Katheryn of Berain facts for kids

Portrait of Katheryn of Berain by Adriaen van Cronenburgh around 1568. This painting is now in the National Museum Cardiff.

Katheryn of Berain (Welsh: Catrin o Ferain) was a well-known Welsh noblewoman. She was born in 1535 and passed away on August 27, 1591, at the age of 56. People sometimes called her Mam Cymru, which means "mother of Wales". She was famous for her four marriages and having many children, grandchildren, and relatives.

Katheryn's Early Life and Family

Katheryn is sometimes known as Katheryn Tudor. Her father was Tudur ap Robert Vychan, and her mother was Jane Velville. Her grandfather, Sir Roland de Velville, was thought to be a son of King Henry VII of England. He had a mother from Brittany.

Katheryn was a special young woman who was looked after by Queen Elizabeth I. She inherited important family lands in Denbighshire and Anglesey. These lands were called Berain and Penymynydd.

Katheryn's First Marriage: John Salusbury

When Katheryn was 22, she married John Salusbury. He came from the very important Salusbury Family of Lleweni in Denbighshire. Some people believe they might have married when they were very young. There is even a letter from young John Salusbury mentioning his wife while he was at school.

John Salusbury died in 1566. They had been married for nine years. Together, they had two sons:

• Thomas Salusbury (born around 1564 – died 1586). He was involved in a political plot and passed away young. He married his stepsister, Margaret Wynn. Their daughter, Margaret, later inherited the Berain estate.
• John Salusbury (born around 1565/1566 – died 1612). He married Ursula Stanley. One of their sons, Sir Henry Salusbury, became the first of the Salusbury Baronets. The famous writer Shakespeare even dedicated a poem to Katheryn's son, John Salusbury.

The Myddelton Arms in Ruthin. This building was built in the 1500s by Richard Clough, who worked in Antwerp.

Katheryn's Second Marriage: Sir Richard Clough

After her first husband died, Katheryn married Sir Richard Clough. He was a very rich merchant. He helped create the Royal Exchange in the City of London with his business partner, Sir Thomas Gresham.

Sir Richard Clough had lived in Antwerp, a city in Belgium. When he returned to Wales in 1567, he built two houses. They were called Bach-y-graig and Plas Clough. These houses were built in the style of Antwerp by skilled workers from Belgium. They were the first brick houses ever built in Wales!

Katheryn and Sir Richard Clough had two daughters:

• Anne Clough (born 1568). She married Roger Salusbury, who was a brother of Katheryn's first husband. Anne inherited the "Bach-y-graig" house.
• Mary Clough (born 1569). She married William Wynn.

The Cloughs lived in Antwerp for a while. It was there that Katheryn's portrait was painted. Sir Richard Clough died in Hamburg when he was forty years old. He was working for Queen Elizabeth I at the time.

Katheryn's Third Marriage: Maurice Wynn

Katheryn then married Maurice Wynn of Gwydir. He was a very important person, serving as the Sheriff of Caernarvonshire. When he passed away, Katheryn became an even wealthier woman.

Katheryn and Maurice Wynn had two more children:

• Henry Wynn, who married Blanche Vaughan.
• Jane Wynn, who married Simon Thelwall.

Katheryn's Fourth Marriage: Edward Thelwall

Katheryn's fourth and final husband was Edward Thelwall of Plas-y-Ward. He lived longer than she did.

Katheryn's Legacy

A Welsh poet named Robert Parry wrote a special poem when Katheryn died. Many famous people are her descendants. These include Hester Thrale and the explorer John Salusbury from the 1700s.