Mary Wolverston facts for kids

Mary Wolverston, Lady Killigrew (born before 1525 – died after 1587), was a noblewoman from Suffolk, England. She married into an old Cornish family and was accused of piracy during the time of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).

Some historical records have mixed her up with other family members, like her husband's mother, Elizabeth Trewennard, or his granddaughter-in-law, Jane Fermor.

Her Family Background

Mary Wolverston was the daughter of Philip Wolverston, who was sometimes called a "gentleman pirate." Her family lived at Wolverston Hall in Suffolk. Before marrying Sir John Killigrew, she was the widow of Henry Knyvett.

Her Marriage

Mary married Sir John IV Killigrew (who died in 1584). He lived at Arwenack near Penryn in Cornwall. Sir John was the second Governor of nearby Pendennis Castle, a fort built on his family's land.

He also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lostwithiel in 1563. He was also an MP twice for Penryn, which was a "pocket borough." This meant his family had a lot of control over who was elected there.

Life as a Pirate (Sort Of!)

In the 1540s, King Henry VIII built Pendennis Castle on land that belonged to the Killigrew family. Mary's father-in-law, John III Killigrew, was the first governor of this castle. After he passed away, Queen Elizabeth I made his son, Sir John IV Killigrew (Mary's husband), the new governor.

Being the governor gave Sir John control over ships in the Carrick Roads harbour. This harbour is the third largest natural harbour in the world! It also gave him power along part of the south coast. Sir John used his important position to take goods from ships that came near his area.

In 1567, Arwenack House, the family home, was made stronger like a fort. It was used to store items stolen from ships. Mary and her husband even paid large amounts of money to officials. This was a way to bribe them so their illegal activities could continue. Mary was very involved in these activities. It seems she enjoyed the adventure more than her husband did!

One historian, Neville Williams, described Mary as a "tough and unprincipled businesswoman." He said she managed Arwenack House and even oversaw the hiding of treasure in her garden.

In January 1582, when Mary was in her 60s, she heard a rumour. It was said that a Spanish ship, the Marie of San Sebastian, had treasure on board. The ship was anchored right across from Arwenack House. Mary sent her servants to take the ship and search its cargo.

While it's unlikely she ever went on a raid herself, she was arrested. She was accused of receiving and selling stolen goods after the Marie of San Sebastian was seized. During the ship's capture, a conflict occurred when her raiding party boarded it.

Some of her family members were also included in the accusation. Mary was put on trial and sentenced to death. However, she eventually received a pardon from Queen Elizabeth I. Two of her helpers were executed, but Mary's son managed to get her released from prison. He did this by paying large bribes.

Her Later Years

Mary Wolverston, Lady Killigrew, passed away at an unknown date. She died in the parish of St Budock, Cornwall, where Arwenack House was located. She was still alive in 1587. At that time, her son John was accused of trying to stop more legal actions against her for piracy.

In Books and Stories

Sometimes, in books and stories, Mary Killigrew is confused with her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Trewinnard.

Lady Killigrew is a very important character in the historical novel The Grove of Eagles by Winston Graham. The title of the book, "The Grove of Eagles," is what the Cornish word Killigrew means. Her grandson, who tells the story in the novel, describes her as a woman who always wanted more wealth and power. He said, "she knew all she wanted and wanted all she knew." Another character in the book called her "that harsh and evil woman."

Her husband, Sir John Killigrew, also appears in Rafael Sabatini's book The Sea-Hawk. He is also in a series of German sea adventure books called "Seewölfe, Korsaren der Weltmeere." In these stories, he is usually shown as a villain.

Her Children

Mary and her husband had the following children:

• John V Killigrew (around 1557-1605). He was the oldest son and inherited Arwenack. He was also an MP and the third Governor of Pendennis Castle. He married Dorothy Monck.
• Thomas Killigrew, their second son, who passed away without having children.
• Simon Killigrew, their third son.
• Mary Killigrew, their oldest daughter.
• Katherine Killigrew (died 1598), who was the third wife of Sir Henry Billingsley (around 1538-1606). He became the Lord Mayor of London.