History professor died in Cambridgeshire cottage, inquest opening hears

The professor died in January this year

An Oxford professor died at his home in Cambridgeshire, an inquest opening has heard. Professor Stephen David Baxter, 56, was a Baron Fellow and tutor in Medieval history at St Peter’s College for the University of Oxford.

Prof Baxter, who lived in Bourn, Cambridgeshire, died on January 16 this year. An inquest was opened into his death on Thursday (July 23) by Coroner Simon Milburn at Vantage House in Huntingdon.

Mr Milburn said that Professor Baxter was found dead at his home in Bourn. The coroner adjourned the case for an inquest to be held on November 10 and offered his condolences to the family and friends of Prof Baxter.

After his death in January, staff from St Peter’s College paid tribute to him. They described Prof Baxter as a “distinguished historian, a dedicated tutor and a generous colleague”.

The professor completed an undergraduate degree in modern history at Wadham College in Oxford, graduating in 1991. He later worked in London and spent three years as a research analyst with the PA Consulting Group, before moving onto Schroders in 1995.

He held many teaching positions throughout his academic career, including as a medieval history lecturer at King’s College in London. He was elected a Barron Fellow and tutor in Medieval history at St Peter’s College in 2014. In 2020, he was awarded the title of Professor of Medieval History by the University of Oxford.