Arwenack () is a historic manor on the site of what is today the town of Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Historically in the parish of St Budock, it was partly destroyed in 1646, and only a remnant survives today. It was long held by the Killigrew family, which was responsible for the development of the town of Falmouth, Sir Peter Killigrew (died 1667), MP, having received a royal charter for its foundation in 1661.
Etymology The name Arwenack comes from the Cornish language words ar, meaning 'facing' or 'on', and wynnek, meaning 'white'.
Descent
de Arwenack The earliest recorded lord of the manor of Arwenack was the de Arwenack family:Vivian (1887), p.267 Thomas de Arwenack John de Arwenack, son and heir Robert de Arwenack, son and heir, who died with no sons, leaving a daughter and sole heiress Jane de Arwenack, who married Simon Killigrew (fl.1377)
Killigrew
Simon Killigrew Simon Killigrew (fl.1377), married Jane de Arwenack, daughter and sole heiress of Robert de Arwenack. He was the son of John Killigrew of Killigrew, by his wife Mary Poltesmore, daughter of Sir Richard Poltesmore, and was the first of the family to hold Arwenack.
Thomas Killigrew Thomas Killigrew, son, whose wife was a member of the Beaupell family (possibly Beauple of KnowstoneRisdon, Tristram (died 1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p.303 and Landkey in Devon, the heiress of which Margaret de Beaupel, married Sir Neil Loring, KG (c. 1320 – 1386), one of the founding members and 20th Knight of the Order of the Garter, established by King Edward III in 1348). He had two sons: John Killigrew, Senior, of Arwenack, eldest son and heir (see below) John Killigrew, Junior (died 1461), of Penryn (the local town to Arwenack), whose descendants soon inherited Arwenack. This branch of the family bore arms: Gules, three mascles or.
John Killigrew, senior John Killigrew, senior, of Arwenack, eldest son and heir, who married Mary Boleigh, daughter and heiress of John Boleigh. The Killigrews later quartered the arms of Boleigh: Argent, on a chevron sable between three torteaux as many bezants,Dunkin, p.36 as visible on the monumental brass in St Budock's Church to John Killigrew (died 1567) of Arwenack, first Governor of Pendennis Castle.
John Killigrew (died pre-1513) John Killigrew (died pre-1513), son and heir, who died with no sons, leaving a daughter and sole heiress Elizabeth Killigrew, wife of John Godolphin of Godolphin, Cornwall. The estates however descended to his younger brother as heir male under an entail.
Thomas Killigrew (died 1513) Thomas Killigrew (died 1513), of Arwenack, younger brother. he died on 20 September 1513 at Biscay in the Kingdom of Aragon in Spain. He married twice, firstly to Jane Darrell, daughter and heiress of William Darrell of Andover, Hampshire, by whom he had a son and heir Alexander Killigrew, and secondly in 1512 to Johanna Herry, daughter of John Herry of Ruddeford (possibly John Harris of Radford)
Alexander Killigrew (born 1493) Alexander Killigrew (born 1493), of Arwenack, eldest son and heir by his father's first marriage. He appears to have died without children since his heir was his second cousin once removed John Killigrew (died 1567), the son of his second cousin John Killigrew (died 1536) of Penryn by his wife Jane Petit, daughter and co-heiress of John Petit of Ardevera.Vivian (1887), p.268
John Killigrew (died 1567)
John Killigrew (died 1567) of Arwenack, second cousin once removed of Alexander Killigrew (born 1493), of Arwenack. He was the first Governor of Pendennis Castle, situated on land within the Arwenack estate on the tip of a peninsula about 1 mile south-east of Arwenack House, appointed by King Henry VIII.Dunkin, pp. 36–7 He married Elizabeth Trewennard, 2nd daughter of James Trewennard of Trewennard, in the parish of St Erth.Tregellas, p.119 His monumental brass survives in St Budock's Church, Budock Water, immediately to the west of Arwenack, inscribed as follows: "Heere lyeth John Killigrew, Esquier, of Arwenack and lord of ye manor of Killigrew in Cornewall, and Elizabeth Trewinnard his wife. He was the first Captaine of Pendennis Castle, made by King Henry the eight and so continued the nynth of Queene Elizabeth at which time God tooke him to his mercye, being the yeare of Our Lord 1567. Sr John Killigrew, Knight, his son(n)e succeeded him in ye same place by the gift of Queene Elizabeth".Dunkin, pp. 36–7, Plate 31 He rebuilt Arwenack House, described by Martin Lister-Killigrew (died 1745) as "the finest and most costly then in the county, as to this time in part appears by the stately hall window thereof, still standing, and was possessed of one of the largest estates in the county, his lands on those parts extending from Arwenack, to Helford passage, and had the propriety of sixteen parish tythes"."Mocavo and Findmypast are coming together findmypast.com". Retrieved on 12 January 2017. Despite their rich inheritance, later generations of the family were chronically debt-ridden. He had five sons, including: Sir John Killigrew (died 1584) of Arwenack, eldest son and heir, 2nd Governor of Pendennis Castle, (see below). Peter Killigrew (died 1603), 2nd son, Controller of Customs at Plymouth and Fowey. Sir Henry Killigrew (c. 1528 – 1603), 4th son, an ambassador to Queen Elizabeth I and Member of Parliament for Newport & Launceston in 1553, Saltash in 1563 and for Truro in 1571-2. Sir William Killigrew (died 1622) of Hanworth, Middlesex, 5th son, Groom of the Privy Chamber to King James I, several of whose descendants were also royal courtiers and were buried in Westminster Abbey where survive various monuments to the family.
