Have you ever felt the weight of history pressing down? Right here before you stands St Michael’s Church Cumnor a place where centuries whisper secrets through weathered stone. This isn’t just any church. It’s a living testament to time a blend of Norman solidity and Saxon whispers.
St Michael’s Church Cumnor boasts a near-complete Norman structure. Notice the tower? It’s a truly remarkable example of Norman architecture. But look closer. Parts of the walls reveal a much older story. There are remnants of Saxon construction. A small blocked doorway and a scratch dial on the south side are evidence of this even older past. These details hint at lives lived centuries before the Normans arrived.
Step inside. The church’s interior is as compelling as its exterior. The first thing you’ll notice is an unusual statue of Queen Elizabeth I. It originally resided in the now-demolished Cumnor Place. Nearby carved corbels bear smiling faces. One is strikingly similar to Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat. The choir stalls are exquisite examples of craftsmanship. They are the best of the church’s many features. Sadly there are no misericords. The pulpit is a unique double-decker design. Don’t be fooled by the font. It looks medieval but dates only to 1840. A spiral staircase dating back to the 17th century leads to the tower’s upper levels.
The large south chapel holds a special significance. It was associated with the manor house of Cumnor Place. This manor was once the main country retreat for the Abbots of Abingdon. Two of these Abbots are buried here under medieval arches within the chapel’s south wall. These are probably William de Cumnor who died in 1334 and one of his successors.
The church also contains brasses belonging to three Williams sisters. They were nieces of Queen Elizabeth’s Master of the Royal Jewels Lord Williams of Thame. One sister lies under the large reused canopied monument to the left of the altar. She is buried there with her husband Tony Forster. Interestingly their family hailed from Shropshire not related to the Forsters of Aldermaston. The couple were renting Cumnor Place. Later they purchased it. It was during their tenancy that Amy Robsart the Earl of Leicester’s wife visited in 1560. Her tragic death at the foot of the stairs is a dark tale closely tied to the history of Cumnor Place.
Explore further. You’ll discover more remarkable stories. There’s the high Victorian alabaster monument to Sir William Wilson Hunter. It may have been inspired by the Forster monument. But it’s the unassuming mural monument in the nave that truly captivates. It commemorates Norris Hodson. A possible descendant of Lord Williams’ daughter Margery and her husband Lord Norreys. He met a tragic end during a disastrous British expedition to harass the Spanish in South America in 1740.
St Michael’s Church Cumnor is more than just stones and mortar. It’s a place where history and faith intertwine creating a narrative as rich and layered as the building itself. Leave here having felt the echoes of past lives and stories waiting to be rediscovered.