Four weddings, three funerals and a historic detective puzzle: a cautionary tale

The stone effigy in the porch of Beaumaris church has traditionally been understood to depict Siwan, wife of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, who died in 1237. However, the style of the head-dress suggests a date towards the end of he 13th century. Evidence for the identification as Siwan rests on late 18th and 19th century antiquarian writing. The most likely candidate is Eleanor de Montfort, wife of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd; other possible identifivations include Senana, Llywelyn's mother. The article discusses the possible implications of these conjectural identifications for the politics of late 13th century Gwynedd.