Lady Anne Clifford (1590 – 1676)
Lady Anne was born in Skipton Castle and died at the grand age of 86 in Brougham Castle, Cumbria. After fighting a 40-year battle for her right to inherit her father’s estates, Lady Anne devoted herself to restoring the churches and castles on her land in the north of England.
Lady Anne Clifford Monument in St. Lawrence's Church, Appleby, Cumbria.
Lady Anne was responsible for the restoration of the church in 1654. The monument displays the Clifford heraldry and alliances. Her lead coffin lies in a neighbouring vault, underneath a large sandstone slab with iron rings.
Margaret Clifford Monument in St Lawrence's Church, Appleby, Cumbria.
The black marble tomb of Margaret Clifford (née Russell), Countess of Cumberland who died in 1616. The Countess was the mother of Lady Anne Clifford who restored the church in 1659, and had been a maid of Honour to Elizabeth 1 in her younger days. The alabaster effigy is attributed to Maximilian Colt, the King's Master Carver.
Caesar's Tower, Appleby Castle, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria.
The upper part of this 12th century keep was altered by Lady Anne Clifford in the 17th century.
Admission charge. Photo taken from castle grounds.
Caesar's Tower, Appleby Castle, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria.
The upper part of this 12th century keep was altered by Lady Anne Clifford in the 17th century.
Admission charge. Photo taken from castle grounds.
Lady Anne's Beehouse in the grounds of Appleby Castle, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria.
Lady Anne Clifford built this little cute littlle building in the 17th century. It is Grade 1 Listed. Admission charge. Photo taken from castle grounds.
St Anne’s Hospital, Appleby in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
These almshouses with their own chapel were founded by Lady Anne Clifford in 1651 to house twelve “poor widows or almswomen” under the care of a “mother” (warden). A plaque on the wall reads, '"This Almes House was founded and begun to be built in the year 1651, and was finished and endowed for the yearly maintenance of a Mother, a Reader, and twelve sisters for ever in 1653 by Anne Baronesse Clifford, Cumberland and Vesey, Lady of the Hon. of Skipton in Craven, and Countesse Dowager of Pembroke, Dorsett and Montgomery'.
St Michael's Church, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria.
Parts of this church date back to the 12th century and it is believed to have been one of Lady Anne Clifford's restoration projects. The church is now a private residence.
Brough Castle at Church Brough in the Eden Valuley of Cumbria.
The impressive Brough Castle stands on the site of the Roman fort, Verteris.
The castle's keep dates from about 1200 and more comfortable living quarters were added later by the Clifford family. These were accidentally burnt down following a 'great Christmas party' in 1521.
Like so many other castles in the region, Brough Castle was restored in the 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford.
The castle is under the care of English Heritage. Free admission.
Brough Castle at Church Brough in the Eden Valley of Cumbria.
The impressive Brough Castle stands on the site of Verteris, a Roman fort. Its keep dates from about 1200 and more comfortable living quarters were added later by the Clifford family. These were accidentally burnt down following a 'great Christmas party' in 1521.
Like so many other castles in the region, Brough Castle was restored in the 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford.
The castle is under the care of English Heritage. Free admission.
The keep and moat of Brough Castle at Church Brough in the Eden Valley of Cumbria.
The impressive Brough Castle stands on the site of the Roman Fort of Verteris. The towering keep dates from about 1200 and comfortable living quarters were added about 200 years later by the Clifford family.
Like so many other castles in the region, Brough Castle was restored in the 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford.
The castle is under the care of English Heritage. Free admission.
Brougham Castle, Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
The 13th century castle was built on the site of an old Roman fort. The great keep built by Robert de Vieuxpont in the early 13th century largely survives. Originally this would have been surrounded by a wooden pallisaide, but when the castle passed to Robert Clifford in the 14th century, he did much refortification to protect it from the Scots. Clifford added a double gatehouse, replaced the wooden pallisaide with a stone curtain wall and built the residential Tower of League. In July 1300, Edward 1 stayed at the castle. Clifford was killed in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn and the castle then fell into disrepair until Lady Anne Clifford inherited it in 1643. She restored it as her country mansion and died there in 1676 aged 86.
The inner courtyard of Brougham Castle near Penrith in Cumbria.
To the left of the photograph is the inner gatehouse and keep. To the right is the well, then the lodgings, chapel and kitchen.
