Bristol is an ancient area of South West England. The city of Bristol began as a town in about 1020 and was incorporated with neighboring suburbs in 1373, the first town in England to be given this status. Bristol County was also created at that time. Events listed for this place are from the time of Medieval England (1066-1485) and earlier; refer to the Bristol County, England place list for details and the events after 1485 The Bristol area has a very long history with events 300,000 (and possibly more) years ago. Archaeological finds of flint tools (made with the Levallois technique) indicate the presence of Neanderthals in the Shirehampton and St Annes areas of Bristol during the Middle Palaeolithic, and Iron Age hill forts are to be found near the city at Leigh Woods and Clifton Down, on the side of the Avon Gorge, and on Kings Weston Hill near Henbury. A Roman settlement, Abona, existed at what is now Sea Mills (connected to Bath by a Roman road); another was at the present-day Inns Court. Isolated Roman villas and small forts and settlements were also scattered throughout the area Bristol was a trading centre in 1020 with a mint producing silver pennies bearing its name. By 1067 Brycgstow was a well-fortified burh, and that year the townsmen beat off a raiding party from Ireland led by three of Harold Godwinson's sons. Under Norman rule, the town had one of the strongest castles in southern England. Bristol received a royal charter in 1155 and was historically divided between Gloucestershire and Somerset until 1373 when it became a county of itself. Bristol was the place of exile for Diarmait Mac Murchada, the Irish king of Leinster, after being overthrown. The Bristol merchants subsequently played a prominent role in funding Richard Strongbow de Clare and the Norman invasion of Ireland The port of Bristol developed in the 11th century around the confluence of the Rivers Frome and Avon, adjacent to Bristol Bridge just outside the town walls. By the 12th century Bristol was an important port, handling much of England's trade with Ireland, including slaves. There was also an important Jewish community in Bristol from the late 12th century through to the late 13th century when all Jews were expelled from England During this period, Bristol became a shipbuilding and manufacturing centre. By the 14th century Bristol, York and Norwich were England's largest medieval towns after London. One-third to one-half of the population died in the Black Death of 1348–49, checked population growth, and its population remained between 10,000 and 12,000 for most of the 15th and 16th centuries From the 13th to the 18th century, Bristol was among the top three English cities, after London, in tax receipts and was surpassed by the rapid rise of Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool in the Industrial Revolution [ source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol ]