Catherine Townson

Persona

Baroness Catherine Townson is an Englishwoman in the mid- to late-16th century (circa 1570).

Whereabouts

Cathrine currently resides in the Canton of Caldrithig, within the Barony of Skraeling Althing. She is originally from the Barony of Seagirt in An Tir.

Heraldry

• Device: Argent a bend engrailed sable cotised plain azure.
• Helm: A helm proper, gorged with a ribbon vert pendent therefrom a roundel of the following arms viz. Or, a laurel wreath vert.
• Crest: On a coronet or a popinjay proper.
• Supporters: On the left a cat sable, gorged with a collar paly or and argent pendent therefrom a roundel of the following arms viz. Checky Or and argent, a lion's jambe bendwise inverted erased sable. On the right a heron proper, gorged with a collar gules pendent therefrom a roundel of the following arms viz. Gules, a mullet of seven points voided and interlaced and a double tressure Or. The Compartment comprising of a grassy mount set with trillium flowers argent barbed vert.
• Motto: Hic habitat felicitas (Here dwells happiness).
• Badge: (Fieldless) A popinjay proper.
• Badge (alternate): (Fieldless) A popinjay argent, beaked and membered gules.

Offices and Appointments

Current Offices

• Territorial Baroness - Skraeling Althing, Kingdom of Ealdormere (November 2nd, 2013- current)
• Clerk Register - Barony of Skraeling Althing (April 2016 - current)

Past Offices

• Webminister, Canton of Greyfells (January 2014 - October 2014)
• Minister of Arts & Sciences, Barony of Skraeling Althing (June 2013 - February 2014)
• Webminister, Canton of Caldrithig (September 2012 - October 2013)
• Minister of Arts & Sciences, Canton of Caldrithig (March 2012 - June 2013)
• Chronicler, Barony of Seagirt (February 2006 – January 2008; Minute taking at meetings and maintenance of the baronial website. There was no newsletter.)
• Lady in Waiting, Barony of Seagirt (April 2006 – April 2008; Lady in Waiting to HE Tangwystl verch Glyn (Glynis) of Seagirt.)

Past Appointments

• Arts & Science Champion, Barony of Seagirt (August 2005 – August 2006)

SCA History

Catherine joined the Society in the winter of 1995 in An Tir. She moved to Ealdormere in 2009.

Interests

• Weaving and Fibre Arts
• Costuming, particularly Elizabethan Costuming
• Heraldry
• Target Archery and Fletching
• Gardening

Awards

• Award of the Maiden's Heart - April 29, 2017
• Scroll of Honour - September 19, 2015, as one of many seamstress to the reign
• Order of the Laurel - July 4, 2015, for weaving
• Territorial Baroness - Skraeling Althing, Kingdom of Ealdormere (November 2nd, 2013- current)
• Order of the Crucible - June 29th, 2013.
• Order of the Black Hare - November 3rd, 2012. (In recognition of contributions to the Arts & Sciences within the Barony of Skraeling Althing.)
• Great Chalice of Skraeling Althing - November 6th, 2010 – November 6th, 2011.
• Order of the Jambe de Lion - April 12th, 2008. (Grant of Rank [Foreign], An Tir; is awarded to those who have shown excellence in the Arts & Sciences.)
• Ordre de l'Etoile d'Argent - March 18th, 2006. (Foriegn Honours, Principality of Tir Righ; awarded for Arts & Sciences efforts done to further the Principality.)
• Rock - June 2006 (Foreign Honours, Barony of Seagirt; awarded for outstanding service to the Barony.)
• Silent Harp - August 2004 (Foreign Honours, Barony of Seagirt; awarded for unheralded achievement in the Arts.)
• Award of Arms - April 3rd, 2004 (Kingdom of An Tir)

Activities

• Catherine is the current administrator of the EaldoWiki (June 2015 - present).
• Catherine is a Member of the Order of the White Wolf Fian, for her work on Norse Garb from String. She completed her Fian challenge in November, 2012.
• Her husband and she host a monthly A&S day at their house. Activities include scribal arts, painting, cooking, brewing, costuming, weaving, knitting, leatherworking, armouring, and lots of discussion. Attendance is between 5 and 50 people depending on the season. They have been hosting these A&S Days since October, 2011.

Other

• Catherine's heraldic animals have names. The popinjay is Cecil, the cat is Horatio, and the heron is Sydney. For this, we blame Ælfwyn.

Contact Information

Catherine can be reached by email.

See Also

• Shahid and Catherine of Skraeling Althing

External Links

• Skraeling Althing Baronial Blog
• Personal A&S Blog