Lady Caitlin Christiana Wintour
A Gentlewoman in 15th Century England

Caitlin Christiana Wintour is a widowed English gentlewoman living in Herefordshire in the year 1482. She is the widow of Hugh Wintour, a wealthy English gentleman who died at the Battle of Tewkesbury fighting for the Yorkist King Edward IV. Fortunately for his family, Hugh died defending the winning side.

"The Kynge apprailed hymslfe, and all his hooste set in good array: ordeined three wards: displayed his bannars: dyd blowe up the trompets: commytted his caws and qwarell to Almyghty God, to owr most blessyd lady his mother: Vyrgyn Mary, the glorious Seint George, and all the saynts: and advaunced, directly upon his enemyes: approachinge to thier filde, which was strongly in a marvaylows strong grownd pyght, full difficult to be assayled."

Hugh's widow Caitlin benefited from the gratitude of the victorious King. Caitlin has one child, an eight-year-old son named Alaric Wintour. She has sole guardianship of Alaric and the Wintour estates.

Caitlin lives in Hugh's ancestral home of Brehill in western Herefordshire, just across the River Wye and the Welsh Marches. The family has other holdings in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Wales.

Historical Background: The Wars of the Roses
The noble Mortimer family has extensive holdings in Herefordshire. In 1406, Lady Anne Mortimer married the Duke of York. Their son, Richard Plantaganet, was the Yorkist claimant to the throne. During the ensuing Wars of the Roses, Richard fought the Lancastrian Henry VI for the throne of England, but died in the years of fighting that followed. Richard's son Edward Plantaganet, Anne Mortimer's grandson, took up the fight.

English nobles and gentry fought on both sides through a series of battles. In 1460, Edward defeated Henry VI at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross, not far from the Mortimer family seat of Wigmore Castle. Edward imprisoned Henry VI and was crowned king in 1461. But the Lancastrian cause refused to die. Led by Henry's formidable Queen Margaret and her son Edward, the Lancastrians mounted a major attack on Edward's army in 1469 at Edgecote Manor. King Edward lost that battle but escaped to Holland where his brother-in-law Charles the Bold of Burgundy promised him military aid. Just two years later Edward returned to England where he attacked and defeated the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury in 1471. Henry VI's son Edward died in battle and the Yorkist forces captured Queen Margaret and imprisoned her and Henry VI. (Henry shortly died thereafter in mysterious circumstances.)

Persona Story
The Wintours have seen their fortunes rise and fall - and rise again - along with the Mortimers. Hugh Wintour fought for Richard Plantaganet and then for his son Edward, and followed Edward IV to exile at Charles the Bold's court. Hugh then returned with Edward IV and fought and died at Tewkesbury in 1471. Fortunately for Caitlin Wintour, King Edward was to remember his friend's loyalty. In gratitude for Hugh's faithful service in England and in exile, and in memory of the strong Mortimer/Wintour friendship, Edward settled estates on Hugh's young son Alaric, upheld Caitlin's rights to her dower lands, and gave her leave to administer the manor and raise her young son.

Marriage and Family
Hugh and Caitlin made an acceptable marriage contract, but theirs was also a marriage of love. Hugh had already considered other suitable young women when he and Caitlin met. He felt a bond of attraction to her he did not feel to the others. (Affection was not a reason to marry in the 15th century but was a significant element in choosing the marriage partner.) Caitlin was not his best marriage prospect - other women would bring greater dowries, and at 27 Caitlin was considered far too old for a first marriage - but her family was good and he decided to pursue the match. He ventured to write her a letter in 1466.

Mistress, though so be that I, unacquainted with you as yet, take up on me to be thus bold as to write on to you without your knowledge and leave, yet, mistress, for such poor service as I now in my mind owe you, purposing, yet not displeased, during my life to continue the same, I beseech you to pardon my boldness, and not to disdain, but to accept this simple letter to recommend me to you in such wise as I best can or may imagine to your most pleasure.

Caitlin happily accepted Hugh's offer, although it took some time to work out the marriage contract. But the two were determined to marry and the courtship continued. Caitlin sent Hugh a love letter on Valentine's Day 1467.

