diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 9a30a2e90..e9b5bb01a 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,73 @@
+Synapse 1.16.0rc1 (2020-07-01)
+==============================
+
+Features
+--------
+
+- Add an option to enable encryption by default for new rooms. ([\#7639](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7639))
+- Add support for running multiple media repository workers. See [docs/workers.md](docs/workers.md) for instructions. ([\#7706](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7706))
+- Media can now be marked as safe from quarantined. ([\#7718](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7718))
+- Add unread messages count to sync responses. ([\#7761](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7761))
+- Expand the configuration options for auto-join rooms. ([\#7763](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7763))
+
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Remove `user_id` from the response to `GET /_matrix/client/r0/presence/{userId}/status` to match the specification. ([\#7606](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7606))
+- In working mode, ensure that replicated data has not already been received. ([\#7648](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7648))
+- Fix intermittent exception during startup, introduced in Synapse 1.14.0. ([\#7663](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7663))
+- Include a user-agent for federation and well-known requests. ([\#7677](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7677))
+- Accept the proper field (`phone`) for the `m.id.phone` identifier type. The legacy field of `number` is still accepted as a fallback. Bug introduced in v0.20.0-rc1. ([\#7687](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7687))
+- Fix "Starting db txn 'get_completed_ui_auth_stages' from sentinel context" warning. The bug was introduced in 1.13.0rc1. ([\#7688](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7688))
+- Compare the URI and method during user interactive authentication (instead of the URI twice). Bug introduced in 1.13.0rc1. ([\#7689](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7689))
+- Fix a long standing bug where the response to the `GET room_keys/version` endpoint had the incorrect type for the `etag` field. ([\#7691](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7691))
+- Fix logged error during device resync in opentracing. Broke in v1.14.0. ([\#7698](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7698))
+- Do not break push rule evaluation when receiving an event with a non-string body. This is a long-standing bug. ([\#7701](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7701))
+- Fixs a long standing bug which resulted in an exception: "TypeError: argument of type 'ObservableDeferred' is not iterable". ([\#7708](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7708))
+- The `synapse_port_db` script no longer fails when the `ui_auth_sessions` table is non-empty. This bug has existed since v1.13.0rc1. ([\#7711](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7711))
+- Synapse will now fetch media from the proper specified URL (using the r0 prefix instead of the unspecified v1). ([\#7714](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7714))
+- Fix the tables ignored by `synapse_port_db` to be in sync the current database schema. ([\#7717](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7717))
+- Fix missing `Content-Length` on HTTP responses from the metrics handler. ([\#7730](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7730))
+- Fix large state resolutions from stalling Synapse for seconds at a time. ([\#7735](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7735), [\#7746](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7746))
+
+
+Improved Documentation
+----------------------
+
+- Spelling correction in sample_config.yaml. ([\#7652](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7652))
+- Added instructions for how to use Keycloak via OpenID Connect to authenticate with Synapse. ([\#7659](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7659))
+- Corrected misspelling of PostgreSQL. ([\#7724](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7724))
+
+
+Deprecations and Removals
+-------------------------
+
+- Deprecate `m.login.jwt` login method in favour of `org.matrix.login.jwt`, as `m.login.jwt` is not part of the Matrix spec. ([\#7675](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7675))
+
+
+Internal Changes
+----------------
+
+- Refactor getting replication updates from database. ([\#7636](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7636))
+- Clean-up the login fallback code. ([\#7657](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7657))
+- Increase the default SAML session expirary time to 15 minutes. ([\#7664](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7664))
+- Convert the device message and pagination handlers to async/await. ([\#7678](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7678))
+- Convert typing handler to async/await. ([\#7679](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7679))
+- Require `parameterized` package version to be at least 0.7.0. ([\#7680](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7680))
+- Refactor handling of `listeners` configuration settings. ([\#7681](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7681))
+- Replace uses of `six.iterkeys`/`iteritems`/`itervalues` with `keys()`/`items()`/`values()`. ([\#7692](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7692))
+- Add support for using `rust-python-jaeger-reporter` library to reduce jaeger tracing overhead. ([\#7697](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7697))
+- Make Tox actions work on Debian 10. ([\#7703](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7703))
+- Replace all remaining uses of `six` with native Python 3 equivalents. Contributed by @ilmari. ([\#7704](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7704))
+- Fix broken link in sample config. ([\#7712](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7712))
+- Speed up state res v2 across large state differences. ([\#7725](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7725))
+- Convert directory handler to async/await. ([\#7727](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7727))
+- Move `flake8` to the end of `scripts-dev/lint.sh` as it takes the longest and could cause the script to exit early. ([\#7738](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7738))
+- Explain the "test" conditional requirement for dependencies is not all of the modules necessary to run the unit tests. ([\#7751](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7751))
+- Add some metrics for inbound and outbound federation latencies: `synapse_federation_server_pdu_process_time` and `synapse_event_processing_lag_by_event`. ([\#7755](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7755))
+
+
 Synapse 1.15.1 (2020-06-16)
 ===========================
