Dr. Meinir Moncrieffe is an historian with a particular interest in early modern material culture and its use in status projection, as well as gentlewomen in the early modern period. Her doctorate was awarded in 2024 for her thesis entitled ‘Projection and Perception: The self-fashioning of Sir John Wynn of Gwydir’.
Originally from Llangwynant, Meinir has built a career as a successful entrepreneur and businessperson, owning two hair and beauty salons in Criccieth. She holds an undergraduate degree in Art History from the Open University and a master’s degree in Celtic Studies from Trinity St. David’s, Lampeter. Whilst studying for her master’s she came across a fascinating manuscript which originated at Gwydir: a letter written in Latin by one Sir John Wynn (1553 – 1627) of Gwydir in approximately 1592. Thus began Meinir’s self-proclaimed obsession with Sir John Wynn, which led her to join ISWE in 2019 with a fascinating project which drew on her expertise in art history and Welsh history.
Meinir’s doctoral research explored the story of Sir John Wynn (1553 – 1627), and his efforts to promote the prestige and pedigree of the Wynn family, not only as one of the preeminent uchelwyr families of Wales, but as an important player in the squirearchy of late-Tudor Britain. It examines the visual and material culture produced, bought, displayed and enjoyed by the family, including heraldic devices, books and manuscripts, and built heritage, to explore how they demonstrated their status and maintained their Welsh identity and heritage, while at the same time attempting to gain a foothold in the world of English state following the Act of Union. You can read about the completion of the project in 2024 in our blog post.
Since completing her project, Meinir has shared her research on the gardens of Gwydir Castle in the . Meinir’s current research interest is gentlewomen of North Wales in the early modern period, and she is currently preparing a monograph on this subject. During the research for her thesis Meinir stumbled across the story of Agnes Wynn, aunt to Sir John. Anges had met an untimely end, and Meinir, through her reading of the family letters believes foul play, likely as a result of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse within landed has not previously been subject to much research, and exploration of this darker heritage will help address an important theme in gender history.
