About 960 to about 973 Aelfric was, possibly, the earliest abbot of the Benedictine foundation.
28/12/1065 Consecration of the church built by Edward the Confessor (born between 1002 and 1005 died 05/01/1066), fifteen years in construction.
25/12/1066 Coronation of William I, The Conqueror (1027-87).
13/10/1163 The beatified Confessor's body moved from his burial place by the high altar to a shrine prepared by Henry II (1133-89) in the presence of King Henry and Archbishop Becket.
1220 Abbot Humez starts the building of a Gothic Lady Chapel east of the Confessor's church.
1222 The abbey was made directly subject to the Pope, exempt from the authority of the Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury.
1245 The east end of the Confessor's church is demolished to commence Henry III's building.
By 1259 The eastern arm of the new church, the ambulatory, chapels, transepts and Chapter House are complete.
13/10/1269 The Confessor's body is translated from the shrine prepared by Henry II to that provided by Henry III (1207-1272) borne in procession by Henry, his brother and his sons.
1272 Henry III dies and work ceased with the western end of the Confessor's church joined to five bays of the nave of Henry's.
03/03/1376 Abbot Litlyngton laid the foundation stone for the westward continuation of the nave financed by Cardinal Langham (died 1376).
1376-1387 The western part of the Norman nave was demolished and new outer walls started.
By 1403 The columns of the western part of the nave were complete and the walls to the level of the triforium. with financial assistance from Richard II (1367-1400).
1413-22 Henry V (1387-1422) gave regular finance to the continuation of the construction and a surveyor of the work was Richard Whityngton.
Around 1450 Henry V chapel built and probably the altar screen.
1470 The Abbot Thomas Millyng gave sanctuary to Queen Elizabeth Woodville which caused her to have the St Erasmus Chapel built and Edward IV (1442-83) to provide finance for continuing construction.
1471-98 The nave is roofed and the West Window built.
1500-17 The vaulting of the nave and the glazing of the west window are completed.
1503 The foundation stone for Henry VII's chapel was laid following demolition of St Erasmus Chapel and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Pew.
By 1512 Henry VII's chapel complete.
By 1532 The Islip Chantry Chapels were completed.
1540 (19/01) On the dissolution of the monasteries this monastery was surrendered to the Crown by a deed dated this day which was signed by the Abbott Bacon and 24 monks. At this point Henry VIII made the abbey a cathedral church for which there was then a bishop, a dean and 12 prebendaries. during this time the shrine of Saint Edward was severely despoiled and the coffin removed.
1550 (29/03) The bishopric was surrendered and the diocese reunited with that of London within which it was a cathedral church.
1556 Queen Mary restored the Benedictine monastic foundation. During this period the coffin of St Edward was restored to the shrine.
1558 On the accession of Elizabeth I, Parliament gave all the religious houses revived by Mary to the Crown.
1559 (-/07) The abbot and monks were removed.
1560 (21/05) This is the date of the Foundation Charter of the Collegiate Church which removed it from the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London and placed it directly under the jurisdiction of the Crown. This is the present status of this Church.
1698-74 Restoration work under the guidance of Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) as Surveyor.
1745 The western towers were completed to designs by Wren modified by Nicholas Hawksmoor (1661-1736) and finally supervised by J. James.
1808-22 Henry VII's Chapel restored.
1849-1906 Sir George Gilbert Scott as Surveyor carried out restoration works particularly to the Chapter House.
1906-1973 The succeeding Surveyors J.L. Pearson and J.T. Micklethwaite carried out restoration particularly of the north transept.
1973 to the present. The Surveyor J.P. Foster has been responsible for restoration particularly to the north and south fronts.

O/S Co-ords:3006.7949
Source(s):

Westminster Abbey - Official Guide