English Language Timeline By heyzzhey Period: 400 to Dec 25, 2012 English History Timeline 450 Earliest Old English inscriptions 597 St. Augustine arrives in Britain Dec 24, 660 “Cædmon's Hymn” composed Dec 24, 800 Beowulf Dec 24, 1000 The discovery of North America Dec 24, 1066 The Norman Invasion Dec 24, 1086 “Domesday Book” compiled Dec 24, 1167 Oxford University established Dec 24, 1362 English is used in English Parliament for the first time Dec 24, 1440 The invention of the Printing Press Dec 24, 1478 Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Dec 24, 1500 Start of English Renaissance Dec 24, 1539 “The Great Bible” published Dec 24, 1623 Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio Dec 24, 1765 The American Revolution