Helen Allinson devised this chronology in 2003 for a talk she gave that year. It gives a ‘pocket history’ a skeleton if you like which can then be built on.

c50BC–AD43   Hill fort on playstool
5BC–AD43   Coins buried at Heart Delight
AD43–400   Roman villa at Sutton Baron
c5–6thC   Settlement from Milton royal estate
11thC   Norman church and hall built
1173   Church given by the Borden family to Leeds Priory
1214   First known written reference to Chestnut Street
1254   First known written reference to Oad Street
1381   Borden men involved in Wat Tyler rebellion
1450   Borden men involved in Cade rebellion
1615   First church clock made
1618–44   Wilnar brothers casting bells
1673   Michael Goodlad’s house left to parish, became poor house
1640–96   Life of Robert Plot, first curator of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
1707   Death of William Barrow, start of Barrow Trust
1830–1   Swing Riots, Westlands farm destroyed
1835   Union workhouse opens at Milton
1838   Rev George Musgrave became vicar
1844   Village school built
1858   Oad Street Methodist chapel built
1861   Restoration of the church starts under Rev Hannam
1863   Primitive Methodist chapel opens at Key Street
1867   Key Street Wesleyan chapel opens
1878   Barrow School opens in Riddles Road
1914–18   20 Borden men killed during the war
1929   Barrow School moves to Sittingbourne as Borden Grammar School
1930   Barrow school building in Riddles Road becomes Kent Farm Institute
1939–45   8 Borden men killed during the war
1963   M2 opens
1966   Barrow school building becomes Sittingbourne teacher training college
1971   The Street declared a conservation area
1980   Barrow school building becomes Adult Education Centre
1981   First Key Street roundabout built
1987   Parish Hall opens
1988   Hengist Field office block ‘I am ugly’ built
1989   Mountview redeveloped
2000   Village shop closed
2001   Friends of Borden church founded
2022   Applegate Park development started