Mary Sackville, Countess of Dorset (1669–1691)

The Right Honourable The Countess of Dorset
Portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller
Born	Mary Compton 1669
Died	August 6, 1691(1691-08-06) (aged 21–22)
Spouse	Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset
Issue	Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset Lady Mary Sackville
Father	James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton
Mother	Mary Noel

Mary Sackville, Countess of Dorset (born Lady Mary Compton; 1669 – 6 August 1691) was a 17th century aristocrat, being a courtier at the royal court of Queen Mary II. She was one of the Hampton Court Beauties, painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller for Queen Mary.[1] She was Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen.

Biography

Mary Compton’s father was James Compton, 3rd Earl of Northampton, her mother being Mary Noel, daughter of Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden. In 1685 she married Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset.[2] They lived at Copt Hall, Waltham Abbey, Essex.[3]

Death

Mary Sackville died of smallpox in 1691, aged 22 years.^[citation needed]

Issue

Mary and her husband had two children:

1. Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (1688 – 1765); created Duke of Dorset in 1720. Died at age 77.
2. Lady Mary Sackville (1688 – 1705); first wife of Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort. Not much is known whether she had issue.

References

1. The New Monthly magazine. 1826.
2. Profile of Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset, cracroftspeerage.co.uk; accessed 25 March 2014.
3. Clare Jerrold (1911). The fair ladies of Hampton Court. Little, Brown, and Co. p. 304. Mary Compton countess dorset.

External links

• "Portrait of Mary Compton, Countess of Dorset (1669-1691)", Circle of Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723) Christie's
• "Mary (née Compton), Countess of Dorset", National Portrait Gallery