The Story of Katherine Parr

Katherine Parr
One of Kirtons famous residents

Katherine Parr was the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII but by the time she came to Court and caught the eye of Henry, Katherine had been twice widowed. It seems that Henry, 52 years old and in poor health, was quickly smitten by 30-year-old Katherine, who by all accounts was attractive, alluring, and highly intelligent. The King proposed marriage and Katherine agreed. It is likely, however, that Katherine did not look forward to the royal union as, in order to marry the king, she had to break off her relationship with the love of her life – Thomas Seymour. Nevertheless, one does not refuse a king and the couple were married on July 12, 1543 and Katherine Parr became Queen Consort of England and Ireland.

But her story starts much further back.

Katherine was born in 1512, the eldest child of Sir Thomas Parr, lord of the manor of Kendal in Westmorland, and Maud Green, an heiress from Northamptonshire. Sir Thomas Parr was a descendant of King Edward III, and the Parrs were a substantial northern family. He was a close companion to King Henry VIII and Katherine’s mother was a close friend and attendant of Catherine of Aragon. It is likely that Katherine Parr was named after Queen Catherine, who was her godmother.

In 1529, when she was seventeen, Katherine married Sir Edward Burgh (pronounced Borough), son of Sir Thomas Burgh of Gainsborough Old Hall, and moved to live with her in-laws. Edward was in his twenties, a Justice of the Peace and Steward of the Manor of Kirton in Lindsey but did not seem to enjoy good health.

By all accounts, life at the Old Hall was strained so in 1530 Katherine and Edward moved into the Manor House at Kirton Lindsey. This was not a grand house but more likely a large, well-appointed farmhouse.

The Manor House

Nothing remains today but there is a late 18th century drawing by John Nattes showing a dilapidated building labelled as the Manor House.

We do not know whether this was the remains of the original Manor House or a later building.

The site was almost certainly where Manor Farm is today at the junction between Moat House Road, Cornwall Street and Dunstan Hill.

Whilst living in Kirton, Katherine and Edward would have worshipped in St. Andrew’s church but they did not live here long, just 3 years, as Edward died in the spring of 1533. There were no children from the marriage so no reason for Katherine to stay and the Manor House was owned by her father-in-law.

Back to the Old Stone Barn

Katherine’s Life

Katherine’s mother, Maud Parr, was very ambitious for her daughter so in 1534 Katherine married John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer. He was nearly twice Katherine’s age but the Neville family was one of the oldest and most powerful in the North and Lord Latimer came to Court as one of the King’s gentlemen serving Henry VIII. Katherine now had a home of her own, a title and a husband with a position and influence at Court. However, Latimer died in 1543 and Katherine was a widow for a second time.

Once Queen, Katherine performed her duties well, managing to stay in the king’s favour until his death in 1547. Although they were turbulent times and she navigated skilfully through a Court riven with rivalries and religious unrest.

Katherine bore Henry no children, but she had an immensely significant impact on history through her relationship with her stepchildren, using her influence to persuade the King to reconcile with his children, and, most importantly, to put his daughters Mary and Elizabeth (who he had previously declared illegitimate) into the line of royal succession.

After Henry’s death she retired from Court, moving into a home in London where she lived with her stepdaughter Elizabeth. There she renewed the relationship with her old flame Thomas Seymour, and four months after the King’s death they were secretly married, a scandalously short interval for a royal widow.

At age 35, Katherine became pregnant for the first time. She moved to Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire and there, on August 30, she gave birth to her daughter Mary Seymour. A few days later Katherine died of childbirth complications, at age 36.

Thomas Seymour became embroiled in court intrigue. Suspected of plotting to assassinate young Edward VI, Seymour was convicted of treason and was executed in March 1549, six months after the death of his wife Katherine. Their daughter Mary mysteriously vanished from the historical record but is believed to have died in infancy.

Katherine Parr died at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire on September 5, 1548. She holds the record for the most marriages by any English queen (four). As author of three popular devotional books, she became the first woman (and of course the first English queen) to publish a book in English under her own name. It is believed that her funeral was the first in England to be conducted in the English language.

It is important that we remember Katherine for her achievements and not just as Henry’s last wife who survived him. When Henry went overseas he made her Regent, ahead of his squabbling nobles, in recognition of her diplomatic and managerial skills. She gathered his disparate offspring, brought them together and turned them into a family unit and still found time to write.

It’s good that Kirton in Lindsey played some small part in her important life.

Katherine Parr