diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 958024ff0c8458e72aac1b04c539663649acab86..4210d09d2d481e2f40ec189a22f16c8b36bbb98f 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,82 @@
+Synapse 1.53.0rc1 (2022-02-15)
+==============================
+
+Features
+--------
+
+- Add experimental support for sending to-device messages to application services, as specified by [MSC2409](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2409). ([\#11215](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11215), [\#11966](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11966))
+- Remove account data (including client config, push rules and ignored users) upon user deactivation. ([\#11655](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11655))
+- Experimental support for [MSC3666](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3666): including bundled aggregations in server side search results. ([\#11837](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11837))
+- Enable cache time-based expiry by default. The `expiry_time` config flag has been superseded by `expire_caches` and `cache_entry_ttl`. ([\#11849](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11849))
+- Add a callback to allow modules to allow or forbid a 3PID (email address, phone number) from being associated to a local account. ([\#11854](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11854))
+- Stabilize support and remove unstable endpoints for [MSC3231](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3231). Clients must switch to the stable identifier and endpoint. See the [upgrade notes](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/develop/upgrade#stablisation-of-msc3231) for more information. ([\#11867](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11867))
+- Allow modules to retrieve the current instance's server name and worker name. ([\#11868](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11868))
+- Use a dedicated configurable rate limiter for 3PID invites. ([\#11892](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11892))
+- Support the stable API endpoint for [MSC3283](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3283): new settings in `/capabilities` endpoint. ([\#11933](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11933), [\#11989](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11989))
+- Support the `dir` parameter on the `/relations` endpoint, per [MSC3715](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3715). ([\#11941](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11941))
+- Experimental implementation of [MSC3706](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3706): extensions to `/send_join` to support reduced response size. ([\#11967](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11967))
+
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix [MSC2716](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2716) historical messages backfilling in random order on remote homeservers. ([\#11114](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11114))
+- Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.51.0 where incoming federation transactions containing at least one EDU would be dropped if debug logging was enabled for `synapse.8631_debug`. ([\#11890](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11890))
+- Fix a long-standing bug where some unknown endpoints would return HTML error pages instead of JSON `M_UNRECOGNIZED` errors. ([\#11930](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11930))
+- Implement an allow list of content types for which we will attempt to preview a URL. This prevents Synapse from making useless longer-lived connections to streaming media servers. ([\#11936](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11936))
+- Fix a long-standing bug where pagination tokens from `/sync` and `/messages` could not be provided to the `/relations` API. ([\#11952](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11952))
+- Require that modules register their callbacks using keyword arguments. ([\#11975](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11975))
+- Fix a long-standing bug where `M_WRONG_ROOM_KEYS_VERSION` errors would not include the specced `current_version` field. ([\#11988](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11988))
+
+
+Improved Documentation
+----------------------
+
+- Fix typo in User Admin API: unpind -> unbind. ([\#11859](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11859))
+- Document images returned by the User List Media Admin API can include those generated by URL previews. ([\#11862](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11862))
+- Remove outdated MSC1711 FAQ document. ([\#11907](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11907))
+- Correct the structured logging configuration example. Contributed by Brad Jones. ([\#11946](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11946))
+- Add information on the Synapse release cycle. ([\#11954](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11954))
+- Fix broken link in the README to the admin API for password reset. ([\#11955](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11955))
+
+
+Deprecations and Removals
+-------------------------
+
+- Drop support for `webclient` listeners and configuring `web_client_location` to a non-HTTP(S) URL. Deprecated configurations are a configuration error. ([\#11895](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11895))
+- Remove deprecated `user_may_create_room_with_invites` spam checker callback. See the [upgrade notes](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/upgrade.html#removal-of-user_may_create_room_with_invites) for more information. ([\#11950](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11950))
+- No longer build `.deb` packages for Ubuntu 21.04 Hirsute Hippo, which has now EOLed. ([\#11961](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11961))
+
+
+Internal Changes
+----------------
+
+- Enhance user registration test helpers to make them more useful for tests involving application services and devices. ([\#11615](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11615), [\#11616](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11616))
+- Improve performance when fetching bundled aggregations for multiple events. ([\#11660](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11660), [\#11752](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11752))
+- Fix type errors introduced by new annotations in the Prometheus Client library. ([\#11832](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11832))
+- Add missing type hints to replication code. ([\#11856](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11856), [\#11938](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11938))
+- Ensure that `opentracing` scopes are activated and closed at the right time. ([\#11869](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11869))
+- Improve opentracing for incoming federation requests. ([\#11870](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11870))
+- Improve internal docstrings in `synapse.util.caches`. ([\#11876](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11876))
+- Do not needlessly clear the `get_users_in_room` and `get_users_in_room_with_profiles` caches when any room state changes. ([\#11878](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11878))
+- Convert `ApplicationServiceTestCase` to use `simple_async_mock`. ([\#11880](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11880))
+- Remove experimental changes to the default push rules which were introduced in Synapse 1.19.0 but never enabled. ([\#11884](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11884))
+- Disable coverage calculation for olddeps build. ([\#11888](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11888))
+- Preparation to support sending device list updates to application services. ([\#11905](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11905))
+- Add a test that checks users receive their own device list updates down `/sync`. ([\#11909](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11909))
+- Run Complement tests sequentially. ([\#11910](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11910))
+- Various refactors to the application service notifier code. ([\#11911](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11911), [\#11912](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11912))
