Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 2 (of 2)Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
History
Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 2 (of 2)
Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography
_Seniores priores._ Let us commence with the first John Killigrew, of
importance, upon record. His brass, like that of the first Thomas, is
to be found in another little village church--St. Budock by name--near
Falmouth. Evidently a grim warrior, covered _cap-à-pied_ with plate
armour, and associated in the representation with his wife--one
of another good old Cornish family (now also extinct)--Elizabeth,
daughter of James Trewinnard of St. Erth. This John was a rich man,
his estate being worth no less than £6,000 a year; and he was the
first Captain of Pendennis Castle, built on his own ground, under his
own superintendence, and with the co-operation of Thomas Treffry of
Place (who, by the way, married Elizabeth Killigrew, John's sister),
in the reign of our castle-building King, Henry VIII. The same John
Killigrew was appointed in 1551, together with Sir William Godolphin
and Francis Godolphin, to survey the Islands of Scilly, and to build a
fort there; no doubt that which stands on St. Mary's Isle, and is now
known as Elizabeth Castle, with its inscription, 'E.R. 1593,' over the
principal entrance. He was, moreover, sheriff for the county, and in
that capacity wrote a letter, dated at Truro, to Cardinal Wolsey, on
the subject of a threatened French invasion. Not content with building
a castle for his King, John built (or rather rebuilt) for himself
(about 1571, according to Hals), Arwenack House, in such a style that
it was reputed the finest and most costly in the county at that time.
Little did he think that one of his descendants was to see it almost
entirely destroyed, either by Waller, or by the owner himself, to
prevent its falling into the enemy's hand, nearly a century later. Some
part of the structure still stands, and is used as a manor-office; and
here is preserved a conjectural restoration of Arwenack House in its
long-since-departed glory.
To him succeeded his son, Sir John Killigrew, Knight, as second captain
of the fortress. I find nothing further recorded of him, save that
he married one Mary Wolverston,[55] and that when he died on the 5th
March, 1584, he too was buried at St. Budock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account