Baroness Maeve Griffinsward

Per pale azure and vert, a griffin segreant contourny and on a chief argent three triquetras purpure.

Baroness Maeve's Order of Precedence

Persona: I was born in the late 1300's in the village of Trellech, (which means Three Stones or The Place of Stones) between Monmouth and Chepstow in south Wales. This was once one of the most important towns in Wales - in its medieval heyday it was larger than Newport and Chepstow. We even have our own standing stones that indicate that the area was important even in prehistoric times. The stones may once have been part of an ancient large avenue or stone circle. Trellech's holy well, known as St. Anne's or The Virtuous Well, used to be a place of pilgrimage. Little is known about the present structure but an inscription on the sundial in the church (dated 1689) seems to indicate that Lady Magdalene Probert was responsible for this. It can safely be assumed that the well had been a significant religious site for many centuries before 1689. Interestingly, the tree at the rear of the well is festooned with strips of rag. It is well known that this custom was common in medieval times. Pilgrims to holy wells would tie strips of cloth to nearby trees or throw bent pins into the water. My father was an English trader and my mother was a Welsh lady, daughter of the local castle lord. My mother died when I was very young during the Great Plagues of 1340 and 1350. Despite the protestations of my mother's family, my father often took me with him on his trading ventures. Thus, I visited the exotic lands of the Byzantine Empire, Moorish Spain, and Egypt. These visits influenced me greatly and encouraged me to experiment with my embroidery and jewelry and incorporate the lovely designs I saw whilst there.