The castle fell into a state of disrepair in the 17th century and suffered some damage at the hands of the Parliamentarians but Lady Anne Cliiford set about repairing it at a cost of £40,000. The castle was to become her country home and she died there in her rooms within the keep in 1676 at the grand age of 86.
The Countess Pillar, Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
Erected in 1656 by Lady Anne Clifford in memory of her mother, Margaret Clifford (né Russell), the Countess of Cumberland. Lady Anne also left an annual annuity of £4 for distribution to the poor. This money was placed on the Dolestone next to the pillar.
The Countess Pillar, Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
Erected in 1656 by Lady Anne Clifford in memory of her mother, Margaret Clifford (né Russell), the Countess of Cumberland. Lady Anne also left an annual annuity of £4 for distribution to the poor. This money was placed on the Dolestone next to the pillar.
The Dolestone situated next to the Countess Pillar at Brougham near Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
Lady Anne Clifford left an annual annuity of £4 for distribution to the poor. This money was placed on the Dolestone.
Brougham Hall, Eamont Bridge, Penrith in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
The earliest parts of Brougham Hall date from the 13th and 14th centuries, but much renovation and building work was carried out in the 17th century by Lady Anne Clifford. In the 1830s the hall was owned by the Lord Chancellor, Henry Brougham who invented the Brougham Carriage (the first one-horse carriage). In Victorian times the hall was known as the Windsor of the North, due to regular visits by Edward V11 and George V1. Prior to WW11 it was commandeered by Winston Churchill for the development of a secret tank. The hall was rescued from dereliction in 1985 and has undergone extensive renovation work. Brougham Hall is currently home to a cafe and craft workshops.
St Wilfrid's Church, Brougham Hall, Brougham, Penrith, Cumbria.
St Wilfred's Church was rebuilt on a medieval site for Lady Anne Clifford in 1658.
St Ninian's Church 'Ninekirks' at Brougham near Penrith in Cumbria.
The original Norman church on this site was completely rebuilt in 1660 by Lady Anne Clifford, and with the exception of the front porch, the building remains largely as it was in the 17th century. This unique and isolated little church was made redundant in 1977 and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. Grade 1 Listed. Grid Ref: NY 559 230.
The initials of Lady Anne Clifford on the east wall of St Ninian's Church ('Ninekirks') at Brougham near Penrith in Cumbria.
The original Norman church on this site was completely rebuilt in 1660 by Lady Anne Clifford, who had inherited Brougham Castle as part of her family’s estate. St Ninian's' is very similar to St Wilfred's Church at Brougham which Lady Anne had also rebuilt two years previously.
The initials AP stand for “Anne of Pembroke" because Anne was the Countess of Pembroke.
The Norman doorway on the south wall of St Andrew's Church, Dacre, Eden, Cumbria.
The lock is dated 1875.
On the inside of the door is a lock given by Lady Anne Clifford in 1671.
Lady Anne Clifford lock in St Andrew's Church, Dacre in the Lake District National Park, Eden, Cumbria.
Lady Anne liked to give small gifts to people who had been kind to her. This is one of a number of door locks that she got made by George Dent of Appleby at a cost of £1 each. The locks all bear her initials A P (Anne, Countess of Pemroke). Here in St. Andrew's Church, the lock is in the south door and is dated 1671.
'Lady Anne's Way' a 2020 bronze sculpture of the indominatable Lady Anne Clifford (1590–1676) by Diane Lawrenson on Market Street, Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria.
From the age of 15, Lady Anne fought a long battle with her uncle to inherit her father's estates. She regularly travelled through this area from her birthplace at Skipton Castle, restoring castles, building churches and almshouses for the poor..
The 1664 grand oak fireplace commisioned by Lady Anne Clifford for Appleby Castle to commemorate the marriage of the Earl and Lady of Thanet.
The fireplace bears the inscription ‘Nicholas Tufton, Earl of Thanet and Elizabeth, Countess of Thanet’. Elizabeth, being the daughter of Lady Anne Clifford.
The Latin motto, ‘Alis volat propriis Honor virtuis prӕmium’, translates as ‘A bird flies by its own wings; honour flies by the rewards of valour’.
The photo was taken when the fireplace was in the hall of the Langdale Chase Hotel at Ambleside in Cumbria.
The 1664 grand oak fireplace commisioned by Lady Anne Clifford for Appleby Castle to commemorate the marriage of the Earl and Lady of Thanet.
The fireplace bears the inscription ‘Nicholas Tufton, Earl of Thanet and Elizabeth, Countess of Thanet’. Elizabeth, being the daughter of Lady Anne Clifford.
