History of Peterborough

ough Chronicle, a version of the Anglo-Saxon one, contains unique information about the history of England after the Norman conquest, written here by monks in the 12th century. This is the only known prose history in English between the conquest and the later 14th century. The burgesses received their first charter from "Abbot Robert" – probably Robert of Sutton (1262–1273). The place suffered materially in the war between John I and the confederate barons, many of whom took refuge in the monastery here and in Crowland Abbey, from which sanctuaries they were forced by the king's soldiers, who plundered the religious houses and carried off great treasures. The abbey church became one of Henry VIII's retained, more secular, cathedrals in 1541, having being assessed at the Dissolution (in the King's Books) as having revenue at £1,972.7.¾ per annum.

When civil war broke out, Peterborough was divided between supporters of King Charles I (Cavaliers) and supporters of the Long Parliament (Roundheads). The city lay on the border of the Eastern Association of counties which sided with Parliament, and the war reached Peterborough in 1643 when soldiers arrived in the city to attack Royalist strongholds at Stamford and Crowland. The Royalist forces were defeated within a few weeks and retreated to Burghley House, where they were captured and sent to Cambridge. While the Parliamentary soldiers were in Peterborough, however, they ransacked the cathedral, destroying the Lady Chapel, chapter house, cloister, high altar and choir stalls, as well as mediaeval decoration and records.

Housing and sanitary improvements were effected under the provisions of an Act of Parliament passed in 1790 and an act to build a gaol to replace the two that previously stood, was passed in 1839. At the end of February 1835 a destructive fire broke out, which consumed about sixty 'inferior' homes.

After the dissolution the dean and chapter, who