Right reverent and worshipful, and my right well beloved Valentine, I recommend me unto you, full heartily desiring to hear of your welfare, which I beseech Almighty God long for to preserve unto His pleasure, and your heart's desire. And if it please you to hear of my welfare, I am not in good health of body, nor of heart, nor shall be until I hear from you.

They were married within the year, but the marriage was not destined to last.

Caitlin gave birth to Alaric in 1468. Just a year later Hugh left to fight alongside King Edward at Edgecote Manor, and they were separated for the next two years when Hugh fled to the court of Burgundy with the King. When Hugh returned in 1471 the King gave him leave to stop briefly at Brehill and see his wife. It was the last time they would be together, for Hugh died a week later at the Battle of Tewkesbury.

If a remarriage had been advantageous to Caitlin she would have considered it. But the disadvantages outweighed the advantages: Alaric would inherit all of Hugh's properties, including Caitlin's dower lands after her death. (Hugh had settled dower lands and incomes on her up to nearly half of his estate - he was only legally required to settle one third, a testament to his trust in her good judgment.) Her own dowry lands were too small to make her an attractive marriageable prospect, and at 40 she was considered far too old to bear more children.

There were other considerations too. She had been fortunate to have a good deal of affection towards her first husband, and he had left her quite comfortable. Also, St. Paul and the Church suggested to widows that they stay as they are to better serve God, and Caitlin - ever the devout Christian - is inclined to agree.

The Lady of the Manor
Brehill Manor holds 1700 acres of Herefordshire farmland and woodlands. Close to the market town of Bromyard and to the Welsh Marches, Brehill's woodland overlooks the Teme Valley and Herefordshire countryside.

Brehill is a moated manor house built in 1392 by John Wintour. The manor was built in a wooded and isolated spot in the unsettled country of the Welsh Marches, and John protected house and cattle by encircling the manor with a moat. In Caitlin's time the Welsh Marches are quieter and the Wars of the Roses seem to be over, but she keeps the moat filled. This is both for defense and for practical reasons -- along with a complex of connected fish ponds and feeders, the moat provides fish to the household. Brehill also maintains an enclosed wheat farm. The manor uses about a third for seed, sells a third and keeps a third for domestic use. Brehill also quarries the local sandstone and lime from the surrounding hills.

Not that things were entirely quiet on the border. In 1475, the 13-year-old Prince of Wales was ensconced at Ludlow with his court. He and his retainers were concerned enough with Welsh violence to write to the Shrewsbury bailiffs from Ludlow on June 8, 1475. The Prince of Wales, young Prince Edward, wrote:

"Whereas there have been perpetrated great and heinous complaints of robberies, murders, manslaughters, ravishing of women, burning of houses by the inhabitants of the Marches and now of late by errant thieves and rebellious of Oswestry hundred and Chirksland; for redress of same I am commanded to assemble the people to punish the misdoers, and I entrust Thomas, marquis of Dorset and Richard Grey, knight, to do the same. Therefore all men in your bailiwick between 60 and 16 should array themselves as oon as possible."

The Brehill pastures hold Pearmain apple orchards, perfect for making apple cider. The fruit is brought down the slopes to the presses in the park and the juice carted away to produce fine cider. The manor of Brehill pays the Royal Exchequer 200 Pearmains and 4 hogsheads of cider every year.

Since Caitlin keeps her park for the apple orchards, she does not have a deerpark like many of her manorial neighbors. The manor does have the right of free warren from the Crown so she and Alaric can freely hunt the numerous fox, rabbit, hare, badgers and red squirrels.

Brehill raises cattle for milk and beef and sheep for wool. The cattle - large red English shorthorns - are kept for dairy and breeding until their adulthood at five to eight years, and are then driven down the drove road to market in Bromyard.

