1794

Crickheath Tramway. 3 mile horse drawn narrow gauge railway from Porthywaen quarries to wharves on the 1820 by the Earl of Powys. In use still horse drawn until 1913!

1806

Baptist Church established, opens in English Walls

1809

Oswestry Street act, for paving and lighting the streets

1812

Escape of GeneralPhillipon and Lieutenant Ganier, two French prisoners of war paroled to Oswestry

1813

Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel opens in Castle Street, replaced in 1337 by Seion Chapel in Gatacre Place

1815

William Price publishes the Rev. Peter Roberts’ History of Oswestry

1819

New Theatre opens in Willow Street

1820

Richard Roberts opens Oswestry’s first gas works in Willow Street

1820

Launch of Oswestry Herald

1823

William Doughty, founder of Primative Methodism in Oswestry commences outdoor preaching on the Bailey Head and is arrested

1826

Birth of Askew Roberts, founder of the Advertiser

1831

Battle of Chirk Bridge

1832

Incident in election relating to white horse

1833

The Lord’s market tolls were bought out by public subscription

1834

Cae Glas mansion demolised

1837

Holy trinity Church opens

1840s

‘Railway Mania’ Takes Hold. When painted delusions, gaudy shams and grandiloquence carried the day. Where gilded puffs and painted paragraphs enticed and allured potential investors into the new fangled steam railways.

1840

Kent Place in Roft Street and Porkington Terrace in Willow Street are built

1840

National school built in Welsh Walls

1842

Hermon Welsh Congregationalist Chapel opens

1842

Cross market opens for business

1848

Oswestry’s First Railway Line. Was a branch off the Shrewsbury and Chester line at Gobowen. Originally it had been intended that Oswestry was to be on the S & C line but landowners blocked this option.

1848

Shrewsbury Station. The Joint Station Committee chooses a design by Oswestry architect Thomas K. Penson.

1848

Last races held at Oswestry Racecourse

1849

Launch of Oswestry Advertiser & Railway Guide initially as a monthly newspaper

1849

Smithfield and Horsemarkets open for business

1849

Improvements to Powis Hall market

1855

Publication of William Cathrall’s History of Oswestry

1860

Second Line for Oswestry. Opened in May 1860 by the Oswestry and Newtown Railway from a separate station near the Shrewsbury & Chester terminus. It ran to Buttington junction joining with the Shrewsbury and Welshpool line operated by the London and North

1862

First annual Agricultural Show held on Smithfield in English Walls

1862

Opening of Cemetery at foot of Salop Road

1863

A Welsh Rural Branch Line. The Oswestry and Newtown railway opens a branch line from Llanymynech to Llanfyllin. Has stations at Llansantffraid and Llanfecchain with halts at Carreghofa and Bryngwyn.

1863

Hermon Welsh Congregationalist Chapel rebuilt

1863

Public Hall (later the Plaza) opens in Oswald Road

1864

The Victoria Rooms opens

1864

Third Line to Oswestry. The Oswestry, Ellesmere & Whitchurch Railway despite stiff opposition from landowners brings it’s line into Oswestry from the north east. It’s route also creates a second station for the village of Whittington.

1864

Birth of the Cambrian Railway. Created by the amalgamation of the Oswestry & Newtown; the Oswestry, Ellesmere and Whitchurch; the Llanidloes & Newtown and the Newtown & Machynlleth Railways.

1864

Roman Catholic Mission Church founded in Castle Fields

1866

Oswestry Becomes a Railway Town. The newly formed Cambrian Railways moves it’s headquarters to Oswestry. And at a cost of £28,000 also builds large railway workshops to repair and build steam locomotives.

1866

Construction of Penygwely reservoir to provide water supply for Oswestry

1866

Far Reaching Connections. The newly formed Cambrian Railways also completes it’s Main Line in this year running from Whitchurch to Aberystwyth. Also there are connections north for Chester and beyond as well as south via Shrewsbury and beyond.

1866

A ‘Potty’ Folly? The Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway builds a twin track line from a terminus at Abbey Foregate in Shrewsbury that joins the Cambrian line at Llanymynech.

1867

Birth of Agnes Hunt co-founder of the Orthopaedic Hospital

1871

New Wesleyan Chapel opens on corner of Beatrice Street and King Street

1872

Christ Church opens

1873

Birth of Oswestry Town footballer Charles Parry

1874

St Oswald’s reopens after major restorationby the architect G.E.Street

1875

Renovation of Llwyd Mansion

1878

Horeb Welsh Wesleyan MethodistChapel opens replacing chapel in Penylan Lane

1879

Oswestry Prospers. Whilst many small towns have been damaged by the introduction of railways Oswestry has wholly benefited. It’s trade has increased and it’s boundary’s expanded. The shops have improved and there is a greater air of business about it’s in

1879

Oswestry provides nine of the Welsh football team which plays England at the Kensington Oval

1879

Opening of Our Lady & St Oswald Catholic Church

1880

A ‘Potty’ Folly Fails. The Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway line from Shrewsbury to Llanymynech closes. Most of it’s other stations were miles from the villages they were meant to serve.

