Elizabeth Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort


Elizabeth Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort was born in Stoke Gifford in Gloucestershire to John Symes Berkeley and Elizabeth Norborne. Her younger brother was Norborne, Lord Botetourt.
On 1 May 1740 she married Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort, younger son of Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort and his second wife Rachel Noel. They had six children:
  1. Lady Anne Somerset, married Charles Compton, 7th Earl of Northampton on 13 September 1759 and had issue
  2. Lady Elizabeth Somerset
  3. Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort
  4. Lady Rachel Somerset
  5. Lady Henrietta Somerset, married Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet on 6 April 1769, no issue.
  6. Lady Mary Isabella Somerset, married Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland on 26 December 1775 and had issue
of the Duchess of Beaufort
A stone obelisk to the memory of her daughter Lady Elizabeth Somerset is located in Stoke Park, Bristol. It is engraved with the Latin inscription:

ELIZABETHA SOMERSET
CAROLI DUCIS BEAUFORT FILIA SECUNDA HIC OBIIT VII
MAII MDCCLX
RESTITUTUM ANNO MMIV

This translates as 'Elizabeth Somerset, second daughter of Charles Duke of Beaufort, died here 7 May 1760. Restored in the year 2004'. She was killed when her horse shied.