+- Tests: replace mocked `Authenticator` with the real thing. ([\#11913](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11913))
+- Various refactors to the typing notifications code. ([\#11914](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11914))
+- Use the proper type for the `Content-Length` header in the `UploadResource`. ([\#11927](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11927))
+- Remove an unnecessary ignoring of type hints due to fixes in upstream packages. ([\#11939](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11939))
+- Add missing type hints. ([\#11953](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11953))
+- Fix an import cycle in `synapse.event_auth`. ([\#11965](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11965))
+- Unpin `frozendict` but exclude the known bad version 2.1.2. ([\#11969](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11969))
+- Prepare for rename of default Complement branch. ([\#11971](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11971))
+- Fetch Synapse's version using a helper from `matrix-common`. ([\#11979](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/11979))
+
+
 Synapse 1.52.0 (2022-02-08)
 ===========================
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/11114.bugfix b/changelog.d/11114.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index c6e65df97f90dde984f837c9189b1fb9225871ec..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11114.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix [MSC2716](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2716) historical messages backfilling in random order on remote homeservers.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11215.feature b/changelog.d/11215.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 468020834b3dc1746c81991feb9dc570fb8eb62f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11215.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add experimental support for sending to-device messages to application services, as specified by [MSC2409](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2409). Disabled by default.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11615.misc b/changelog.d/11615.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index bbc551698d45e0c6993d4e40e53e1a198d51fe08..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11615.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Enhance user registration test helpers to make them more useful for tests involving Application Services and devices.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11616.misc b/changelog.d/11616.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index bbc551698d45e0c6993d4e40e53e1a198d51fe08..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11616.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Enhance user registration test helpers to make them more useful for tests involving Application Services and devices.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11655.feature b/changelog.d/11655.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index dc426fb658ac068f5880a8628537355340c68017..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11655.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove account data (including client config, push rules and ignored users) upon user deactivation.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11660.misc b/changelog.d/11660.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 47e085e4d9319f7cf918f89a49c5d9a95d7e1757..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11660.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve performance when fetching bundled aggregations for multiple events.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11752.misc b/changelog.d/11752.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 47e085e4d9319f7cf918f89a49c5d9a95d7e1757..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11752.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve performance when fetching bundled aggregations for multiple events.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11832.misc b/changelog.d/11832.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ff117d93326f05262924c73b869cc31b8374506..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11832.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix type errors introduced by new annotations in the Prometheus Client library.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11837.feature b/changelog.d/11837.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 62ef707123db215c8a215d3a58a2bf86e2ea9b2e..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11837.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Experimental support for [MSC3666](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3666): including bundled aggregations in server side search results.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11849.feature b/changelog.d/11849.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 6c6b57a774c008a0ac3858871b7a6db97bf047f3..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11849.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Enable cache time-based expiry by default. The `expiry_time` config flag has been superseded by `expire_caches` and `cache_entry_ttl`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11854.feature b/changelog.d/11854.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 975e95bc52e4646b5ee2a00a8d1aaab381143da2..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11854.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a callback to allow modules to allow or forbid a 3PID (email address, phone number) from being associated to a local account.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11856.misc b/changelog.d/11856.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d3a0030f77f7d0ec4c6278421ae7782820abfbd..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11856.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add missing type hints to replication code.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11859.doc b/changelog.d/11859.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index d903c8ddafa90ab138c19be032558fb2f8d1d84d..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11859.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix typo in User Admin API: unpind -> unbind.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11862.doc b/changelog.d/11862.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 98e32e7325bd92c0271f19a402935196f81631df..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11862.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Document images returned by the User List Media Admin API can include those generated by URL previews.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11867.feature b/changelog.d/11867.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 601705e0004e1b4bc2bf3d416a47a78a048be611..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11867.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Stabilize support for [MSC3231](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3231). Clients should switch to the stable identifier and endpoint.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11868.feature b/changelog.d/11868.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 3723dac4ea109ce8f01db6c35969e7c7f375c0ef..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11868.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Allow modules to retrieve the current instance's server name and worker name.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11869.misc b/changelog.d/11869.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 054fbf610140deeae58de412300590003a776f5a..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11869.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Ensure that `opentracing` scopes are activated and closed at the right time.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11870.misc b/changelog.d/11870.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 2cb0efdb456cfdc78f79acfaccb74fe181c9e2cc..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11870.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve opentracing for incoming federation requests.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11876.misc b/changelog.d/11876.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 09f2d0b67fd55a074772a622b7024b0a3f2a3dc5..