1702 in England

Events from the year 1702 in England.  This year sees a change of monarch. 

Incumbents
 Monarch – William III (until 8 March), Anne (starting 8 March)
 Parliament – 6th of King William III (until 2 July), 1st of Queen Anne (starting 20 August)

Events
 20 February – William III falls from his horse, Sorrel, in Richmond Park after it stumbles on a molehill and breaks his clavicle. 
 8 March (19 March N.S.) – William III dies of complications following his accident; his sister-in-law Anne Stuart, Princess of Denmark, becomes Queen Anne of England. 
 11 March (22 March N.S.) – the first regular English language national newspaper, The Daily Courant, is published for the first time in Fleet Street in the City of London; it covers only foreign news. 
 23 April – coronation of Queen Anne in Westminster Abbey. 
 4 May (14 May N.S.) – War of the Spanish Succession: England, the Dutch Republic and the Holy Roman Empire declare war on France as part of the Grand Alliance. 
 8 May – Lord Godolphin becomes Lord High Treasurer at the urging his friend and political ally  John Churchill, Earl of Marlborough establishing the Godolphin–Marlborough ministry which will remain in power until 1710. 
 June – War of the Spanish Succession: Queen Anne's Captain-General Marlborough forces the surrender of Kaiserswerth on the Rhine. 
 July – general election results in victory for the Tories. 
 September – War of the Spanish Succession: Churchill forces the surrender of Venlo on the River Meuse. 
 27 October – English troops plunder St. Augustine in Florida. 
 October – War of the Spanish Succession: George Rooke fails to take Cádiz, but captures a Spanish treasure fleet and destroys French and Spanish warships. 
 23 October – War of the Spanish Succession:
 Churchill forces the surrender of Liège. 
 At the Battle of Vigo Bay, the Anglo-Dutch fleet defeats that of France and Spain. 
 December – Daniel Defoe publishes his satiric pamphlet The Shortest Way with the Dissenters (anonymously). 
 14 December – John Churchill is created Duke of Marlborough. 

Undated
 Castle Howard in Yorkshire completed, to the design of John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor. 
 George Sorocold erects machinery at Cotchetts' silk spinning mill in Derby, making it one of the earliest examples of a factory. 
 John Kersey publishes A New English Dictionary; or, a complete collection of the most proper and significant words, commonly used in the language. 

Births
 4 March – Jack Sheppard, burglar and escapee (died 1724)
 26 June – Philip Doddridge, religious leader (died 1751)
 5 November – Edward Stone, polymath (died 1768)
 Undated –  Benjamin Stillingfleet, botanist (died 1771)

Deaths
 8 March – King William III (born 1650 in The Hague, Netherlands)
 23 April – Margaret Fell, Quaker leader (born 1614)
 28 September – Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, statesman (born 1640)
 15 October – Frances Stewart, Duchess of Richmond, courtier (born 1647)
 4 November – John Benbow, admiral (born 1653)

References

See also

 
Category:Years of the 18th century in England