Pre Roman times
It was known as Verlamion (meaning 'settlement above the marsh'), the capital of the Catuvellauni tribe. The settlement was established by their leader, Vasciovanus and was one of the first places in Britain to be recorded by name.

AD50: Granted the rank of municipium meaning that its citizens had all the right of the citizens of Rome

AD60: Queen Boudicca brought the community to a swift end when it was savagely raised to the ground.

AD79: The city recovers with a new basilica and forum being dedicated.

AD115: Disaster strikes again with a huge fire ravaging through the city, following which a large part of the city is rebuilt in stone with mosaic flooring.

The theatre was also built at this time.

AD 209: Alban, the first Christian martyr and Verulamium resident is executed for his beliefs.

AD 410: Emperor Honorius instructs the Britons 'look to their own defence.' This event is typically taken to meqan the end of the Roman period in Britain.

AD 429: Germanus, Bishop of Aixerre visits the shrine to St. Albans and writes of a still flourishing civic life within the Roman walls.

AD 450-500: Roman occupation ended.

5th century to mid 8th century AD: Little evidence has been recovered for this period. What evidence there is points toward a small settlement in the centre of Verulamium itself with a larger centre to the south of the Abbey.

Early 8th century AD: Bede refers to a late Roman church at Verulamium dedicated to Alban, stating that this building was standing at the time of writing.

8th century AD to 10th century: the focus of the settlement is on St. Albans itself and the settlement at Kingsbury. The remains at Verulamium (some presumably still standing) were slowly being robbed out for building materials, this practice continues until the 19th century AD.

c. 948 AD: St. Michael's church is built (on the site of the Roman Forum) and a small village grows up around it.

Throughout the late Medieval and Post-Medieval period the majority of Verulamium Park was being used for agricultural purposes or as a source of building material for the town at St. Albans.

1531 AD: John Leland records "That noble street, which is commonly called Waterlynstrete (Watling Street) was discovered...when sand was being sought for repairing the public roads."

1847 AD: R. Grove Lowe archaeologically excavates the Theatre. This is the first 'official' archaeological excavation that occurs in the Roman city.

1929: The park was bought from the Earl of Verulam by the then City Council. Construction began on the ornamental lake giving much needed work to the unemployed during the depression.

1930s: Excavations were undertaken in the park by Sir Mortimer Wheeler and his wife Tessa during which the 1800 year old hypocaust and its covering mosaic floor were discovered.

1939: The first Verulamium museum is open to the public.

1955-1961: Excavations undertaken by Shephard Frere uncover traces of the fires from the Boudiccan revolt and provide a wealth if information on the Roman Town

1960s and 70s: Water extraction upstream creates serious problems for the River Ver, which runs through the park.

2007 - Verulamium Park Receives Heritage Lottery Funding to undertake a Conservation Management Plan and improve the facilities in the park.

The Landscape Partnership in London is commissioned to undertake this project.

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