The Latin motto, ‘Alis volat propriis Honor virtuis prӕmium’, translates as ‘A bird flies by its own wings; honour flies by the rewards of valour’.
The photo was taken when the fireplace was in the hall of the Langdale Chase Hotel at Ambleside in Cumbria.
Pendragon Castle, Mallerstang, Kirkby Stephen in the Eden Valley and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Cumbria.
The 12th century Pendragon Castle was owned by Sir Hugh de Morville, one of the knights who murdered Sir Thomas Beckett in 1170. Lady Anne Clifford rebuilt the Castle after it had been destroyed by a Scottish raiders and was a frequent visitor until her death in 1676.
Wild Boar Fell lies in the distance..
The fireplace bears the inscription ‘Nicholas Tufton, Earl of Thanet and Elizabeth, Countess of Thanet’. Elizabeth was the daughter of Lady Anne Clifford.
The Latin motto, ‘Alis volat propriis Honor virtuis prӕmium’, translates as ‘A bird flies by its own wings; honour flies by the rewards of valour.
Castle Bridge crossing the River Eden close to Pendragon Castle in Mallerstang near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.
This 17th century bridge is said to have been built for Lady Anne Clifford.
Castle Bridge crossing the River Eden close to Pendragon Castle in Mallerstang near Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria.
This 17th century bridge is said to have been built for Lady Anne Clifford.
The Water Cut: An Eden Benchmark sculpture at Mallerstang in the Eden Valley of Cumbria.
Water Cut is the first sculpture of ten in the Eden Benchmark series and is situated fairly close to the source of the River Eden, alongside the ancient green road known as Lady Anne's Highway.
St Mary’s Church, Outhgill, Mallerstang in the Eden Valley, Cumbria.
St. Mary's probably dates from the 14th century, but much restoration and rebuilding work was carried out in 1663 for Lady Anne Clifford, who owned the nearby Pendragon Castle.
St Mary's Church, Outgill in Mallerstang, Cumbria.
The plaque above the church door commemorating the church's restoration by Lady Anne Clifford in 1663.
'This chapple of Mallerstang, after itt had layne ruinous and decayed some 50 or 60 years, was new repayred by the Lady Anne Clifford, Countesse Dowager of Pembroke, Dorsette & Montgomery in the year 1663 who allsoe endowed the same with lands which she purchased in Cawtley near Sedbergh to the yearly value of eleaven pounds for ever. Isaiah Chap 58 ver 12. God's name be praised.'
Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
Built in 1102 to replace an earlier motte and bailey castle.
In 1310, Edward II gave Skipton Castle to Robert Clifford, who became Lord of Skipton. The castle belonged to the Clifford family until 1676.
Lady Anne Clifford had largely rebuilt the castle in 1657-8 after it had been almost wholly dismantled by order of Parliament after the Civil War.
Sheep fleeces are said to have been hung over the walls during the Engish Civil War to minimize the damage from cannon shots. The town's coat of arms bears sheep fleeces.
The 17th century Gatehouse, Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
The castle itself was built in 1102 to replace an earlier motte and bailey castle.
In 1310, Edward II gave Skipton Castle to Robert Clifford, who became Lord of Skipton. The castle belonged to the Clifford family until 1676.
Lady Anne Clifford had largely rebuilt the castle in 1657-8 after it had been almost wholly dismantled by order of Parliament after the Civil War.
Sheep fleeces are said to have been hung over the walls during the Engish Civil War to minimize the damage from cannon shots. The town's coat of arms bears sheep fleeces.
Holy Trinity Church, Skipton in North Yorkshire.
This Grade 1 listed church dates from about 1300.
The church was damaged during the Civil War, but was restored in the 1650s with financial assistance from Lady Anne Clifford of Skipton Castle.
The interior of Holy Trinity Church, Skipton in North Yorkshire.
Grade 1 Listed.
This Grade 1 listed church dates from about 1300.
The church was damaged during the Civil War, but was restored in the 1650s with financial assistance from Lady Anne Clifford of Skipton Castle.
The tomb of George Clifford in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
George Clifford, the Third Earl of Cumberland was born at Broughton Castle in 1558 and died in 1605. He was a friend of Elizabeth 1st, an accomplished jouster, a navigator who fought the Armada in 1588, a gambler, spendthrift and philanderer.
The tomb was erected by his daughter, Lady Anne Clifford in 1654.
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