Margaret Barnes, known in history under her sobriquet Long Meg of Westminster (fl.
She is an historic person, but the subject of a number of legends and fictional or unconfirmed stories and anecdotes.
[1] She may have been born Margaret Cleefe, who is found in a contemporaneous register marrying a Richard Barnes on 22 November 1551.
She was a camp follower laundress in the English army during Henry VIII's campaign to Boulogne 1543–44, during which she is claimed to have shown great courage.
In May 1561, she voluntarily appeared before the Bridewell Board of Governors to clear her name following rumors that she ran a bawdy house.