!['Miniature portrait of a lady' - detail [known to be Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland]' by Laurence Hilliard c.1610-40 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ed9b82_24b5af047b674979b77a515753bde530~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_786,h_922,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/ed9b82_24b5af047b674979b77a515753bde530~mv2.jpg)
Margaret Russell was the youngest child of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford and his first wife Margaret St John. She was born on 07 July 1560 in 'her father's house in the Citty of Exeter', just 2 years before the premature death of her mother, Margaret, Countess of Bedford, in August 1562 during the Smallpox epidemic that ravished England that summer.
Margaret married George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, her father's previous ward in 1577, in a marriage arranged by their respective families. However, this marriage was not a happy one, with the couple living separately in the latter years of the marriage. However, they continued to present as a united couple at formal events, including the funeral of Elizabeth I in March 1603, and the coronation of James I and his wife Anna of Denmark later in the year (July 1603).
The couple first had 2 sons, Francis and Robert; however, both boys died at the age of 5, leaving their youngest child and only daughter Anne, born in January 1590 as their only heir. Margaret and daughter Anne shared a close relationship throughout their lives, as well as with Margaret's eldest sister Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick, prior to her death in February 1604. Despite joining the new Queen's household at a young age, and being married at just 16, the elder Anne was known to have taken on a maternal role following the premature death of her mother, the Countess of Bedford, in caring for and acting in the best interests of her six younger siblings, including Margaret. Despite remaining childless, this maternal nature continued to be applied to her nieces and nephews, with Anne (and husband Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick) being appointed the legal guardian of her underage nephew Edward Russell, future 4th Earl of Bedford on his father's death, as well as her niece Lady Anne Clifford writing about accompanying her aunt to court prior to the Queen's death in 1603.
Following George Clifford's death in 1605, in conjunction with the new Jacobean monarchy, which held little place for older ladies of the Elizabethan court (as Margaret had been), the Countess of Cumberland appears to have relocated north. Despite the longstanding legal issues faced in regards to her late husband's will and subsequently her daughter's rightful inheritance, she was able to keep possession of Brougham Castle. Margaret made this her primary residence, and started to make renovations to the castle, whilst daughter Anne remained in the south; she married Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset in February 1609, whose primary residences were Dorset House in London,, and Knole House, Kent.
Anne Clifford wrote about her mother's illness and her subsequent death in her diaries, which Anne describes as "the greatest and most lamentable Cross that could have befallen me" (Clifford, 2003, pg. 37).
Anne wrote about her last visit to Margaret in March 1616, during which time she continued to meet with local gentleman as well as extended family members regarding her inheritance claim. She also documented her leaving Brougham and her mother on 02 April 1616, which she called a "grevious & heavy Parting" (Clifford, ed. 2003; p.32). Anne wrote that Margaret 'sickened' on 17 April 1616, "being taken with a cold chillness in the manner of an Ague which after wards turned to great heats and pains in her side, so as when she was opened in was plain to see she had an Imposthume [ie an absess]" (Clifford, 2003, p.33). However, Anne only received word of her mother's grave illness on 09 May 1616, when she had returned to Knole House, only then being aware that she was close to death.
Anne remained at Knole throughout May, although was in regular communication with others regarding Margaret's health. She was informed of an apparent improvement in her health, before. a letter reached her on 29 May 1616, confirming that her mother had succumbed to her illness on 24 May 1616, "between the hours of 6 and 9 at night" (Clifford, 2003, p37). Anne also documented in her diaries that Margaret had passed away in the same room in Brougham Castle that her father had been born in back in 1558; this was also coincidentally the same room that Anne herself died in 60 years later in 1676.
Following news of her mother's death, Anne made arrangements, initially moving from Knole to Dorset House, on The Strand and then headed north to Brougham Castle. on 01 July 1616. Prior to this she had communications regarding inheritance (of Brougham Castle and Appleby) as well as burial arrangements. Initially Margaret's requests were outlined in her will, but a letter was later received which confirmed "it was my Mother's pleasure her Body should be convey'd to what place I appointed which was some contentment to be aggrieved Soul" (Clifford, 2003, p.38).
The decision was made by Anne for Margaret to be interred in the church of St Lawrence in Appleby-in-Westmoreland, approximately 12 miles from Brougham Castle. This decision was due to the ongoing inheritance struggles, although Anne documented that on the day of the funeral there was some initial obstacles regarding her planned burial. However, it went ahead as planned on 11 July 1616, with Anne giving a description in her diary (Clifford, 2003, p. 41):
"About 8 we set forward, the Body going in my Lady's own Coach with 4 Horses, & myself following it in my own Coach...so as there were about 40 in the Company, & we came to Appleby about 1./2 an hour after eleven, & about 12 the Body was put into the Ground. About 3 o'clock in the morning we came home..."
When she finally came in to her inheritance in 1643, on the death of her cousin, Anne commemorated her mother, along with other important and influential immediate and close family members (including the previously mentioned maternal aunt Anne, Countess of Warwick), by commissioning the 1646 composite portrait 'The Great Picture' (Google Arts & Culture, 2024). See 'The Dudley Women' Blog Post: Lady Anne Clifford and 'The Great Picture', 1646.
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