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/7606.bugfix b/changelog.d/7606.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 6c488c399..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7606.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove `user_id` from the response to `GET /_matrix/client/r0/presence/{userId}/status` to match the specification.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7636.misc b/changelog.d/7636.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index f93149502..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7636.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Refactor getting replication updates from database.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7639.feature b/changelog.d/7639.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index ca80fc0ca..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7639.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add an option to enable encryption by default for new rooms.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7648.bugfix b/changelog.d/7648.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index ff2417bfb..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7648.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-In working mode, ensure that replicated data has not already been received.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7652.doc b/changelog.d/7652.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index c3ebbeb26..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7652.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Spelling correction in sample_config.yaml.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7657.misc b/changelog.d/7657.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 384c05d2c..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7657.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Clean-up the login fallback code.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7659.doc b/changelog.d/7659.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d3458a35..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7659.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Added instructions for how to use Keycloak via OpenID Connect to authenticate with Synapse.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7663.bugfix b/changelog.d/7663.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index b58316b34..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7663.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix intermittent exception during startup, introduced in Synapse 1.14.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7664.misc b/changelog.d/7664.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index bbf090810..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7664.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Increase the default SAML session expirary time to 15 minutes.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7675.removal b/changelog.d/7675.removal
deleted file mode 100644
index 2500e2c57..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7675.removal
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Deprecate `m.login.jwt` login method in favour of `org.matrix.login.jwt`, as `m.login.jwt` is not part of the Matrix spec.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7677.bugfix b/changelog.d/7677.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index b63f04109..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7677.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Include a user-agent for federation and well-known requests.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7678.misc b/changelog.d/7678.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index ab612200c..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7678.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Convert the device message and pagination handlers to async/await.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7679.misc b/changelog.d/7679.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 7db94691a..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7679.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Convert typing handler to async/await.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7680.misc b/changelog.d/7680.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 46cd23257..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7680.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Require `parameterized` package version to be at least 0.7.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7681.misc b/changelog.d/7681.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index e474fc39c..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7681.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Refactor handling of `listeners` configuration settings.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7687.bugfix b/changelog.d/7687.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 0413aff0b..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7687.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Accept the proper field (`phone`) for the `m.id.phone` identifier type. The legacy field of `number` is still accepted as a fallback. Bug introduced in v0.20.0-rc1.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7688.bugfix b/changelog.d/7688.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ed718a08..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7688.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix "Starting db txn 'get_completed_ui_auth_stages' from sentinel context" warning. The bug was introduced in 1.13.0rc1.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7689.bugfix b/changelog.d/7689.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 10ad4c8c1..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7689.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Compare the URI and method during user interactive authentication (instead of the URI twice). Bug introduced in 1.13.0rc1.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7691.bugfix b/changelog.d/7691.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 2a8a480c5..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7691.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long standing bug where the response to the `GET room_keys/version` endpoint had the incorrect type for the `etag` field.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7692.misc b/changelog.d/7692.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index ef6cbe000..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7692.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Replace uses of `six.iterkeys`/`iteritems`/`itervalues` with `keys()`/`items()`/`values()`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7697.misc b/changelog.d/7697.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 345862b5a..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7697.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add support for using `rust-python-jaeger-reporter` library to reduce jaeger tracing overhead.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7698.bugfix b/changelog.d/7698.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 32de7459e..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7698.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix logged error during device resync in opentracing. Broke in v1.14.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7701.bugfix b/changelog.d/7701.