Catrin ferch Owain Glyndŵr (died 1413) was one of the daughters (probably the eldest) of

Margaret Hanmer Margaret Hanmer (c. 1370 – c. 1420), sometimes known by her Welsh name of Marred ferch Dafydd, was the wife of Owain Glyndŵr. Early life and marriage Nothing is known of Margaret's early life, not even the precise date of her marriage ...

and Owain Glyndŵr, and her marriage to a claimant on the English throne was used by her father to gain support.

Biography

Catrin is one of the children of Owain Glyndŵr about whom most is known. In November 1402, she married Edmund Mortimer, an unransomed hostage who entered into an alliance with her father. Edmund Mortimer died during the siege of

Harlech Castle Harlech Castle ( cy, Castell Harlech; ) in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a Grade I listed medieval fortification built onto a rocky knoll close to the Irish Sea. It was built by Edward I during his invasion of Wales between 1282 and 1289 at t ...

in 1409, of unknown causes. Catrin was subsequently captured alongside her three daughters. They, as well as her mother and one of her sisters, were taken to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...

. The deaths of Catrin and her daughters are recorded, and their burial at St Swithin's Church in London, but the cause of their deaths is not known.''Issues of the Exchequer, Hen. III – Hen. VI'', ed. F Devon (Record Commission, 1837), p. 327 Cofeb Catrin Glyndŵr

Legacy

A memorial to Catrin stands in St Swithin's Church Garden, where the church formerly stood; the statue was designed by Nic Stradlyn-John and sculpted by Richard Renshaw, and was unveiled in 2001 by

Siân Phillips Dame Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips (born 14 May 1933), known professionally as Siân Phillips ( ), is a Welsh actress. She has performed the title roles in Ibsen's ''Hedda Gabler'' and George Bernard Shaw's '' Saint Joan''. Early life Phi ...

. Her mother's fate is not known; it is known only that Margaret Hanmer outlived Catrin. In 2003 an exhibition was held at the National Library of Wales to celebrate Catrin's legacy, and a short poem was composed in her memory by

Menna Elfyn Menna Elfyn FLSW (born 1952) is a Welsh poet, playwright, columnist, and editor who writes in Welsh. She has been widely commended and translated. She was imprisoned for her campaigning as a Welsh-language activist. Background During the 1970s ...

. A play, ''Catrin Glyndwr'' by Heledd Bianchi, was premièred in 2004.

Biography

Legacy

Family connections

References

Further reading