diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index e9f1bc698..2b98ab712 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import os
 import urllib
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from functools import partial
-from numbers import Number
 from time import monotonic
 
 import ago
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ from app.notify_client.template_statistics_api_client import (
     template_statistics_client,
 )
 from app.notify_client.user_api_client import user_api_client
-from app.utils import get_logo_cdn_domain, id_safe
+from app.utils import format_thousands, get_logo_cdn_domain, id_safe
 
 login_manager = LoginManager()
 csrf = CSRFProtect()
@@ -351,14 +350,6 @@ def format_delta(date):
     )
 
 
-def format_thousands(value):
-    if isinstance(value, Number):
-        return '{:,.0f}'.format(value)
-    if value is None:
-        return ''
-    return value
-
-
 def valid_phone_number(phone_number):
     try:
         validate_phone_number(phone_number)
diff --git a/app/main/views/history.py b/app/main/views/history.py
index 428d3b966..217177ff5 100644
--- a/app/main/views/history.py
+++ b/app/main/views/history.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from flask import render_template
 
-from app import current_service
 from app.main import main
 from app.utils import user_has_permissions
 
@@ -8,10 +7,4 @@ from app.utils import user_has_permissions
 @main.route("/services/<service_id>/history")
 @user_has_permissions('manage_service')
 def history(service_id):
-
-    return render_template(
-        'views/temp-history.html',
-        services=current_service.history['service_history'],
-        api_keys=current_service.history['api_key_history'],
-        events=current_service.history['events']
-    )
+    return render_template('views/temp-history.html')
diff --git a/app/models/__init__.py b/app/models/__init__.py
index 2574495e2..def264a98 100644
--- a/app/models/__init__.py
+++ b/app/models/__init__.py
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ class ModelList(ABC, Sequence):
     def model():
         pass
 
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.items = self.client()
+    def __init__(self, *args):
+        self.items = self.client(*args)
 
