Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Finch, née Heneage, 1st Countess of Winchilsea (9 July 1556 – 23 March 1634) was an English
peeress
.
Elizabeth was the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Heneage
, who was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
in the latter years of the reign of Elizabeth I
. At 16 years old, she was married to Moyle Finch
on 14 November 1572 and they had six children:
Her husband became a politician soon after their marriage and was knighted in 1584 and given a baronetcy
in 1611. When Sir Moyle died in 1614, Elizabeth and her sons made considerable efforts to have the family's status elevated and almost nine years later, James I
created her Viscountess Maidstone, with a remainder to her heirs male. In 1628, she was further elevated by Charles I
as Countess of Winchilsea. On her death in 1634, her titles passed to her eldest surviving son, Sir Thomas (who had already inherited his elder brother's baronetcy in 1619).
Elizabeth and Sir Moyle are depicted in repose in a monument commemorating members of the Finch family, sculpted by Nicolas Stone ca 1630. The piece was created after Sir Moyle's death during Elizabeth's lifetime, and is now displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. It was originally in the church of St Mary, Eastwell
, Kent which became a ruin in the 1950s and is now owned by the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
peeress
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
Elizabeth was the daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Heneage
Thomas Heneage
Sir Thomas Heneage PC was an English politician and a courtier at the court of Elizabeth I.-Early and personal life:...
, who was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
in the latter years of the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. At 16 years old, she was married to Moyle Finch
Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet
Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet was an English politician.He was the eldest surviving son of Sir Thomas Finch of Eastwell, Kent and the brother of Henry Finch....
on 14 November 1572 and they had six children:
- Theophilius (1573-1619), later 2nd Baronet.
- Heneage (born 1576, died young)
- Hon. ThomasThomas Finch, 2nd Earl of WinchilseaThomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea was an English peer and Member of Parliament.Finch was the son of Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Heneage, 1st Countess of Winchilsea...
(1578-1639), later 2nd Earl of WinchilseaEarl of WinchilseaEarl of Winchilsea and Earl of Nottingham are two titles in the Peerage of England held by the Finch family that have been united under a single holder since 1729. The Finch family is believed to be descended from Henry FitzHerbert, Lord Chamberlain to King Henry I . The name change came in the...
. - Hon. Sir HeneageHeneage Finch (Speaker)Sir Heneage Finch was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1607 and 1626. He was Speaker of the English House of Commons in 1626....
(d. 1631), later Speaker of the House of CommonsSpeaker of the British House of CommonsThe Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
. - Hon. Francis, a barrister.
- Lady Catherine, married Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet and had issue.
Her husband became a politician soon after their marriage and was knighted in 1584 and given a baronetcy
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1611. When Sir Moyle died in 1614, Elizabeth and her sons made considerable efforts to have the family's status elevated and almost nine years later, James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
created her Viscountess Maidstone, with a remainder to her heirs male. In 1628, she was further elevated by Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
as Countess of Winchilsea. On her death in 1634, her titles passed to her eldest surviving son, Sir Thomas (who had already inherited his elder brother's baronetcy in 1619).
Elizabeth and Sir Moyle are depicted in repose in a monument commemorating members of the Finch family, sculpted by Nicolas Stone ca 1630. The piece was created after Sir Moyle's death during Elizabeth's lifetime, and is now displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. It was originally in the church of St Mary, Eastwell
St Mary's Church, Eastwell
St Mary's Church, Eastwell, consists of the ruins of a former Anglican parish church in the hamlet of Eastwell, Kent, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building, and has been under the care of the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches, since 1980. ...
, Kent which became a ruin in the 1950s and is now owned by the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
.