Jump to content

Dorothy Townshend, Viscountess Townshend

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Wgolf (talk | contribs) at 03:41, 19 May 2019 (Not a blp). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Lady Dorothy Townshend (Walpole) by Charles Jervas

Dorothy Townshend (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. 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

Children of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend of Raynham and Dorothy Walpole

Legends

Based on rumours that she was caught in an affair with Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton (a well known ladies man)[peacock prose] 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 and supposedly haunts Houghton Hall, and Sandringham House as well.[citation needed]

References