1881

Work commences on the construction of the Lake Vyrnwy reservoir, the aquaduct taking water to Liverpool passes under Oswestry

1884

Oswestry win the Welsh Cup for the first time

1884

First use of electric lighting at meeting of Oswestry & Welshpool Naturalists Field Club

1885

Death of Colonel Fred Burnaby, old boy of Oswestry School, at battle of Abu Klea

1888

Formation of Offa Field Club

1888

Laying of foundation stones of new English Calinistic Methodist chapel in Oswald Road

1889

Penuel Welsh Baptist Chapel built in Castle Street

1890

Castle Bank opened to the public as a recreation area

1891

Closure of New Trefonen Colliery, last pit in the Oswestry coalfield

1892

New Guildhall opens

1892

New English Baptist Chapel opens in Salop Road

1892

Electric lighting installed at The Quinta, the first in the area

1893

Birth of Wilfred Owen at Plas Wilmot

1893

Setting up of the Oswestry Electric Lighting & Power Company

1893

Extension of Penygwely reservoir to meet growing needs of the town

1895

Building of Town Baths in Victoria Street

1898

Slow Line for the Tanat Valley. The Light Railways Act of 1896 allows for cheaper railways by virtue of restricting the line speed to 25mph. The Tanat Valley Railway receives it’s Light Railway Order in this year.

1898

Building of Methodist Church at Castle Street crossroads

1898

Town acquires new steam fire engine

1899

Opening of new Primitive Methodist Chapel on corner of Chapel Street and Castle Street

1900

Children’s Convalescent Home opened at Florence House, Baschurch

1902

Masonic Hall completed in Roft Street

1904

Easier Access to Oswestry. The Tanat Valley Light Railway opens having been constructed by 125 men who shocked the locals by working on Sundays as well! It took some 1,600 tons of flat bottomed rail to complete the line.

1904

Unveiling of cross as a memorial to Rev. C.W.N. Ogilvy in St Oswald’s Churchyard

1904

Treasure trove of coins found near Brynhafod Lane

1904

Buffalo Bill visits Oswestry

1905

Birth of Herbert Roberts footballer

1906

Memorial Hall opens

1909

Roller skating rink built at the foot of Oswald Road, later used as the bus station

1910

Opening of Cae Glass park

1911

If You Don’t First Succeed…The Light Railways Act also creates the Shropshire and Mongomeryshire Light Railway which hopes to revive the long derelict line from Shrewsbury to Llanymynech with a grand opening in this year.

1912

Birth of Mary Hignett – Teacher, naturalist and author

1913

c. 1913 Opening of St David’s Church in Welsh Walls

1913

Birth of Barabara Pym – Novelist

1913

Birth of Ivor Roberts-Jones – Sculptor

1916

Brigadier General John Vaughan Campbell of Broom Hall receives the Victoria Cross

1918

Sergeant Harold Whitfield of Middleton receives the Victoria Cross

1918

Death of Wilfred Owen

1918

Park Hall is destroyed by a disastrous fire

1920

Issac Watkin’s ‘Oswestry’ is published

1920

Shropshire Orthopaedic Hospital founded – Agnes Hunt and Robert Jones move from Baschurch to the former military hospital at Park Hall

1921

Formal opening of what became known as the Shropshire Orthopaedic Hospital, using the former military buildings at Park Hall

1921

Opening of Woodside Municipal estate, Oswestry’s first council houses

1921

Opening of Oswestry Technical Institute in King Street

1923

Four Major Railways Born. Of the four the Great Western Railway absorbs the Cambrian Railway network of lines. A consequence of this is that Oswestry now has only one station. With the 1885 GWR terminus now being used for goods traffic.

