• 7 January – The first recorded full peal is rung, at
St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in the
City of London, marking a new era in
change ringing. • March –
London, Quo Warranto Judgment Reversed Act 1689 ("An Act for Reversing the Judgment in a
Quo Warranto against the City of London and for Restoreing the City of London to its antient Rights and Privileges") passed by Parliament. • 20 May – The Act of Grace passed, forgiving followers of the deposed
James II. • 30 June –
War of the Grand Alliance:
Battle of Beachy Head:
French naval victory over the English and
Dutch. • 1 July (
O.S.) –
Battle of the Boyne in
Ireland:
William III defeats the deposed
James II who returns to exile in France. • 25 July – War of the Grand Alliance: French raiders burn
Teignmouth in
Devon. • 24 August – In
India,
Sutanuti – which later becomes
Kolkata – is founded by
Job Charnock of the
English East India Company. • December – Earliest recorded sighting of the planet
Uranus, by
John Flamsteed, who mistakenly catalogues it as the
star 34
Tauri. • 10 December – Playwright
Henry Nevil Payne is tortured for his role in the
Montgomery Plot to restore
James II to the throne, the last time a political prisoner is subjected to torture in Britain. • Quakers
John Freame and Thomas Gould form a partnership as bankers in the City of London, origin of
Barclays. • Probable date – Planting of
Hampton Court Maze. ==Publications==