Mary Wigham in Taiwan

Mary Wigham was born in Pontefract - a small market town in West Yorkshire in the North of England. Pontefract means Broken Bridge which gives a clue to the ancient heritage of her birthplace. As early as 1080 the land was granted to the powerful De Lacy family by William the Conqueror, and a stronghold was built which was developed over time into an important castle. It was here that Richard II was imprisioned after his forced abdication and Charles Duc d'Orleans was held hostage after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. Richard III used the castle as an important power base during the Wars of the Roses. For those who have visited Pontefract on their way to the biennial events at Ackworth School which is 5 miles distant, little of this would have been apparent. In fact the town now is better known for its little discs of soft liquorice called Pontefract cakes, or Pomfret cakes. Would Mary ever have imagined that she would travel as far afield as Taiwan? Here she is as stitched by Amanda Chien with a view far higher than the parapets of her hometown castle.