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Dorchester, Countess of (E, 1686 - 1717)

Creation: let.pat. 20 Jan 1685/6

Extinct: 26 Oct 1717

Family name: Sedley

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Arms:

Argent a Fess wavy between three Goats' Heads erased Argent

Motto:

Deo Patriae Tibi

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Catherine Sedley, suo jure Countess of Dorchester

only child of Sir Charles Sedley, 5th Bt., of Aylesford, co. Kent, by his wife Lady Catherine Savage, 3rd dau. by his first wife of John [Savage], 2nd Earl Rivers

born

21 Dec 1657

mar.

c. Aug 1696 David [Colyear], 1st Earl of Portmore, 1st son and heir of Sir Alexander Colyear, 1st Bt., by his wife Jean Murray, dau. of Lt Col Walter Murray

children

1. Hon David Colyear, styled Viscount Milsington (b. 1698; dvp. and sps. 10 Mar 1728/9), mar. 20 Nov 1724 Bridget Noel (d. 22 Aug 1789), only dau. of Hon John Noel, of Walcot, co. Northampton (by his wife Hon Elizabeth Sherard, 1st dau. of Bennet [Sherard], 2nd Baron Sherard), 2nd son by his fourth wife of Baptist [Noel], 4th Viscount Campden

2. Hon Charles Colyear, later 2nd Earl of Portmore

died

26 Oct 1717 (bur. at Bath but removed to Weybridge, co. Surrey, in 1729)

created

20 Jan 1685/6 for life Baroness Darlington, of Darlington in the County of Durham, and Countess of Dorchester

note

for many years she was mistress to James, Duke of York (later King James II & VII), and was mother by him of Lady Catherine Darnley, Countess of Anglesey and later Duchess of Buckingham & Normanby

On the death of the Countess of Dorchester both her titles became extinct.

Note: the Baronetcy attributed in the Complete Peerage to the Countess of Dorchester's father does not appear in Parry's Index of Baronetage Creations

 First written 6 Mar 2003

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