Sorrow at Sudeley: The Death of Katherine Parr - September 1548
- thedudleywomen
- Sep 5
- 10 min read
Updated: Oct 10
On 28 January 1547, Katherine Parr, Queen of England, found herself a widow for the third time; Henry VIII died at the Palace of Whitehall, his health having significantly deteriorated over the last decade of his life. Over the last months of his life, Katherine's access to her husband had been increasingly limited, including being prevented from visiting him on his deathbed. Instead, the younger queen remained with her household at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich, six miles down river from where the court were gathered at Westminster (Weir, 1991; Porter, 2010).
Following Henry's death, and the ascension to the throne of her nine-year-old stepson, Katherine found herself with no clear role in the new Edwardian monarchy. Prior to his death, Henry had nominated sixteen trusted members of his privy council to form a Regency Council, who would effectively rule England during his son's minority. On its establishment, Edward VI's maternal uncle, Edward Seymour, quickly emerged as the leader of the council, soon taking up the position as Lord Protector, asserting control over the young king. Finding herself with no formal role at court, and being prevented from having any contact with her stepson, in February 1547 after her husband's funeral, the Dowager Queen retired to Chelsea, the royal manor house, which had been granted to her in her husband's will (Weir, 1991).
Shortly after retiring to Chelsea, Katherine rekindled a secret relationship with Thomas Seymour: younger brother of the Lord Protector, newly appointed Lord High Admiral and another member of the Regency Council. The couple had reportedly engaged in a courtship before an offer of marriage had come from the king in 1543, which Katherine wisely accepted. Now widowed, the couple were free to resume their affair, although discretion was taken given that Katherine was still in her mourning period. Seymour, always actively seeking increased power and fortune, had actively pursued her stepdaughters, Lady Mary and Lady Elizabeth, even making offers of marriage to the then 13-year-old Elizabeth, before turning to attentions back to Katherine, who fully reciprocated his affections.
Correspondence was sent between the couple, with the Admiral often visiting Katherine at Chelsea, mainly at night. Whilst there was evidence of love and affection between the pair, in contrast to their earlier relationship, there was also an acknowledgement of the practical advantages that a union between the pair would possibly have (Porter, 2010).
As their clandestine relationship progressed, Katherine continued to maintain her own household at Chelsea, accompanied by her teenage stepdaughter Lady Elizabeth, whilst Seymour resided at his Westminster home of Seymour Place, located on the fashionable street The Strand. Also in residence was his newly-appointed ward, 10-year-old Jane Grey, the eldest daughter of Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset and his wife Frances Brandon. Taking on the wardship of the young Jane was yet again another strategic move from Seymour, given her status as the nominated third heir to the English throne, as well as her being viewed as a potential marital match for his nephew Edward (de Lisle, 2008; Tallis, 2016).
As the Dowager Queen, royal consent was required for Katherine to remarry; given Seymour's tempestuous nature, he was unlikely to have been viewed as a suitable match for the king's beloved stepmother, and consent would likely to be withheld. Demonstrating awareness of his increasing unpopularity amongst the Council, Seymour bypassed his brother and other council members, instead appealing to his nephew directly. Edward was reportedly overjoyed at the prospect of the union between two parental figures, and gave his consent. The couple subsequently married in London, in around late April or early May 1547, controversially whilst Katherine was still in her mourning period.. Seymour's brother, now 1st Duke of Somerset, was informed of the marriage in late May 1547; the Regency Council subsequently called Seymour to account, but having found the marriage to be legal and consummated, no further action was taken. (Weir, 1991).
After news of their marriage became known, the two households started to merge, with Seymour (and subsequently Jane Grey) spending more time at Chelsea, and Katherine and Elizabeth in turn at Seymour Place. Despite her marriage to Seymour, who by this time had been elevated to the peerage, as 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, Katherine was entitled to maintain her position and privileges awarded to her, as a Dowager Queen, continuing to be addressed as 'The Queen'. By early March 1548, Katherine discovered that she was pregnant with her first child, at the age of 35. It was around the same time that difficulties arose between the newlyweds, in regards to the sexually inappropriate behaviour exhibited by Seymour towards the now 14-year-old Elizabeth, which led to the young princess being sent away from her stepmother's household (Weir, 1991; Tallis, 2016).
On 13 June 1548, after months of preparation, Katherine and Seymour moved their households to Sudeley Castle in the Gloucestershire countryside, leaving behind the controversy and a disease-filled London. Seymour had recently ordered renovations to the castle, in preparation for Katherine's 'lying-in' and subsequent birth of his first child, including the creation of a nursery, costing approximately £1000. The property had been in a state of disrepair when it had been granted to him on his appointment as 'Baron Seymour of Sudeley' the previous year, following Edward's accession to the throne. The couple were accompanied to Sudeley by Jane Grey, was able to continue her education, whilst acting as a companion to a heavily-pregnant Katherine, to whom she had grown closer. Whilst continuing to prepare for the birth, Katherine continued her correspondence with friends, including Jane's step-grandmother Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, and stepdaughters, Henry VIII's first daughter Lady Mary Tudor, and the recently exiled Elizabeth. The pregnancy appears to have taken its toll on Katherine at this time, causing morning sickness, weakness and tiredness (Porter, 2010; Norton, 2015; Tallis, 2016).