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index e5b10f75f..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7701.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Do not break push rule evaluation when receiving an event with a non-string body. This is a long-standing bug.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7703.misc b/changelog.d/7703.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6e89897e4..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7703.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Make Tox actions work on Debian 10.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7704.misc b/changelog.d/7704.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 7838a613c..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7704.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Replace all remaining uses of `six` with native Python 3 equivalents. Contributed by @ilmari.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7706.feature b/changelog.d/7706.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index c6b3b20b5..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7706.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add support for running multiple media repository workers. See [docs/workers.md](docs/workers.md) for instructions.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7708.bugfix b/changelog.d/7708.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 03a41ca55..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7708.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fixs a long standing bug which resulted in an exception: "TypeError: argument of type 'ObservableDeferred' is not iterable".
diff --git a/changelog.d/7711.bugfix b/changelog.d/7711.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 180de0840..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7711.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-The `synapse_port_db` script no longer fails when the `ui_auth_sessions` table is non-empty. This bug has existed since v1.13.0rc1.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7712.misc b/changelog.d/7712.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f0987303..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7712.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix broken link in sample config.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7714.bugfix b/changelog.d/7714.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 78925d94d..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7714.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Synapse will now fetch media from the proper specified URL (using the r0 prefix instead of the unspecified v1).
diff --git a/changelog.d/7717.bugfix b/changelog.d/7717.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index bcbf146fe..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7717.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix the tables ignored by `synapse_port_db` to be in sync the current database schema.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7718.feature b/changelog.d/7718.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 17071b9ea..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7718.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Media can now be marked as safe from quarantined.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7724.doc b/changelog.d/7724.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 909e0345c..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7724.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Corrected misspelling of PostgreSQL.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7725.misc b/changelog.d/7725.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index f295a4552..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7725.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Speed up state res v2 across large state differences.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7727.misc b/changelog.d/7727.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 4d12d10fd..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7727.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Convert directory handler to async/await.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7730.bugfix b/changelog.d/7730.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 9da254b56..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7730.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix missing `Content-Length` on HTTP responses from the metrics handler.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7735.bugfix b/changelog.d/7735.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 86959a5ca..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7735.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix large state resolutions from stalling Synapse for seconds at a time.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7738.misc b/changelog.d/7738.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 424ac15d6..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7738.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Move `flake8` to the end of `scripts-dev/lint.sh` as it takes the longest and could cause the script to exit early.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7746.bugfix b/changelog.d/7746.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 86959a5ca..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7746.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix large state resolutions from stalling Synapse for seconds at a time.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7751.misc b/changelog.d/7751.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index eb10ecd92..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7751.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Explain the "test" conditional requirement for dependencies is not all of the modules necessary to run the unit tests.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7755.misc b/changelog.d/7755.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 1fc29206a..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7755.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add some metrics for inbound and outbound federation latencies: `synapse_federation_server_pdu_process_time` and `synapse_event_processing_lag_by_event`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7761.feature b/changelog.d/7761.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index c97864677..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7761.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add unread messages count to sync responses.
diff --git a/changelog.d/7763.feature b/changelog.d/7763.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 4a7563dad..000000000
--- a/changelog.d/7763.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Expand the configuration options for auto-join rooms.
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index 4d39996a2..f5cd8271a 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-__version__ = "1.15.1"
+__version__ = "1.16.0rc1"
 
 if bool(os.environ.get("SYNAPSE_TEST_PATCH_LOG_CONTEXTS", False)):
     # We import here so that we don't have to install a bunch of deps when