Priscilla Anne Fane Countess of Westmorland (1793 – 18 February 1879), styled Lady Burghersh between 1811 and 1841, was a British linguist and artist.

Born Priscilla Wellesley-Pole, she was the fourth child of the Honourable William Wellesley-Pole

William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington

William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington GCH, PC, PC , known as The Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was a British politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington....

, later first Baron Maryborough and third Earl of Mornington

Earl of Mornington

Earl of Mornington is a title in the Peerage of Ireland, since 1863 a subsidiary title of the dukedom of Wellington. It was created in 1760 for the Anglo-Irish politician and composer Garret Wellesley, 2nd Baron Mornington. He was made Viscount Wellesley, of Dangan Castle in the County of Meath, at...

, by Katharine Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Admiral the Honourable John Forbes. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...

, was her uncle .Priscilla was a great favourite with her uncle who had a high opinion of her political judgement, as did Lord Melbourne who used her as intermediary when discussing with Wellington the possible formation of a coalition.

In 1811 she married John Fane, Lord Burghersh

John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland

General John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Burghersh until 1841, was a British soldier, politician, diplomat and musician.-Background:...

, son of John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland

John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland

John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland KG, PC , styled Lord Burghersh between 1771 and 1774, was a British Tory politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, who served in most of the cabinets of the period, primarily as Lord Privy Seal.-Background:Westmorland was the son of John Fane, 9th...

. She became known as the Countess of Westmorland when her husband succeeded as tenth Earl of Westmorland in 1841. She was an accomplished linguist and a distinguished artist. When Lady Burghersh she exhibited six figure pieces in the Suffolk Street Exhibition

Royal Society of British Artists

The Royal Society of British Artists is a British art body established in 1823 as the Society of British Artists, as an alternative to the Royal Academy.-History:...

 between 1833 and 1841, and afterwards in 1843 and 1857 sent two scriptural subjects to the British Institution

British Institution

The British Institution was a private 19th-century society in London formed to exhibit the works of living and dead artists; it was also known as the Pall Mall Picture Galleries or the British Gallery...

. Her picture of Anne, Countess of Mornington, surrounded by her three distinguished sons, Lord Wellesley

Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley

Richard Colley Wesley, later Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, KG, PC, PC , styled Viscount Wellesley from birth until 1781, was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator....

, the Duke of Wellington

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...

 and Lord Cowley

Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley

Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley GCB was the youngest brother of the Duke of Wellington, and became a notable diplomat in his own right.-Life:...

, has been engraved, and is well known.

She received art lessons from William Salter

William Salter (artist)

William Salter was an English portrait painter of the 19th century. His best known work was a painting of 83 people at a banquet in 1836 organised by the Duke of Wellington to celebrate their victory at the Battle of Waterloo...

 and was his indulgent patron. When Salter was on his horse in Hyde Park

Hyde Park, London

Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...

, he happened to hear and then see the spectacle of a victory banquet in progress at the Duke of Wellington's house. Berghersh persuaded the Duke and Salter's masterpiece was created with 83 included portraits.

She died at 29 Portman Square

Portman Square

Portman Square is a square in London, part of the Portman Estate. It is located at the western end of Wigmore Street, which connects it to Cavendish Square to its east. It is served by London bus route 274...

, London, 18 February 1879, and was buried at Apethorpe

Apethorpe

Apethorpe is a village and civil parish in East Northamptonshire district of the shire county of Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census records a population of 133....

, Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...

, 25 February. Her daughter, Lady Rose Weigall, edited two volumes of selections from her correspondence.