Richard Clough
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Clough known by his Welsh contemporaries as Rhisiart Clwch, was a merchant from Denbigh
, north-east Wales
, and an agent of Queen Elizabeth I of England
.
Clough was from a humble background, but his fortunes were improved when he was noticed, as a boy chorister in Chester Cathedral
, for his remarkable singing voice and was sent to court in London
:
By virtue of his visit to Jerusalem, he became a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre
. Back in London
, he became a factor (or manager]] for Thomas Gresham
and entered the Mercers' Company. In 1552 he was located in Antwerp, currently the centre of North European commerce and banking. Here he met his wife Catherine Muldart, from that city. In 1561, he wrote to Gresham - his employer - with the suggestion that something along the lines of the Antwerp Bourse
could be established in London. Gresham took this up, founding the London Royal Exchange
, which opened in 1571. Clough played an important role in its development, providing finance and appointing Hendrik van Passe, the Flemish
architect
to work on the building.
Many of his lengthy letters, which were passed by Gresham to the government for their use in intelligence, have survived and been used by historians. His eye-witness account of the "Iconoclastic Fury" or Beeldenstorm
in Antwerp in 1566, is often quoted. He saw: "all the churches, chapels and houses of religion utterly defaced, and no kind of thing left whole within them, but broken and utterly destroyed, being done after such order and by so few folks that it is to be marvelled at." The Church of Our Lady in Antwerp, later made the cathedral: "looked like a hell, with above 10,000 torches burning, and such a noise as if heaven and earth had got together, with falling of images and beating down of costly works, such sort that the spoil was so great that a man could not well pass through the church. So that in fine [short], I cannot write you in x sheets of paper the strange sight I saw there, organs and all destroyed."
Clough returned to Wales in 1565, and introduced Flemish building styles into the area with the building of two houses, Bach-y-graig and Plas Clough. He was so rich that in his home area his name became a synonym for wealth. He devised a scheme to dredge the River Clwyd
and make it navigable.
He was active in astronomy
, a patron of the map publisher Humphrey Llywd and friends with Ortelius. He died suddenly in Hamburg
, some time between March and July 1570, while preparing to bring his second wife, Katheryn of Berain
, home to the new house he had built for her in Wales
. However, in many folk tales and swore by the people of Tremeirchion
, the Devil
carried him off, never to be seen again, after being exposed by his wife whilst discussing alchemy
and other Godless subjects at the house he had built for his wife.
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
, north-east Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and an agent of Queen Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Clough was from a humble background, but his fortunes were improved when he was noticed, as a boy chorister in Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly St Werburgh's abbey church of a Benedictine monastery, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, for his remarkable singing voice and was sent to court in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
:
- "Some were so affected by his singing therein, that they were loath he should lose himself in empty air (church musick beginning then to be dis-countenanced) and persuaded, yea, procured his removal to London".
By virtue of his visit to Jerusalem, he became a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
. Back in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he became a factor (or manager]] for Thomas Gresham
Thomas Gresham
Sir Thomas Gresham was an English merchant and financier who worked for King Edward VI of England and for Edward's half-sisters, Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I.-Family and childhood:...
and entered the Mercers' Company. In 1552 he was located in Antwerp, currently the centre of North European commerce and banking. Here he met his wife Catherine Muldart, from that city. In 1561, he wrote to Gresham - his employer - with the suggestion that something along the lines of the Antwerp Bourse
Bourse
Bourse may refer to:*exchange *stock exchange*Bourse : metro station, Paris, France*Bourse de Travail: French labor council-Exchanges:*Paris Bourse: Euronext Paris, historical Paris stock exchange...
could be established in London. Gresham took this up, founding the London Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange (London)
The Royal Exchange in the City of London was founded in 1565 by Sir Thomas Gresham to act as a centre of commerce for the city. The site was provided by the City of London Corporation and the Worshipful Company of Mercers, and is trapezoidal, flanked by the converging streets of Cornhill and...
, which opened in 1571. Clough played an important role in its development, providing finance and appointing Hendrik van Passe, the Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
to work on the building.
Many of his lengthy letters, which were passed by Gresham to the government for their use in intelligence, have survived and been used by historians. His eye-witness account of the "Iconoclastic Fury" or Beeldenstorm
Beeldenstorm
Beeldenstorm in Dutch, roughly translatable to "statue storm", or Bildersturm in German , also the Iconoclastic Fury, is a term used for outbreaks of destruction of religious images that occurred in Europe in the 16th century...
in Antwerp in 1566, is often quoted. He saw: "all the churches, chapels and houses of religion utterly defaced, and no kind of thing left whole within them, but broken and utterly destroyed, being done after such order and by so few folks that it is to be marvelled at." The Church of Our Lady in Antwerp, later made the cathedral: "looked like a hell, with above 10,000 torches burning, and such a noise as if heaven and earth had got together, with falling of images and beating down of costly works, such sort that the spoil was so great that a man could not well pass through the church. So that in fine [short], I cannot write you in x sheets of paper the strange sight I saw there, organs and all destroyed."
Clough returned to Wales in 1565, and introduced Flemish building styles into the area with the building of two houses, Bach-y-graig and Plas Clough. He was so rich that in his home area his name became a synonym for wealth. He devised a scheme to dredge the River Clwyd
River Clwyd
The River Clwyd is a river in North Wales which rises in the Clocaenog Forest northwest of Corwen.It flows due south until at Melin-y-Wig it veers northeastwards, tracking the A494 to Ruthin. Here it leaves the relatively narrow valley and enters a broad agricultural vale, the Vale of Clwyd...
and make it navigable.
He was active in astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, a patron of the map publisher Humphrey Llywd and friends with Ortelius. He died suddenly in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, some time between March and July 1570, while preparing to bring his second wife, Katheryn of Berain
Katheryn of Berain
Katheryn of Berain , sometimes called Mam Cymru , was a Welsh noblewoman noted for her four marriages and her extensive network of descendants and relations.-Family:...
, home to the new house he had built for her in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. However, in many folk tales and swore by the people of Tremeirchion
Tremeirchion
Tremeirchion is a small residential community in Denbighshire, Wales. It is located on the B5429 road, to the north east of Denbigh and to the west of St Asaph....
, the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
carried him off, never to be seen again, after being exposed by his wife whilst discussing alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
and other Godless subjects at the house he had built for his wife.