1620 Born in the family home of Wotton, Surrey, the younger son of Richard Evelyn
1620s Lives in Lewes, Sussex, with his grandmother; attends the town’s free grammar school
1637 Goes up to Balliol College, Oxford, as a Fellow Commoner, but leaves without a degree in 1640 and enrols reluctantly at the Middle Temple, London, to study law
1641 Spends some months in the Low Countries before returning to England, where the Civil War looms
1642 Briefly joins the king’s army
1643–7 Travels in Europe, through France, Italy and Switzerland 1647 Marries Mary Browne, daughter of Sir Richard Browne, the resident ambassador in Paris
1649 Execution of Charles I
1651 After several visits back and forth to England after his marriage, settles at Sayes Court, Deptford, at first sharing it with Mary’s uncle, and begins to lay out his garden there
1652 His first child, Richard, born; publishes The State of France
1656 Publishes his translation of the first book of Lucretius, De rerum natura
1658 Death of his son Richard, aged five; starts to translate St John Chrystostom’s Golden Book Concerning the Education of Children; publishes his translation of The French Gardiner by Nicolas de Bonnefons
1659 Publishes A Character of England
1660 Return of Charles II to England, where Evelyn witnesses his arrival in London
1661 Foundation of the Royal Society, with Evelyn appointed by the king to its council; publishes Fumifugium
1664 Publishes his discourse on arboriculture, Sylva, having previously delivered a talk on this topic to the Royal Society
1665 During the Dutch wars is appointed a Commissioner for the wounded and prisoners of war
1666 The Great Fire of London
1671 Appointed by the king to the Council of Foreign Plantations, and a year later adds Trade to its agenda
1672 Appointed Secretary of the Royal Society
1685 After the death of Charles II is appointed Commissioner of the Privy Seal under James II
1688 James II flees to France; William and Mary proclaimed king and queen
1691 With the death of his elder brother’s only son, Evelyn became the heir to Wotton
1693 Publishes his translation of La Quintinie’s The Compleat Gard’ner
1697 Publishes Numismata
1701 Treasurer of the Royal Naval Hospital
1706 Dies in London, buried at Wotton