LEICESTER/ESSEX HOUSE

KEY EVENTS

c. 1570 - Lease of 'Paget Place' is granted to ROBERT DUDLEY - a property located on The Strand, with access to The Thames. Called Exeter House, belonging to the Bishops of Exeter prior to the Dissolution of the Monasteries, after which it had come into the possession of Sir William Paget (c.1540). 

c. 1575 - Completion of extension/modernisation of property acquired by ROBERT DUDLEY; is renamed as the synonymous 'Leicester House', becoming his official London property. 

06 Jun 1581 - Birth of ROBERT DUDLEY and LETTICE KNOLLYS' son Robert Dudley, Lord Denbigh, at Leicester House.

04 Sep 1588 - Death of ROBERT DUDLEY; ownership of Leicester House passes to ROBERT DEVEREUX as per his will, although widow LETTICE KNOLLYS retains right to reside, as well as contents of property - "my welbeloved Son in Law the Earl of Essex...not hurting the State of his Mother during her life".

c.Apr 1589 - Marriage of LETTICE KNOLLYS and CHRISTOPHER BLOUNT; known to have both resided at Leicester House following marriage.

Mar 1590 - Birth of PENELOPE DEVEREUX's first illegitimate child (from relationship to Charles Blount, Baron Mountjoy) - given name of Penelope Rich, and christened at nearby church of St Clement Danes on 30 Mar 1590.

c.1590 - Brief seizure of Leicester House by the Crown due to ROBERT DUDLEY's unpaid posthumous debts. 

1593 - LETTICE KNOLLYS relinquishes lease of Leicester House to son ROBERT DEVEREUX; is renamed "Essex House'. She continues to pay visits to Essex House when in London. 

1593 - PENELOPE DEVEREUX is allocated chamber at Essex House; continues to conduct affair with Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy here.

Late 1594 - Marriage of DOROTHY DEVEREUX to Henry Percy in London; entertainment/wedding festivities held at Essex House.

Jan 1598 - LETTICE KNOLLYS arrives from Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire, staying at Essex House, prior to attending Court for the first time since being banished in 1578.

Jan-Feb 1601 - Essex House is location for planned coup/'Essex Rebellion', involving conspirators including ROBERT DEVEREUX and CHRISTOPHER BLOUNT.

08 Feb 1601 - Conspirators march out from Essex House towards City of London in attempted rebellion/coup; are met by armed soldiers, and retreat to Essex House which is besieged by forces, later leading to surrender of participants, including ROBERT DEVEREUX and CHRISTOPHER BLOUNT.

25 Feb 1601 - Execution of ROBERT DEVEREUX at Tower of London; ownership of Essex House is passed to son Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex.
However, as his son is only 10 years old, Essex House is taken under control of by Essex's brother-in-law Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, who makes use of the house as the family's 'townhouse'.

29 Sep 1602 - Birth of Algernon Percy (later 10th Earl of Northumberland), third and eldest surviving son and heir of Henry Percy and wife DOROTHY DEVEREUX at Essex House.

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04 Nov 1605 - Thomas Percy, kinsman of Henry Percy and known conspirator of the 'Gunpowder Plot', calls at Essex House, following a visit to Syon House; this was hours before the plot was foiled, and Thomas Percy fled London.

07 Jul 1607 - Potential place of death of PENELOPE DEVEREUX - was said to have summoned the rector of the church of St Clement Danes, located directly opposite Essex House, which was still being used by DOROTHY DEVEREUX and family.