Sudeley History Timeline

1500-1600

1535

Sudeley Crown property – Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn visited the Castle from 21st-26th July. The King met with Thomas Cromwell at Winchcombe Abbey to plan the dissolution of the monasteries. Anne Boleyn investigated the Blood of Christ at Hailes Abbey

1547

Following the death of Henry VIII, his son, King Edward VI, granted Sudeley to his Uncle, Sir Thomas Seymour, appointing him Lord of Sudeley and later Lord High Admiral of England.

Seymour married Henry VIII’s 6th wife and widow, Katherine Parr, continuing a relationship which began before her marriage to the King.

1548

Seymour and Katherine moved to Sudeley which Seymour refurbished to accommodate his new bride. They were accompanied by Lady Jane Grey and the cleric Miles Coverdale, with maids-of-honour and gentlewomen-in-ordinary, more than 120 gentlemen of the household and Yeoman of the Guard.

On August 30th Katherine gave birth to a daughter, Mary, only to die on September 5th of puerperal fever. She was 36-years-old. She was buried in the Chapel of St Mary at Sudeley with Lady Jane Grey officiating as Chief Mourner.

1549

March 20th - Seymour was executed after being indicted on 33 counts of ‘Treason and other Misdemeanours against’ King and Crown. They included his courtship of the Princess Elizabeth who on hearing of his execution commented “This day died a man with much wit and very little judgement.” The history of Lady Mary Seymour, the child of this short-lived marriage, remains a mystery but she did not receive her rightful patrimony and never lived at Sudeley Castle.

1554

Mary I granted the Castle and manor of Sudeley to Sir John Brydges (who as Lieutenant of the Tower had attended Lady Jane Grey on the scaffold) creating him Baron Chandos of Sudeley.
His descendants held Sudeley for the next 100 years.

1572

Edmund 2nd Lord Chandos carried out extensive alterations and additions to the Castle.

1592

Elizabeth I visited Sudeley for the third time staying there with the 3rd Lord Chandos during her summer progress to celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the Armada. The three day celebrations have been described as one of the longest parties in history.