     def __getitem__(self, index):
         return self.model(self.items[index])
diff --git a/app/models/event.py b/app/models/event.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..43dfba627
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/models/event.py
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+
+from notifications_utils.formatters import formatted_list
+
+from app.models import ModelList
+from app.notify_client.service_api_client import service_api_client
+from app.utils import format_thousands
+
+
+class Event(ABC):
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        item,
+        key=None,
+        value_from=None,
+        value_to=None,
+    ):
+        self.item = item
+        self.time = item['updated_at'] or item['created_at']
+        self.user_id = item['created_by_id']
+        self.key = key
+        self.value_from = value_from
+        self.value_to = value_to
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def __str__(self):
+        pass
+
+    @property
+    @abstractmethod
+    def relevant(self):
+        pass
+
+
+class ServiceCreationEvent(Event):
+
+    relevant = True
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return 'Created this service and called it ‘{}’'.format(
+            self.item['name']
+        )
+
+
+class ServiceEvent(Event):
+
+    @property
+    def relevant(self):
+        return self.value_from != self.value_to and bool(self._formatter)
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self._formatter()
+
+    @property
+    def _formatter(self):
+        return getattr(self, 'format_{}'.format(self.key), None)
+
+    def format_restricted(self):
+        if self.value_to is False:
+            return 'Made this service live'
+        if self.value_to is True:
+            return 'Put this service back into trial mode'
+
+    def format_active(self):
+        if self.value_to is False:
+            return 'Deleted this service'
+        if self.value_to is True:
+            return 'Unsuspended this service'
+
+    def format_contact_link(self):
+        return 'Set the contact details for this service to ‘{}’'.format(
+            self.value_to
+        )
+
+    def format_email_branding(self):
+        return 'Updated this service’s email branding'
+
+    def format_inbound_api(self):
+        return 'Updated the callback for received text messages'
+
+    def format_letter_branding(self):
+        if self.value_to is None:
+            return 'Removed the logo from this service’s letters'
+        return 'Updated the logo on this service’s letters'
+
+    def format_letter_contact_block(self):
+        return 'Updated the default letter contact block for this service'
+
+    def format_message_limit(self):
+        return (
+            '{} this service’s daily message limit from {} to {}'
+        ).format(
+            'Reduced' if self.value_from > self.value_to else 'Increased',
+            format_thousands(self.value_from),
+            format_thousands(self.value_to),
+        )
+
+    def format_name(self):
+        return (
+            'Renamed this service from ‘{}’ to ‘{}’'
+        ).format(
+            self.value_from, self.value_to
+        )
+
+    def format_permissions(self):
+        added = list(sorted(set(self.value_to) - set(self.value_from)))
+        removed = list(sorted(set(self.value_from) - set(self.value_to)))
+        if removed and added:
+            return 'Removed {} from this service’s permissions, added {}'.format(
+                formatted_list(removed),
+                formatted_list(added),
+            )
+        if added:
+            return 'Added {} to this service’s permissions'.format(
+                formatted_list(added)
+            )
+        if removed:
+            return 'Removed {} from this service’s permissions'.format(
+                formatted_list(removed)
+            )
+
+    def format_prefix_sms(self):
+        if self.value_to is True:
+            return 'Set text messages to start with the name of this service'
+        else:
+            return 'Set text messages to not start with the name of this service'
+
+    def format_research_mode(self):
+        if self.value_to is True:
+            return 'Put this service into research mode'
+        else:
+            return 'Took this service out of research mode'
+
+    def format_service_callback_api(self):
+        return 'Updated the callback for delivery receipts'
+
+    def format_go_live_user(self):
+        return 'Requested for this service to go live'
+
+
+class APIKeyEvent(Event):
+
+    relevant = True
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        if self.item['updated_at']:
+            return (
+                'Revoked the ‘{}’ API key'
+            ).format(self.item['name'])
+        else:
+            return (
+                'Created an API key called ‘{}’'
+            ).format(self.item['name'])
+
+
+class APIKeyEvents(ModelList):
+
+    model = APIKeyEvent
+    client = service_api_client.get_service_api_key_history
+
+
+class ServiceEvents(ModelList):
+
+    client = service_api_client.get_service_service_history
+
+    @property
+    def model(self):
+        return lambda x: x
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def splat(events):
+        for index, item in enumerate(sorted(
+            events,
+            key=lambda event: event['updated_at'] or event['created_at']
+        )):
+            if index == 0:
+                yield ServiceCreationEvent(item)
+            else:
+                for key in sorted(item.keys()):
+                    yield ServiceEvent(
+                        item,
+                        key,
+                        events[index - 1][key],
+                        events[index][key],
+                    )
+
+    def __init__(self, service_id):
+        self.items = [
+            event for event in self.splat(self.client(service_id)) if event.relevant
+        ]
diff --git a/app/models/service.py b/app/models/service.py
index 7b43c53fa..341ecf6a7 100644
--- a/app/models/service.py
+++ b/app/models/service.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from operator import attrgetter
+
 from flask import Markup, abort, current_app
 from notifications_utils.field import Field
 from notifications_utils.formatters import nl2br
@@ -5,6 +7,7 @@ from notifications_utils.take import Take
 from werkzeug.utils import cached_property
 
 from app.models import JSONModel
+from app.models.event import APIKeyEvents, ServiceEvents
 from app.models.organisation import Organisation
 from app.models.user import InvitedUsers, User, Users
 from app.notify_client.api_key_api_client import api_key_api_client
@@ -632,6 +635,9 @@ class Service(JSONModel):
             if test:
                 yield BASE + '_incomplete' + tag
 
-    @cached_property
+    @property
     def history(self):
-        return service_api_client.get_service_history(self.id)['data']
+        return sorted(
+            ServiceEvents(self.id) + APIKeyEvents(self.id),
+            key=attrgetter('time'),
+        )
diff --git a/app/notify_client/service_api_client.py b/app/notify_client/service_api_client.py
index f247597be..8c45fb1b3 100644
--- a/app/notify_client/service_api_client.py
+++ b/app/notify_client/service_api_client.py
@@ -311,7 +311,13 @@ class ServiceAPIClient(NotifyAdminAPIClient):
 