He also had several daughters, including
Margaret, who married Sir Francis Godolphin (1540-1608).Collins, Arthur Peerage of England London 1779 Vol. VII p.294 Alice, who married Richard Bonython of Carclew House. Jane, who married John Michell of Harlyn, M.P., Mayor of Truro Grace, who married John Trethurffe of Trethurffe, Ladock.
Sir John Killigrew (died 1584) Sir John Killigrew (died 1584) of Arwenack, son, 2nd Governor of Pendennis Castle (1568–1584)Fuidge appointed by Queen Elizabeth I, as stated on his father's brass in St Budock's Church. He was MP for Lostwithiel in 1563 and twice for the family's pocket borough of Penryn, in 1571 and 1572.Fuidge, N.M., biography of Killigrew, John I (died 1584), of Arwennack, Cornw., published in History of Parliament: House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981 Together with his father he opposed the Catholic Queen Mary (1553–1558) and her Spanish husband, and used his fleet of ships to keep the Protestant exiles in France abreast of political developments and attacked Spanish shipping in the Channel. In 1556 he was imprisoned by Mary with his father in the Fleet, but released after three weeks. On the succession of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), he was restored to royal favour. He became notorious for engaging in cattle theft, "evil usage in keeping of a castle" and as a Justice of the peace for abuses in arranging the quarter sessions. Having been appointed a Commissioner to inquire into piracy, he himself was heavily engaged in that activity and traded with smugglers and pirates who frequented the waters around Arwenack. He was the subject of an official investigation in 1565. In January 1582 both he and his wife Mary Wolverston were suspected of involvement in a notorious act of piracy concerning a Spanish ship which had sheltered from a storm in an anchorage opposite Arwenack. It was said that he and his wife had acted together to overpower or murder the crew and steal the cargo of cloth, before ordering the ship to be disposed of in Ireland. He married Mary Wolverston, daughter of Philip Wolverston (often described as a "gentleman pirate") of Wolverston Hall in Suffolk, and widow of Henry Knyvett. A mural monument to the couple was erected by their son in St Budock's Church, showing them facing each other kneeling in prayer. His youngest daughter Katherine Killigrew (died 1598) became the 3rd wife of Sir Henry Billingsley (c. 1538 – 1606) Lord Mayor of London.Biography of Henry Billingsley History of Parliament
John Killigrew (c. 1557 – 1605) John Killigrew (c. 1557 – 1605), of Arwennack, son, was Vice-Admiral of Cornwall and the third Governor of Pendennis Castle (1584–98)(from which office he was ejected in 1598),History of Parliament biography and was three times MP for Penryn in 1584, 1586 and 1597. He had notorious dealings with local pirates. Due to his father's debts and his own extravagance he died in poverty. He married Dorothy Monck, a daughter of Sir Thomas Monk of Potheridge, Merton, Devon. By his wife he had children 6 sons and 4 daughters, including: Sir John Killigrew (1583–1633), of Arwenack, eldest son and heir, who died without children and was succeeded by his younger brother Sir Peter Killigrew (1593–1668). Sir Peter Killigrew (1593–1668), MP, 4th son. Sir William Killigrew, 1st Baronet (died 1665), 6th son, created a baronet at the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, which event was largely brought about by his uncle the Duke of Albemarle. As he was childless the title was created with special remainder to his nephew Peter Killigrew (1634–1705), son of his elder brother Peter Killigrew (1593–1667), MP for Camelford. Elizabeth Killigrew, wife of Edmond Yeo (died 1636) of North Petherwin in Cornwall and Chittlehampton in Devon, son of Leonard Yeo (died 1624) of North Petherwin, a junior branch of the ancient Yeo family of Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe in Devon.Vivian (Devon, 1895), pp. 834–7, pedigree of Yeo.
Sir John Killigrew (1583–1633) Sir John Killigrew (1583–1633), the eldest son, married Jane Fermor, daughter of Sir George Fermor of Northampton. She was confused by the Cornwall historian William Hals (1655–1737) in his History of Cornwall for her grandmother-in-law the pirate Mary Wolverston.Baring-Gould She was accused by her husband of engaging in prostitution and is said to have been "first debauched by the Governor of Pendennis Castle".Lister-Killigrew, Martin, quoted in Baring-Gould, Sabine He at last obtained a divorce in the Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury, but at such great expense that he faced ruin. He died without children, the last of the "John Killigrews" of Arwenack, and was succeeded by his younger brother Peter. Lady Jane had been supported by the mayor and corporation of Penryn, which borough was jealous to preserve its ancient pre-eminence in face of the growing town of Falmouth, fostered by the Killigrews. She fled to Penryn where she was hospitably received by the mayor and corporation, to whom, after her husband's death in 1633 she presented a two-foot high silver cup inscribed:Baring-Gould, with image of cup "1633. From Maior to Maior. To the Town of Permarin where they received mee that was in great misery. Kane Killygrew".
Her husband was described as a sober and good man, but one who was always unfortunate.
Sir Peter Killigrew (c. 1593 – 1668)