841 A.D. London to Brighton railway completed.
1843 A.D. Burgess Hill’s first “log cabin” railway station built.
1847 A.D. Branch railway line extended to Eastbourne via Lewes.
1850 A.D. Meeds pottery works established in Pottery Lane (now Station Road)
1850 A.D. London Road Church School built.
1853 A.D. Gravetts pottery works established in Pottery Lane / London Road.
1854 A.D. Clayton Common enclosed.
1862 A.D. Simeon Norman established a building business in London Road,
1863 A.D. St. John the Evangelist Parish Church built by John Ellis of Chichester
1864 A.D. Henry Burt joined Simeon Norman in his building business (later Norman & Burt)
1864 A.D. A steam laundry was established by the Chapman family in Royal George Road,
1866 A.D. Keymer Church was rebuilt, in a similar style to its 14th Century original design.
1873 A.D. Keymer Brick & Tile Works (first known as Johnson & Co.) established.
1875 A.D. Strict Baptist Chapel built in Park Road.
1877 A.D. Burgess Hill railway station booking office entrance built at higher level.
1879 A.D. The “Local Board” was formed by twelve elected members.
1880 A.D. The first “Union Bank” was established, (now Barclays Bank).
1881 A.D. The first Volunteer Fire Brigade established.
1882 A.D. The first Council Offices, Police and Fire Brigade headquarters built in Church Road
1882 A.D. St. Andrews Church Schoolroom was opened in Cants Lane.
1882 A.D. Congregational Church built in Junction Road.
1886 A.D. Richard & Frederick Berry’s brickworks established in London Road.
1886 A.D. Keymer Junction railway station rebuilt at “Worlds End” (later renamed Wivelsfield)
1890 A.D. Junction Road County Primary School built.
1894 A.D. Burgess Hill Urban District Council formed in place of Local Board.
1894 A.D. A Baptist Chapel was built in Church Road.
1897 A.D. “Victoria Pleasure Gardens” were opened by Edwin Street (a farmer and butcher)
1906 A.D. The “Burgess Hill School for Girls” was established.
1906 A.D. The Salvation Army Citadel was built in Cyprus Road.
1908 A.D. St. Andrew’s Church was built by Norman & Burt in Junction Road.
1912 A.D. The last Lamb & Sheep Fair was held after almost 600 years.
1913 A.D. St. Johns Parish Hall in Cyprus Road completed late 1912 opened for use in 1913.
1916 A.D. The “Mary Hare School for the Deaf” was established at “Dene Hollow” London Rd.
1920 A.D. St. Edwards Church established in Royal George Road.
1928 A.D. A new cinema “The Scala” replaced an older picture house in Cyprus Road.
1935 A.D. An outdoor swimming pool was built in St. Johns Park.
1940 A.D. St. Wilfrids Roman Catholic Church was built in Station Road by Norman & Burt.
1945 A.D. The Steam Laundry was destroyed by fire, but later rebuilt.
1953 A.D. Chanctonbury Road housing estate (750 houses) began.
1953 A.D. “Oakmeeds” the first new school to be built was completed by 1959.
1953 A.D. The first new “Coat of Arms” was granted to Burgess Hill Urban District Council.
1954 A.D. The first new Industrial Estate was commenced and 30 new factories built.
1958 A.D. A new Methodist Church was built in London Road.
1972 A.D. Part of Church Road was pedestrians and renamed Church Walk.
1972 A.D. The new “Martlets” shopping centre was completed.
1973 A.D. Princess Anne opened Van Den Burgh’s and visited “Charles of the Ritz”.
1974 A.D. New indoor swimming pool was built in St. John’s Park.
1985 A.D. Princess Diana opened “Oakenfield” disabled housing trust property.
1986 A.D. A second “Sheddingdean” industrial estate for smaller units, opened.
1986 A.D. Princess Anne opened new premises of “Charles of the Ritz”.
1988 A.D. Burgess Hill twinned with Schmallenburg, Germany.
1991 A.D. The “Market Place” was completed and linked to the “Martlets” shopping centre.
1994 A.D. Burgess Hill twinned with Abbeville, France
1996 A.D. The Town Council “Help Point” was opened by Paddy Ashdown M.P.
1997 A.D. The Western Distributor Road opened with a direct link to the A 23.
1999 A.D. Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh opened the “Triangle” sports
centre, and visited the Town Council’s Help Point.
2000 A.D. The last remaining “Pug mill” for mixing clay, was demolished.
2011 A.D. William Meeds house built in 1884 in Station Road, was demolished.
2012 A.D. The Burgess Hill Local History Society’s collection of Terra-Cotta (formerly the collection of Mr. F.M.Avery) was loaned to the Hassocks Garden & Heritage Centre
2013 A.D. A newly erected “World’s End” sign was unveiled by Carola Goodman.
2014 A.D. The Keymer Tile Works closed after 140 years of brick and tile making.
2015 A.D. Mid Sussex District Council announced a major £65 million scheme to re-develop the town centre owned by New River Retail.
2016 27th Jan MSDC adopted the B/H Neighbourhood Plan
2016 10th Mar New River Retail town centre redevelopment approved by MSDC
2016 22nd Aug "Burgess Hill Academy" the new name agreed for Oakmeeds (from 1st Sept)
2017 4th Jan Phase 3 of Keymer Tile Works site for 180 homes submitted to MSDC for approval
2017 29th Aug Contract for removal of Gasometer started (gone after 2 months)
2017 23rd Nov Exhibition of proposed new theatre held at St.John's Church
2018 26th Mar First Northern Arc planning application for 3,500 houses submitted to MSDC
2018 28th Mar The Mid-Sussex District Plan formerly adopted by MSDC
2018 16th Apr Hammonds Gate (51 homes) by Carla Homes began
2018 31st May "Homes England" have taken over the Northern Arc development
2018 30th June Martlets Hall closed (demolition began 15/4/2019)
2018 2nd July Work began on DPD depot at "The Hub" on the A2300
2018 3rd July The "Western Arc" seeks planning approval for 1000 homes
2018 16th July The Town Council approved the building of a new theatre
2018 31st Oct Ernest Kleinwort Court, Oakenfield, closed today (opened 1985)
2018 12th Nov MSDC bought the freehold of Wickes for £6.3 million
2018 21 Dec "Homes England" ask MSDC planning permission for 3040 homes
2019 24th May MSDC bought the freehold of Halfords & Carpetright for £5 million
2019 14th Oct public consultation for 615 homes in various locations to 2031
2019 14th Oct Permission granted by MSDC for 3000 homes in Northen Arc
2019 17th Dec MSDC approved planning for 460 homes by Countryside Properties in the Northern Arc
2020 19th Jan Coronavirus (Covid 19) outbreak in China (began there in Dec 2019)
2020 24th Jan Coronavirus begins in the UK (now classed as a pandemic)
2020 21st Mar Government ordered a "Lockdown" in England, (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland followed).