Anne Newdigate

Anne Newdigate ( Fitton; 1574 – 1618) was a gentlewoman and letter writer. Many of her letters have survived including those concerning her scandalous sister Mary Fitton which help to explain whether Mary was Shakespeare's "Dark Lady".

Life Anne Fitton was the daughter of Lady Alice and Sir Edward Fitton. She learnt how to write and she married John Newdigate when he was sixteen and she was twelve. This was before he went to Brasenose College. They had impressive relatives but their finances were never up to their ambitions. Anne is credited with keeping their finances solvent.

For many years they lived on her father's money, especially whilst her husband was at college where she lived at her parents house. In 1592 she and her sister Mary Fitton sat for an oil painting together.

Anne Newdigate had five children of which the eldest was Mary (1598–1643). The eldest son John Newdigate (1600–1642) was his father's heir, the next Richard Newdigate (1602–1678). The last two were daughters - Lettice (1604–1625), and Anne (1607–1637). Her portrait, aged 2, now at Arbury Hall, includes one of the earliest depictions of an English knot garden. Anne could have been excluded from society after moving to Arbury but she was a keen correspondent.

William Knollys was godparent to her daughter who was named Mary. Knollys was besotted with Anne's sister Mary and he wrote several letters to Anne explaining his interest. Knollys was not only married but he had agreed to serve as a protector to Anne when she went to court and he broke that trust.

Anne's account books and the letters she wrote reveal her role as the financial manager and the respect that she was given by her peers. Francis Beaumont of Bedworth noted her skills as a correspondent and she exchanged news and views with Lady Lucy Percy; Sir Fulke Greville, Lady Margaret Hoby; Lady Grey; and Elizabeth and Lady Ashburnham. Her sister Mary was at the centre of court gossip in her unwanted attentions of Knollys and her sister's lover Sir Richard Leveson and another of Anne's children's godparent's manoeuvred on Anne's behalf. He tried unsuccessfully to get Anne the position of Royal wet-nurse to Princess Mary. She became ill and returned later that year to Warwickshire where she died in the following June. William Whitehall continued his service to the family. There was a court case about the payment of her dowry.