Mary Wolverston, Lady Killigrew (before 1525 – after 1582), was a gentlewoman from Suffolk, married into an ancient Cornish family, who was accused of piracy during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
She was the daughter of Philip Wolverston of Wolverston Hall in Suffolk. [1]
Her second husband was Sir John Killigrew (d.1584) of Arwennack, near Penryn in Cornwall, Governor of nearby Pendennis Castle, built on the family's estate. He was MP for Lostwithiel in 1563 and twice for the family's pocket borough of Penryn, in 1571 and 1572.
She and her husband received, stored and fenced stolen goods at their home, Arwennack House. In 1582 she was arrested and sentenced to death after she sent her servants to seize cargo on a ship offshore. She was pardoned by Queen Elizabeth and released from prison.
Children:
John V Killigrew (c.1557-1605), Esquire, of Arwennack, eldest son and heir, MP, 3rd Governor of Pendennis Castle who married Dorothy Monck, a sister of General George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608-1670).
Thomas Killigrew, 2nd son, dsp.
Simon Killigrew, 3rd son.
Mary Killigrew, eldest daughter.
Katherine Killigrew (d.1598) 3rd wife of Sir Henry Billingsley (c.1538-1606) Lord Mayor of London.
Research Notes
Several sources have confused this lady with her husband Sir John IV Killigrew's mother Elizabeth Trewennard/Trewinnard and even with his grand-daughter-in-law Jane Fermor.
Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 15 January 1582 & 2 March 1582, which is a record of the official enquiry
Whitley, H. Michell, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, Vol.VII, 1881-3, pp. 282–7, Dame Killigrew and the Spanish Ship, re account of piracy of Mary Wolverston, wife of Sir John IV Killigrew (d.1584).
Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of Cornwall: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1530, 1573 & 1620; with additions by J.L. Vivian, Exeter, 1887, pedigree of Killigrew, pp. 267–71
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