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11876.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve internal docstrings in `synapse.util.caches`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11878.misc b/changelog.d/11878.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 74915a47dd25f4dfad55d73918021fe93ed8a50a..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11878.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Do not needlessly clear the `get_users_in_room` and `get_users_in_room_with_profiles` caches when any room state changes.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11880.misc b/changelog.d/11880.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 8125947b2a1712796c6da4bbcfb6e0e9cba29966..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11880.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Convert `ApplicationServiceTestCase` to use `simple_async_mock`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11884.misc b/changelog.d/11884.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index d679d6038fe97ad7c518a92fc8476861c8ddac53..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11884.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove experimental changes to the default push rules which were introduced in Synapse 1.19.0 but never enabled.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11888.misc b/changelog.d/11888.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index db1c9b8bbd0b0f14f3e1a2a9664046a5b01b4d54..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11888.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Disable coverage calculation for olddeps build.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11890.bugfix b/changelog.d/11890.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b696692e33239763a639d6766f14a2403f9bd85..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11890.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.51.0rc1 where incoming federation transactions containing at least one EDU would be dropped if debug logging was enabled for `synapse.8631_debug`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11892.feature b/changelog.d/11892.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 86e21a7f8454eec5d423286e78a4975782ae5bc1..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11892.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Use a dedicated configurable rate limiter for 3PID invites.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11895.removal b/changelog.d/11895.removal
deleted file mode 100644
index 5973d96a33408b04dfd67ed6215f5ceecaf46c1b..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11895.removal
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Drop support for `webclient` listeners and configuring `web_client_location` to a non-HTTP(S) URL. Deprecated configurations are a configuration error.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11905.misc b/changelog.d/11905.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f170cf01aa07462f586966f0d76cc4be337409d..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11905.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Preparation to support sending device list updates to application services.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11907.doc b/changelog.d/11907.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 345cb900548da8a04a671348fad8080696faa648..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11907.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove outdated MSC1711 FAQ document.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11909.misc b/changelog.d/11909.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index ffd3e5c6397c6fd605a8f3ac15a02b2dd163047d..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11909.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a test that checks users receive their own device list updates down `/sync`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11910.misc b/changelog.d/11910.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index d05130969f5b331600795c6f32bf6bc276118948..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11910.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Run Complement tests sequentially.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11911.misc b/changelog.d/11911.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 805588c2e96375ed164b38a01737e0e554b1f698..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11911.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Various refactors to the application service notifier code.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11912.misc b/changelog.d/11912.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 805588c2e96375ed164b38a01737e0e554b1f698..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11912.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Various refactors to the application service notifier code.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11913.misc b/changelog.d/11913.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index cb705603640a80927be40dd7809d2d3a59a87ed9..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11913.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Tests: replace mocked `Authenticator` with the real thing.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11914.misc b/changelog.d/11914.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index c288d43455f86a7f01f16feb2109be0ff87e4c46..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11914.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Various refactors to the typing notifications code.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11927.misc b/changelog.d/11927.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 22c58521c92c5e00c00abfd2f828e6df286bd3ac..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11927.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Use the proper type for the Content-Length header in the `UploadResource`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11930.bugfix b/changelog.d/11930.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index e0dfbf1a1520ea3e14e3cdea12dfcbe8bc610c20..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11930.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing bug that some unknown endpoints would return HTML error pages instead of JSON `M_UNRECOGNIZED` errors.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11933.feature b/changelog.d/11933.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b1b0d1786a69222e671e91d06063f166bb28f0d..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11933.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Support the stable API endpoint for [MSC3283](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3283): new settings in `/capabilities` endpoint.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11936.bugfix b/changelog.d/11936.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index bc149f280106fe983502979ab93583da644f8559..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11936.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Implement an allow list of content types for which we will attempt to preview a URL. This prevents Synapse from making useless longer-lived connections to streaming media servers.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11938.misc b/changelog.d/11938.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 1d3a0030f77f7d0ec4c6278421ae7782820abfbd..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11938.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add missing type hints to replication code.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11939.misc b/changelog.d/11939.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 317526f9efb44f58fda85e8f3c055747c2d41f3a..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11939.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove an unnecessary ignoring of type hints due to fixes in upstream packages.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11941.feature b/changelog.d/11941.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b5b11cb9f89dbe41e58c6098b5a2301b4707341..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11941.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Support the `dir` parameter on the `/relations` endpoint, per [MSC3715](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3715).
