How best to implement error handling and timeout on WebView when loading a page?

I make use of WebView within my app. It seems to be a bit short on error handling and timeout handling, which occasionally results in, well... nothing - just a blank view.

How can I:
(1) get a status from the WebView telling me whether it is still loading the DOM, has loaded the DOM and rendered the view, has got an error (and what the error is) etc?
(2) get notified when the status in (1) changes
(3) specify a timeout on a WebView? (if I can identify whether it has been populated using (1) I can probably workaround this using a timer)

And, just in case I need it in future:
(4) access the DOM?

Many thanks,

John H.