1926

Herbie Roberts transferred from Oswestry to Arsenal

1926

Foot and Mouth Outbreak

1930

Birth of John Biffen – MP for Oswestry and North Shropshire 1961-1994

1933

Opening of the Regal Cinema by Dame Agnes Hunt

1932

Oswestry gets its first motor fire engine

1934

c. 1934 Street lighting changes from gas to electric

1934

Sir Henry Walford Davies appointed Master of the Kings Music, succeeding Sir Edward Elgar

1936

Traffic lights installed on Sun corner

1938

Woodside school opens, replacing former Holy Trinity school

1939

Oswestry Cottage Hospital, later the Oswestry & District Hospital, opens in Upper Brook Street, moving from Welsh Walls

1939

Excavation of Old Oswestry by W.J. Varley and B.H. St John O’Neil

1941

Coventry climax moves to Oswestry, setting up in the Cross market and in Victoria Road

1944

c. 1944 Birth of Julian Freeman-Attwood – Mountaineer and explorer

1945

c. 1945 Oswestry Corporation’s post-war house building starts on site adjacent to Liverpool Road West

1947

Oswestry Cricket club moves from Victoria Road to Morda Road

1948

Death of Dame Agnes Hunt at the age of 80. Her ashes are buried in Baschurch graveyard

1949

Demolition of Llanforda Hall

1951

Littlewoods opens

1952

Tanat Valley Railway closes

1955

Birth of Peter Edwards – Portrait artist

1955

Lord and Lady Harlech cease to live at Brogyntyn Hall

1956

News appears on the front page of the Advertiser for the first time

1956

Discussion begins regarding clearing of Oswestry ‘slums’

1957

Post Office National Network Management Centre established

1958

Formal opening of College of Further Education in College road

1959

Bailey Head pump is removed to make more room for market stallholders

1960

Finally The End is Nigh. The Shropshire and Mongomeryshire Light Railway closes permanently after use by the War Department. In the 94 year history of the line it had carried passengers for 34 years. While for 33 years had been totally disused.

1960

Cross Market demolished

1960

Advertizer published bi-weekly

1961

Foot and Mouth outbreak

1961

Oswestry library moves from Guildhall to former Art school in Arthur Street

1963

Produce and Retail market moves from The Cross to new Powis Hall market

1965

Llanfyllin railway closes as well as Whitchurch through Oswestry to Welshpool.

1966

Last scheduled passenger rail service between Gobowen and Oswestry

1967

Disastrous foot and mouth epidemic starts in October

1967

Local government reorganisation results in creation of the Rural Borough of Oswestry and reduction in powers of existing Town council

1968

Closure of Ifton colliery, the last in North Shropshire

1969

Last cattle market in town centre Smithfield and opening of new Smithfield on Shrewsbury Road

1969

Opening of Oswestry and Border Citizens Advice Bureau

1970

Demolition of Gas works in Victoria Road

1973

Demolition of Oak Street Tannery

1974

Local government reorganisation results in the Rural Borough Council becoming the Town Council

1975

Closure of Park Hall Camp

1975

Demolition of Plaza Ballroom in Oswald Road

1976

Opening of Leisure centre in College Road by Princess Ann

1976

Memorial Hall renovated

1978

Honeysuckle Wholefood Co-operative opens

1979

Laura Ashley factory opens on Maesbury road Industrial estate

1979

Demolition of Lloran House on corner of Upper Brook Street and Welsh Walls

1980

c. 1980 Broom Hall is demolished

1980

Oswestry twinned with Combs-la-Ville

1981

Demolition of towns last air raid shelter, Horse Market

1982

Morda House gutted by fire and demolished

1984

National Network Management Centre (BT) moves to Whittington House

1985

Kingswell Centre opens in Arthur Street

1986

The Quinta opens as the The Quinta Christian Centre

1987

Opening of  A5/A483 Oswestry Bypass and Mile Tourist Information Centre

1988

Stone trains run to Blodwell quarry until this date

1989

c. 1989 Bailey Street, New Street and Albion Hill pedestrianised

1989

1st Public meeting of the Wilfred Owen Association

1991

Ian Woosnam wins US Masters

1994

Closure of Regal cinema

2000

Brogyntyn Hall and estate put on the market by Lord Harlech

2000

Demolition of Oswestry & District Hospital building

2003

Oswestry Town Football Club merges with Llansanffraid TNS

2005

Unveiling of ‘Mile Oak’ sculpture at Plas Ffynnon Millennium Green

2006

Unveiling of restored stone fountain and market cross at the Cross

2007

Oswestry Bourough Council buys Shelf bank as open space and wildlife area

2008

Colin Francis Powell awarded the MBE for services to the Oswestry Talking Newspaper in Shropshire

2008

New Oswestry library opened by Frank Cottrell Boyce

2009

First steam train for more than 40 years runs on the Nant Mawr branch railway line

2010

Opening of Wilfred Owen Green

2010

Tant Valley Light Railway group win Pride of Shropshire Environmental award for their nature trails

2011

Opening of Oswald park active lifestyle centre in Shrewsbury Road

2011

Death of William Mostyn-Owen

2012

Opening of Oswestry Town Museum