Elizabeth Griffin

Elizabeth Wallop, Countess of Portsmouth (30 November 1691 – 13 August 1762), born Elizabeth Griffin and called Elizabeth Grey in her first marriage, was an English aristocrat.

Background Wallop was born Elizabeth Griffin, eldest daughter of James Griffin and Anne Raynsford at Dingley, Northamptonshire, and baptised 30 November 1691. Her father succeeded as 2nd Baron Griffin of Braybrooke in 1710 but did not use the title; her younger brother Edward became the 3rd and last Baron Griffin. Her paternal grandparents were Edward, 1st Baron Griffin of Braybrooke, and Essex Howard, daughter of the 3rd Earl of Suffolk. Her maternal grandparents were Richard Raynsford and Anne Neville, daughter of Richard Neville of Billingbear in Berkshire, Her father and maternal grandfather had both been members of parliament.

Marriages

On 14 May 1720 Elizabeth married her cousin, whig member of parliament Henry Grey, who had changed his name from Henry Neville in 1706 to satisfy the terms of the will of his maternal uncle, Ralph Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Werke. The marriage was childless, and Henry's nephew Richard Neville Aldworth (the son of his sister Catherine) expected to inherit the Neville family estates in Berkshire on his uncle's death. He was disappointed. When Henry Grey died in 1740, he left all his personal property and lighthouses at Winterton in Norfolk and Orford Ness in Suffolk to Elizabeth. His real estate, including Billingbear House in Berkshire and a house in London, was left to Elizabeth during her lifetime, and then to go to his nephew on her death. The will led to gossip that Elizabeth had had an undue influence on her husband over his will. Within less than a year, on 9 June 1741, Elizabeth remarried, this time to widower John Wallop, Viscount Lymington. She became countess of Portsmouth when her husband was created earl in 1743. With the Audley End estate came the hereditary right to nominate the master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and in 1760 she appointed George Sandby to the position. She was buried in the church of Waltham St Lawrence, where her first husband was buried.

In 1774 John Griffin Griffin erected an obelisk in memory of Elizabeth to the north of Audley End House.