The Powerful Lady Anne Clifford
Long Before the Women's Rights Movement, She Fought for Her Rights
Lady Anne Clifford, denied her lands and freedom for most of her life, pursued her rightful inheritance at age 60, leaving behind a long and rich legacy.
Born January, 1590, Lady Anne Clifford was the only surviving daughter of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, and his wife Margaret Russell. As was the custom among the landed gentry at the time, she spent time at Court at the age of twelve and was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England; she also danced in masques with Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I of England.
The Legal Problems Begin:
When Anne was fifteen, her father died, leaving all of his estate to his brother instead of his only child. (Females at the time often had a difficult time keeping property, as it could be taken away by male relatives or spouses). She and her mother began the appeals process with the king to get her inheritance restored to her.
She married her first husband, the Earl of Dorset in February of 1608, and from all accounts, he was a spendthrift and womanizer. Their relationship was not a good one, and although he initially attempted to curtail her interest in her inheritance, he later petitioned the court that he be granted her lands. He died in 1624, after Anne had five children, only two of whom lived to adulthood, Margaret and Isabella. Sadly, in 1616 she also buried her mother, for whom she erected the Countess Pillar in Westmorland (now Cumbria) in 1656, which can still be seen on the side of the A66 between Penrith and Temple Sowerby, near Brougham Castle.
In June of 1630, she married the Earl of Pembroke, and although this marriage too was not a successful one, he did support her petition to regain her lands, and hired a solicitor to assist her in the process. She also had two more children while married to the Earl.
Vindication and Restoration:
Finally, in 1643 all the male heirs had died, and the lands reverted to their proper owner, Lady Anne Clifford. At the end of the civil war, Anne went north from London to her castle at Skipton, where she was born, and to see her other castles in the Westmoreland area. In fact, she was at Appleby Castle in 1650 when her husband, the Earl of Pembroke, died. Now completely free at age 60 she visited Skipton Castle, and finding it in terrible disrepair because of the siege it endured during the war, she set about repairing it, as well as her other castles at Brougham, Brough, Appleby and Pendragon. Interestingly, all of these castles were built on the sites of old Roman Forts, such as Verteris and Brovacum.
When she set about repairing her castles, Oliver Cromwell objected, but backed down because of his immense respect for the only woman to have ever stood up to him.
Lady Anne Clifford died at the age of 86 at Skipton Castle, in the same room her own father had been born in. She is currently buried at what is said to have been her favorite castle, Appleby. (Other sources suggest she died at Brougham Castle.)
She not only restored her own castles, which are mostly ruins now, but she also helped repair and rebuild parish churches, set up local courts and hearings (unknown for a woman to get involved in at the time), and arranged for alms for the poor. There is a 100 mile walk, called Lady Anne's Way that takes a hiker from Skipton Castle to Brougham Castle near Penrith, and points out all of the amazing work she left behind.
Sadly, Appleby Castle is closed to the public, as there has not been any money designated to for the upkeep, and the English Heritage Society has not gotten involved in saving this amazing historic monument, which is still in fantastic condition. The castles at Brougham, Brough and Pendragon are all ruins, although still open to the public and fascinating to visit. Skipton Castle, however, is in pristine condition, and a visitor can walk through the building that looks much like it did when Lady Anne Clifton owned it.
Lady Anne Clifton was a pioneer for women's rights, even if she never knew it. Her legacy continues on into the 21st century, and the North of England would never have been the same without her amazing strength and pride.
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