diff --git a/changelog.d/11946.doc b/changelog.d/11946.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index eedf035a3bf391cff010ac6e4b4f363b3f8629d1..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11946.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Correct the structured logging configuration example. Contributed by Brad Jones.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11950.removal b/changelog.d/11950.removal
deleted file mode 100644
index f75de40f2fa55a5560c8ba2fd34baa1b4ee3e064..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11950.removal
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove deprecated `user_may_create_room_with_invites` spam checker callback. See the [upgrade notes](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/upgrade.html#removal-of-user_may_create_room_with_invites) for more information.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11952.bugfix b/changelog.d/11952.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index e38a08f559d5671a9f28da7e68747f3fd56e88c9..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11952.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing bug where pagination tokens from `/sync` and `/messages` could not be provided to the `/relations` API.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11953.misc b/changelog.d/11953.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index d44571b73149a3b4bec666aa646a7689fd940c91..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11953.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add missing type hints.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11954.doc b/changelog.d/11954.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6e7b3908909fd334e9b88f179ad40800b2240d12..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11954.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add information on the Synapse release cycle.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11955.doc b/changelog.d/11955.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d93115f596eb1da23ad50b09089818b54ca59ef..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11955.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix broken link in the README to the admin API for password reset.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11961.removal b/changelog.d/11961.removal
deleted file mode 100644
index 67b86ac7c177fc1e435a1cdf5486e1d45fef9e26..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11961.removal
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-No longer build `.deb` packages for Ubuntu 21.04 Hirsute Hippo, which has now EOLed.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11965.misc b/changelog.d/11965.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index e0265e103ff235a02cbe39b2165b2301b7702507..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11965.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix an import cycle in `synapse.event_auth`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11966.feature b/changelog.d/11966.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 468020834b3dc1746c81991feb9dc570fb8eb62f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11966.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add experimental support for sending to-device messages to application services, as specified by [MSC2409](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2409). Disabled by default.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11967.feature b/changelog.d/11967.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index d09320a2906c86a71f8b7d11c91ffb6b79200d78..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11967.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Experimental implementation of [MSC3706](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3706): extensions to `/send_join` to support reduced response size.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11969.misc b/changelog.d/11969.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 60a12d4032eca661b5ab6529ae10390d84199ded..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11969.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Unpin frozendict but exclude the known bad version 2.1.2.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11971.misc b/changelog.d/11971.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e5bd8a393e105e209376cc7b7e3d1bfd5ce784f..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11971.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Prepare for rename of default complement branch.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11975.bugfix b/changelog.d/11975.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 076cb2b1e15224af5ae4dea582fdadd48a4dcb18..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11975.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Require that modules register their callbacks using keyword arguments.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11979.misc b/changelog.d/11979.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6edf3e029bd30b2130ad4df13d148157fb078467..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11979.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fetch Synapse's version using a helper from `matrix-common`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/11988.bugfix b/changelog.d/11988.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index ced10d0c8156f7f0da968f66ac9e01371a00a390..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11988.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing bug where `M_WRONG_ROOM_KEYS_VERSION` errors would not include the specced `current_version` field.
diff --git a/changelog.d/11989.feature b/changelog.d/11989.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 5975281a168e2737685dfb027c436e5c78085082..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/changelog.d/11989.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Support the stable API endpoint for [MSC3283](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/3283): new settings in `/capabilities` endpoint.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 64ea103f3e8fe3d67be86126aaf3f49feff8ab60..fe79d7ed57b94e400f84d450beddc0e3c947be8c 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.53.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New synapse release 1.53.0~rc1.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:40:50 +0000
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.52.0) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.52.0.
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index a23563937ad445e22677db31c5228f398771f0fa..2bf8eb2a11e46ee96c6f9559cc2a610ae751ca8f 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-__version__ = "1.52.0"
+__version__ = "1.53.0rc1"
 
 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