CUMNOR PLACE
Medieval manor house in the village of Cumnor, Oxfordshire, approx 5 miles outside of Oxford, originally built for use of abbots of nearby Abingdon Abbey.
Leased by Robert Dudley in Dec 1559 as place for wife Amy Robsart to reside separately from him.
Place of death of Amy Robsart in Sep 1560.
KEY EVENTS
c.1330 - Building of Cumnor Place, six miles north of Abingdon Abbey; originally built as a 'summer retreat' for the Abbots of Abingdon Abbey, as well for use to escape disease etc. in the town.
c.1450s - Significant alterations made to Cumnor Place; continued to be used by the Abbotts of Abingdon Abbey.
1538 - 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' - Cumnor Place was surrounded to the Crown. Initially resided in by one of Abbey's Abbots, Thomas Rowland.
1546 - Cumnor Place granted to George Owen, King Henry VIII's physician.
1558 - Death of George Owen; son William Owen sells Cumnor Place to Anthony Forster.
Dec 1559 - ROBERT DUDLEY leases Cumnor Place from Anthony Forster esq. for wife AMY ROBSART to reside separately from him.
08 Sep 1560 - AMY ROBSART is found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs at Cumnor Place; suspicions immediately raised regarding circumstances of her death.
Following her death, Amy is embalmed, placed in a coffin, and her body moved to Gloucester Hall, Oxford.
09 Sep 1560 - Initial inquest into death of AMY ROBSART is opened at Cumnor; inquest is adjourned until 01 Aug 1561.
10 Sep 1560 - ROBERT DUDLEY's steward Thomas Blount also arrives at Cumnor, to support inquest and to complete own investigation into Amy's death, communicating with Dudley who remains at Windsor.
01 Aug 1561 - Inquest held at Cumnor following death of AMY ROBSART - "Lady Amy Dudley, late wife of Sir Robert Dudley, knight of most noble order of garter".
Inquest found her to have accidentally fallen when descending steps, and found to have had two wounds ("dyntes") to head and broke her neck with her own body weight with the fall, dying instantly.
c.1570 - Alterations made to the design of Cumnor Place by Anthony Forster.
1572 - Death of Anthony Forster, and is buried at St Michael's Church, Cumnor. Forster bequeaths "manor and lordship of Cumnor" to ROBERT DUDLEY (will dated 15 Nov 1572)
1810 - Demolition of Cumnor Place, after the house had fallen into ruin and disrepair. Materials used for rebuilding of nearby Wytham Church.
