Mary, Duchess of Beaufort
(1630-1715), Horticulturist; wife of 1st Duke of Beaufort; daughter of 1st Baron CapelSitter in 2 portraits
Mary Capel married Henry Somerset in 1657; he was created the Duke of Beaufort in 1682. In around 1660, Somerset inherited the Badminton estate and embarked on a major building project there. Mary focused her attention on the gardens and by 1678 had started a new fashion by installing conservatories. She also built almshouses and Badminton School. In 1681, the Somersets bought a home in Chelsea, which they remodelled, and Mary once again redesigned the gardens.
Related People
- Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort (husband)
- Arthur Capel, 1st Baron Capel (father)
- Henry Capel, Baron Capel of Tewkesbury (brother)
- Elizabeth, Lady Capel (mother)
- Charles Capel (brother)
- Elizabeth Dormer (née Capel), Countess of Carnarvon (sister)
- Arthur Capel, 1st Earl of Essex (brother)
- Mary Butler (née Somerset), Duchess of Ormonde (daughter)
- Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester (son)
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.