     # Temp access of service history data. Includes service and api key history
     def get_service_history(self, service_id):
-        return self.get('/service/{0}/history'.format(service_id))
+        return self.get('/service/{0}/history'.format(service_id))['data']
+
+    def get_service_service_history(self, service_id):
+        return self.get_service_history(service_id)['service_history']
+
+    def get_service_api_key_history(self, service_id):
+        return self.get_service_history(service_id)['api_key_history']
 
     def get_monthly_notification_stats(self, service_id, year):
         return self.get(url='/service/{}/notifications/monthly?year={}'.format(service_id, year))
diff --git a/app/templates/views/temp-history.html b/app/templates/views/temp-history.html
index d817e9cea..6ca2b7764 100644
--- a/app/templates/views/temp-history.html
+++ b/app/templates/views/temp-history.html
@@ -10,96 +10,12 @@ Service and API key history
 
   {{ page_header("Service and API key history") }}
 
-  <div class="grid-row">
-    {% call(item, row_number) list_table(
-        services,
-        caption="Service history",
-        field_headings=['ID','Name','Created at','Updated at','Active','Message limit','Restricted','Created by id']
-    )%}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.name}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.created_at}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.updated_at}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.active}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.message_limit}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.restricted}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.created_by_id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-
-    {% endcall %}
-
-  </div>
-
-
-  <div class="grid-row">
-    {% call(item, row_number) list_table(
-        api_keys,
-        caption="API key history",
-        field_headings=['ID','Name','Service ID','Exiry date','Created at','Updated at','Created by id']
-    )%}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.name}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.service_id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.expiry_date}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.created_at}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.updated_at}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.created_by_id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-
-    {% endcall %}
-
-  </div
-
-  <div class="grid-row">
-
-     {% call(item, row_number) list_table(
-        events,
-        caption="Events",
-        field_headings=['ID','Event type','User ID','IP Address','Event data']
-    )%}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.event_type}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.data.user_id}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.data.ip_address}}
-      {% endcall %}
-      {% call field() %}
-        {{item.data}}
-      {% endcall %}
-    {% endcall %}
-  </div>
+  <ul>
+    {% for event in current_service.history|reverse %}
+      <li>
+        {{ event.time|format_datetime_relative }} {{ event.user_id }}<br />
+        {{ event|string }}
+      </li>
+    {% endfor %}
+  </ul>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/app/utils.py b/app/utils.py
index 9f3d9483e..dffa23ebe 100644
--- a/app/utils.py
+++ b/app/utils.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, time, timedelta, timezone
 from functools import wraps
 from io import BytesIO, StringIO
 from itertools import chain
+from numbers import Number
 from os import path
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
@@ -602,3 +603,11 @@ class PermanentRedirect(RequestRedirect):
     and Windows 8.1, so this class keeps the original status code of 301.
     """
     code = 301
+
+
+def format_thousands(value):
+    if isinstance(value, Number):
+        return '{:,.0f}'.format(value)
+    if value is None:
+        return ''
+    return value
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_history.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_history.py
index 21461d960..17e8ba7a7 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_history.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_history.py
@@ -1,8 +1,22 @@
-from tests.conftest import SERVICE_ONE_ID
+from tests.conftest import SERVICE_ONE_ID, normalize_spaces
 