Caitlin and the Church

Another vital part of Caitlin's life is the church. Caitlin is devout and attends daily Matins and Vespers at the nearby manorial church that the Wintours built in the 12th century. As patrons of the church, the Wintours have the right of the advowson: to nominate (and support) the rector. Caitlin is aware that the Church is not perfect - the Western Schism between the popes of Avignon and Rome just ended in this century, and Caitlin heard that the sale of indulgences in Europe appears to be funding large-scale building programs. But Caitlin considers these facts to pale in light of her personal devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Once a year Caitlin makes a retreat at Dore Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey about 20 miles east of Brehill. Dore Abbey has a good reputation and Caitlin has left them a bequest in her will, including 10 pounds to a respectable priest to sing the Gregorian trental (the Cistercian liturgy of the dead) for her soul. She has also willed generous amounts to other local churches. She cannot say the same about Wigmore Abbey, which is close to the Mortimer's family seat at Wigmore Castle. Although the Wintours are anxious to maintain good relations with the powerful Mortimers, Wigmore Abbey is notorious for its lax monastic standards. Caitlin has remembered Dore in her will but not Wigmore.

Manor Court Rolls
With the help of manorial staff, Caitlin manages her household duties as she did before Hugh's death. The entire Wintour staff is spread over 4 estates in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Wales. Brehill is the family seat and by far the largest manor, so its staff includes a steward who travels between and oversees all of the Wintour estates, 1 reeve who is responsible for Brehill (the Wintours employ 3 more for their other houses), 1 hayward, 5 shepherds, 4 drovers, 3 carters, 6 ploughmen, 5 dairymen and 4 cowmen. The manor house also employs a housekeeper, cook, baker and 6 household servants. The servants are paid in money.`

Since Caitlin can read Latin, she spends regular time reviewing manorial documents with the reeve Philip Darcy and the steward Edward Greene. The documents include records of tenants so that rents and services are properly collected. Rentals list the names of tenants, the nature of their tenancy, and the rents and services due. She reviews similar records describing the property and the manor. In times of uncertain political and property safety, it's important to record exactly which land belongs to the manor.

Payment (or non-payment) of rent and lease changes are regularly entered in the records of the manor court. These are written on strips of parchment which were then rolled up for storage and known as manorial court rolls. Tenants also receive a copy of these records. Caitlin then turns her attention to the court rolls containing information on the manor customs (bylaws), local disputes over nuisances, trespass, petty thefts and other minor crimes, the payment of dues and services, and fines for not attending the manorial court. The reeve or steward run the court, but Caitlin must approve their findings.

The manor also keeps separate accounts on income and expenditure and on the general workings of the manor. Caitlin smiles when she reviews these with the steward. She misses her husband, but his family wealth - and the gratitude of the King he served - have generously provided for her, for Brehill Manor and for her young son's future.

For further study

Wonderful article on period entertainments by a professor of history and Richard III buff

Bibliography
Arkwright Manorial Records A63. (1344). Manorial court record from Manor of Pencombe. Retrieved Feb. 2005 from www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/education/Medieval_Countryside.htm.

Calendar of Plea and Memoranda Rolls of the City of London. (1458-1482). Philip Jones, ed. (1961). Cambridge: University Press.

Cragoe, Carol Davidson, Ph.D. (2002). "Abbeys and Cathedrals." BBC History Trail: Church and State. Retrieved Feb. 2005 from www.bbc.co.uk/history/lj/churchlj/cathedral_10.shtml.

Gies, Frances and Joseph. (1987). The Family in the Middle Ages. New York: Harper and Row.

Gies, Joseph. (1979). Life in a Medieval Castle. New York: Harper and Row.

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Herefordshire Sites and Monuments Database (SMR). (2002). Maintained by the Herefordshire Council. Searched Feb. 2005 from www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/db.php.

History of the Arrival of Edward IV in England and the Final Recovery of His Kingdoms from Henry VI. (15th century). Author unknown. John Bruce, ed. London: Camden Society. (1838).

Manorial management and organization: several contemporary documents including The Senechaucy, The Hosebonderie, and Walter of Henley. (1275). Medieval Sourcebook. Retrieved Feb. 2005 from www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1275manors1.html.

Nottinghamshire Archives, Nottingham court roll. (1379, 1389). W.H. Stevenson, ed. Records of the Borough of Nottingham. London and Nottingham. (1882).

Paston Letters. (1422-1509). James Gairdner, ed. Edinburgh: John Grant. (1910).