Sacred to the Memory
of the Honorable and Reverend
EDWARD TOWNSHEND D. D.
and Dean of Norwich
this monument is erected.

He was the youngest Son
of CHARLES Lord Viscount TOWNSHEND
of Rainham in the County of Norfolk
by DOROTHY WALPOLE his Second Wife
Sister to Sir ROBERT WALPOLE
created by KING GEORGE int Second
Earl of Orford.

He married MARY the only Daughter
of GENERAL PRICE
by whom he left Six Children.

As a Husband, a Father, and a friend
He observed the Precepts of Religion,
the Principles of Humanity,
and the Dictates of Reason,
preserving in the common Intercourse of Life
the fame Candour and Integrity

He endured a long and painfull Illness
With the Resignation & Fortitude
becoming a Christian,
and Died Jan 27th 1765
Aged 45 Years.

Interesting facts about Rev Edward Townshend

Rev. Edward Townshend married Mary Price who is speculated to be a relative (probably a sister) of Chase Price* (1731-1777) who was a close friend of Rt.Hon Charles Townshend (1725-1767).

Rev Edward's inscription at Bath Abbey might not be a coincidence as Bath Abbey is where many members of the Orme and Braddock families are buried. Captain Robert Orme married Hon. Audrey Townshend. Robert Orme was an aide de camp to General Braddock together with Captain George Washington and Lt.Col Robert Stewart, an uncle of Hon William Townshend.

Rev. Edward's son, another Rev. Edward Townshend (1758-1853), was from Bray in Berkshire. Bray was the parish church (1.5 miles away) of Foxley, Berkshire where Charles Townshend, Baron Bayning (1728-1810) was situated. There is every chance that Rev Edward Townshend (the younger) preached to his cousin at Bray. Coincidentally Bray and Foxley are only about 6 miles away from Wexham, Buckinghamsire where Richard Townshend (Hon. William Townshend's father) probably lived. There is a strong possibility that Richard attended church at Bray rather than at St Mary's, Wexham.

Rev Edward Townshend had a younger brother named Richard born in 1721 that is not noted in the Bath Abbey inscription and is also not noted in recent Burke's peerage editions. However, he is is noted in the 1851 edition as "dying young". This Richard definitely existed but is not Hon. William Townshend's father. In fact, the 1721 Richard that died young could be confused with with William's father causing him to be incorrectly labelled as "dying young" when in fact he did not.

* Chase Price of Knighton, Radnorshire; MP for Radnorshire. (b.ca.1731 d.28 June 1777) m.21 March 1766 Sarah Glanville b.1735 d.19 Jan 1826.

Rev Edward Townshend (1719 - 1765), Dean of Norwich, was the youngest (surviving) son of Charles Townshend (1674 - 1738), 2nd Viscount and his second wife Dorothy Walpole. In 1747 he married Mary Price (b.???? - 1816) and had 6 children Elizabeth Townshend (???? - ????) (m. Rev. Walter Wren Driffield) Mary Townshend (???? - ????) Charlotte Townshend (1752 - 1841) (m1. 1773 John Norris, m2. 1779 Thomas Fauquier) Henrietta Townshend (???? - ????) Lucy Townshend (1756 - ????) Rev. Edward Townshend (abt.1758 - 1853) of Bray, Berk. (m.1789 Louisa Sarah Milner, da of Sir William Milner 1st Bt.)