On 30 August 1548, Katherine delivered what would be her and Seymour's only child; a daughter Mary, whom they named after Katherine's stepdaughter. Despite their great differences regarding their religious beliefs, Katherine having enthusiastically embraced the newer Reformist teachings, whilst Mary remaining vehemently Catholic, the pair continued to be close following the death of Henry VIII, despite the younger Mary admonishing her stepmother regarding her conduct in the early days of her relationship with Seymour. Any initial disappointment of the newborn not being male was soon extinguished, as Seymour wrote proudly and triumphantly to his older brother, informing him of the news of his daughter's birth (Porter, 2010; Tallis, 2024).
Despite there being no initial concerns, a few days after the birth, Katherine's health began to decline, as she developed 'puerperal fever': a genitourinary infection predominantly caused by poor sanitary conditions related to childbirth. By 03 September, Katherine was presenting with delirium, an acute change to her mental state as a result of the infection, becoming distressed and paranoid, including accusing her husband of wanting to cause her harm. During this time, she was attended to by ladies of her household, including her own friend Lady Elizabeth Tyrwhitt, who had been a visitor to Sudeley over the summer with her husband. Katherine's mental state continued to fluctuate, with an ongoing fever and weakness, signs of the ravaging infection. Despite reassurance from Lady Tyrwhitt and attending physicians, Katherine summoned a member of her household staff, who acted as her secretary, and dictated her last will, being referred to as "Princess Dame Katheryn Queen of England", which she then signed. Witnessed by her long-time chaplain, John Pankhurst, last rites were then administered to the ailing new mother. Katherine's suffering appears to have continued until eventually succumbing to the infection in the early hours, between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning of 05 September 1548 (Weir, 1991; Tallis, 2016; The National Archives, 2025).
Within hours of her death, Katherine's body was embalmed, being wrapped in layers of cere cloth to prevent decay, soaked in wax and sweet-smelling liquids, and placed in a leaden coffin; it remained in her privy chamber, watched over by grieving members of her household, whilst quickly-arranged preparations were made for her burial. Only two days later, in the morning of 07 September 1548, her body was taken to St Mary's Church, the 15th century chapel standing within the grounds of Sudeley, which could be viewed from the newly-constructed nursery. The church was draped in black cloth and decorated with escutcheons, her coats of arms acknowledging her own heritage, in addition to her four marriages (Porter, 2010; Tallis, 2024; Woolerton, 2024). The procession which accompanied Katherine's coffin into the church, which was "borne by six gentleman in black gowns, with their hoods on their head", included gentleman and ladies of her households and a "Somerset herald", represnting the king. The only named mourner was her young companion "the Lady Jane, daughter to the lord Marquis Dorset, chief mourner...her train borne up by a young lady" (Tudors Dynasty [1], 2024).
This funeral service, conducted by Katherine's almoner Doctor Miles Coverdale, is believed to be the first conducted in English, and in accordance with the new Reformist beliefs, which rejected the long-held Catholic belief in purgatory and the subsequent need for Prayers for the Dead, with alms collected not for the dead, but for the living. Psalms were recited and songs sung in English, including the Te Deum which was performed at the moment of her burial, at the north side of the church, near the high altar. Following the service, the mourners returned to the castle where a funeral feast was put on for them; some guests departed later that day, others remained overnight, starting their journeys home the following morning (Porter, 2010; Tallis, 2016; Tudors Dynasty [1], 2024). Woolerton (2024) raises questions regarding decisions made for Katherine to be hastily buried at Sudeley, becoming the only queen of England to be buried on private property. She argues that the speed of Katherine's burial could suggest another cause of death, including sweating sickness or plague, the latter known to be rife during the summer months in London. She also refers to the preparation of Katherine's body after her death, including the use of fourteen layers of cere cloth, wax and liquids, in addition to a leaden coffin, all of which could be used to prevent spread of disease. She also highlights that Katherine remaining in her private rooms, rather than being moved to a more public space within the castle, and therefore restricting the number of people that came into contact, could also be evidence of an infectious disease.
As was the tradition, as her nearest male relative, Seymour did not attend his wife's funeral, having already left Sudeley returning to the capital. Katherine's household was subsequently split up, which included Jane Grey; she was temporarily sent back to her childhood home at Bradgate, Leicestershire, before returning back to the familiarity of Seymour Place the following month, although it remains unknown how much of her guardian's unravelling and subsequent downfall she was witness to (Tallis, 2016).
It is unknown where the infant Mary was initially raised, although by the time of her father's arrest and imprisonment within the Tower of London in January 1549, she was known to be in the care of her paternal uncle Somerset and his family at Syon House, just outside London. This arrangement was short-lived however, as at the request of her father, Mary was moved to Grimsthorpe, Lincolnshire, under the care of Katherine's old friend, Katherine Willoughby, with a planned allowance to cover any additional expenses. However, within a month of Mary arriving at Grimsthorpe, the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk was complaining to others, including William Cecil (then the private secretary to Somerset), of the financial burden that this arrangement had placed upon her, complaining that the promised funds had not been received. Katherine Willoughby also wrote to 'Mistress Mary Seymour's' direct relatives, including her paternal aunt Anne Stanhope, Duchess of Somerset, and her maternal uncle William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, seeking financial support (Tudor Dynasty [2], 2024).
Comments