History - John Killigrew

In 1649, John Killigrew inherited Ince Castle from an uncle, and it is said that the four corner-towers of this fortified manor house gave John the idea for his subsequent actions.

He married Mary Tremayne and took her home to Ince, installing her in her own suite of rooms in one tower of the Castle. John then told her that a plague of field mice surrounded the place, so she felt it was safer to stay in the tower, and was perfectly happy to remain there with her own private servant.

After a few weeks, John announced that he had to go to Plymouth "on business". The "business" was actually his marriage to Alice Hawken, whom he brought back to live in a second tower of the Castle, presumably telling her a similar story.

This left two towers still unoccupied, so again John left the castle, returning this time with Lucy Treleaven and ensconcing her in the third tower.

The remaining tower later became the home of John's fourth bride, Amelia Humpherson.

For some time, each of the four ladies lived happily in ignorance of the other three, until, one fateful day, a letter arrived addressed to "Mistress A Killigrew". Unfortunately, there were two "Mistress A Killigrew"s, Alice and Amelia. A dimwitted servant delivered the letter to the wrong wife, and all was revealed!

John Killigrew was haled into court, tried, and sentenced to serve a prison term of sixteen years, four years for each count of bigamy.

Even as the sentence was pronounced on him, however, the irrepressible John could not resist challenging the verdict, pointing out to the judge that, as his first marriage was not bigamous, he should serve only twelve years for the error of his ways!

^ top ^