Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), Countess of Winchilsea (April 1661 in Sydmonton, Hampshire – 5 August 1720 in Westminster, Middlesex) was one of the first female English poets to be published.
She was the third child of Sir William Kingsmill of Sydmonton Court in Hampshire and his wife, Anne Haslewood. She was well educated as her family believed in good education for girls as well as for boys. In 1682, Anne Kingsmill went to St James's Palace to bec...
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Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), Countess of Winchilsea (April 1661 in Sydmonton, Hampshire – 5 August 1720 in Westminster, Middlesex) was one of the first female English poets to be published.
She was the third child of Sir William Kingsmill of Sydmonton Court in Hampshire and his wife, Anne Haslewood. She was well educated as her family believed in good education for girls as well as for boys. In 1682, Anne Kingsmill went to St James's Palace to become a Maid of Honour to Mary of Modena (wife of James, Duke of York, who later became King James II.) There she met the courtier Heneage Finch whom she married on 15 May 1684. It was a very happy marriage and Anne wrote several love poems to her husband, most famous perhaps A letter to Dafnis.
On 4 August 1712, Charles Finch, 4th Earl of Winchilsea died childless. This made his uncle, Anne's husband, the 5th Earl of Winchilsea, and Anne, the Countess of Winchilsea. She died in Westminster in 1720 and was buried at her home at Eastwell in Kent....
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