 
 def test_history(
     client_request,
     mock_get_service_history,
 ):
-    client_request.get('main.history', service_id=SERVICE_ONE_ID)
+    page = client_request.get('main.history', service_id=SERVICE_ONE_ID)
+
+    assert normalize_spaces(
+        page.select_one('main').text
+    ) == (
+        'Service and API key history '
+        '11 November at 12:12pm 6ce466d0-fd6a-11e5-82f5-e0accb9d11a6'
+        ' Revoked the ‘Bad key’ API key '
+        '11 November at 11:11am 6ce466d0-fd6a-11e5-82f5-e0accb9d11a6'
+        ' Created an API key called ‘Bad key’ '
+        '10 October at 11:10am 6ce466d0-fd6a-11e5-82f5-e0accb9d11a6'
+        ' Created an API key called ‘Good key’ '
+        '10 October at 11:10am 6ce466d0-fd6a-11e5-82f5-e0accb9d11a6'
+        ' Created this service and called it ‘Example service’'
+    )
diff --git a/tests/app/models/test_event.py b/tests/app/models/test_event.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b48d88f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/app/models/test_event.py
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+import pytest
+
+from app.models.event import ServiceEvent
+from tests.conftest import sample_uuid
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('key, value_from, value_to, expected', (
+    ('restricted', True, False, (
+        'Made this service live'
+    )),
+    ('restricted', False, True, (
+        'Put this service back into trial mode'
+    )),
+    ('active', False, True, (
+        'Unsuspended this service'
+    )),
+    ('active', True, False, (
+        'Deleted this service'
+    )),
+    ('contact_link', 'x', 'y', (
+        'Set the contact details for this service to ‘y’'
+    )),
+    ('email_branding', 'foo', 'bar', (
+        'Updated this service’s email branding'
+    )),
+    ('inbound_api', 'foo', 'bar', (
+        'Updated the callback for received text messages'
+    )),
+    ('letter_branding', None, sample_uuid(), (
+        'Updated the logo on this service’s letters'
+    )),
+    ('letter_branding', sample_uuid(), None, (
+        'Removed the logo from this service’s letters'
+    )),
+    ('letter_contact_block', None, sample_uuid(), (
+        'Updated the default letter contact block for this service'
+    )),
+    ('message_limit', 1, 2, (
+        'Increased this service’s daily message limit from 1 to 2'
+    )),
+    ('message_limit', 2, 1, (
+        'Reduced this service’s daily message limit from 2 to 1'
+    )),
+    ('name', 'Old', 'New', (
+        'Renamed this service from ‘Old’ to ‘New’'
+    )),
+    ('permissions', ['a', 'b', 'c'], ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'], (
+        'Added ‘d’ to this service’s permissions'
+    )),
+    ('permissions', ['a', 'b', 'c'], ['a', 'b'], (
+        'Removed ‘c’ from this service’s permissions'
+    )),
+    ('permissions', ['a', 'b', 'c'], ['c', 'd', 'e'], (
+        'Removed ‘a’ and ‘b’ from this service’s permissions, added ‘d’ and ‘e’'
+    )),
+    ('prefix_sms', True, False, (
+        'Set text messages to not start with the name of this service'
+    )),
+    ('prefix_sms', False, True, (
+        'Set text messages to start with the name of this service'
+    )),
+    ('research_mode', True, False, (
+        'Took this service out of research mode'
+    )),
+    ('research_mode', False, True, (
+        'Put this service into research mode'
+    )),
+    ('service_callback_api', 'foo', 'bar', (
+        'Updated the callback for delivery receipts'
+    )),
+))
+def test_service_event(
+    key,
+    value_from,
+    value_to,
+    expected,
+):
+    event = ServiceEvent(
+        {
+            'created_at': 'foo',
+            'updated_at': 'bar',
+            'created_by_id': sample_uuid(),
+        },
+        key,
+        value_from,
+        value_to,
+    )
+    assert event.relevant is True
+    assert str(event) == expected
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index c37a4b8fb..ca097949f 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -3505,8 +3505,39 @@ def mock_get_service_and_organisation_counts(mocker):
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='function')
 def mock_get_service_history(mocker):
-    return mocker.patch('app.service_api_client.get_service_history', return_value={'data': {
-        'service_history': [],
-        'api_key_history': [],
+    return mocker.patch('app.service_api_client.get_service_history', return_value={
+        'service_history': [
+            {
+                'name': 'Example service',
+                'created_at': '2010-10-10T10:10:10.000000Z',
+                'updated_at': None,
+                'created_by_id': sample_uuid(),
+            },
+            {
+                'created_at': '2010-10-10T10:10:10.000000Z',
+                'updated_at': '2012-12-12T12:12:12.000000Z',
+                'created_by_id': uuid4(),
+            },
+        ],
+        'api_key_history': [
+            {
+                'name': 'Good key',
+                'updated_at': None,
+                'created_at': '2010-10-10T10:10:10.000000Z',
+                'created_by_id': sample_uuid(),
+            },
+            {
+                'name': 'Bad key',
+                'updated_at': '2012-11-11T12:12:12.000000Z',
+                'created_at': '2011-11-11T11:11:11.000000Z',
+                'created_by_id': sample_uuid(),
+            },
+            {
+                'name': 'Bad key',
+                'updated_at': None,
+                'created_at': '2011-11-11T11:11:11.000000Z',
+                'created_by_id': sample_uuid(),
+            },
+        ],
         'events': [],
-    }})
+    })