Dorothy Townshend, Viscountess Townshend

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Dorothy Townshend, Viscountess Townshend (née Walpole), was an English aristocrat, born on 18 September 1686 at Houghton Hall. She was the thirteenth child born to Robert Walpole and Mary Burwell.

Portrait by Charles Jervas

Sometime before 25 July 1713, she married[1] Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, and became his second wife. She died under mysterious circumstances, or possibly of smallpox, on 29 March 1726.

Family

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Children of the 2nd Viscount Townshend and Dorothy Walpole:

Legends

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Based on rumours that she was caught in an affair with Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton, before her marriage to Charles and never told him, she is said to have been possibly locked up in Raynham Hall before a mock funeral took place.[6] She is alleged to be the identity of the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall.

References

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  1. ^ "Person Page".
  2. ^ "Person Page".
  3. ^ Atherton, Ian (ed.) Norwich Cathedral: Church, City, and Diocese, 1096–1996 p. 584 (Accessed 3 April 2013)
  4. ^ "Person Page".
  5. ^ "Person Page".
  6. ^ "Histories of Things to Come".