| Louisa Finch | |
| Countess of Aylesford | |
| Honorific Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
| Birth Name: | Hon. Louisa Thynne |
| Birth Date: | 25 March 1760 |
| Death Place: | Packington Hall, Great Packington, Warwickshire, England |
| Death Date: | 28 December 1832 (aged 72) |
| Noble Family: | Thynne |
| Spouse: | Heneage Finch, 4th Earl of Aylesford |
| Issue: | 13, including Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Aylesford |
| Mother: | Lady Elizabeth Bentinck |
| Father: | Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath |
| Occupation: | Naturalist, botanical illustrator |
Louisa Finch, Countess of Aylesford (née Thynne; 25 March 1760 – 28 December 1832) was an English naturalist and botanical illustrator who made studies and paintings of the plants, algae, and fungi from the Warwickshire area.
She was born the eldest daughter of the politician Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath, and his wife, the former Lady Elizabeth Bentinck. In 1781 she married Heneage Finch, 4th Earl of Aylesford. She had thirteen children, including Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Aylesford. She was widowed in 1812. In 1816, she leased Stanmore Park House, Stanmore, Middlesex: the site is now a housing estate, Lady Aylesford Avenue. She died at the age of 72 at the family home of Packington Hall.
Upon settling in Warwickshire. Lady Aylesford took to studying the region's flora. She produced over 2,800 botanical watercolour drawings and was a correspondent of botanists such as William Withering, W. T. Bree, and George Don.[1] [2] Additionally, she documented about 30 first records of plants from Warwickshire.[3] She also amassed an extensive collection of minerals, which was acquired by Henry Heuland after her death.[4] Her plants are collected in Oxford University, and her minerals and manuscripts in the Natural History Museum.[5]
Lady Louisa married Heneage Finch, 4th Earl of Aylesford, on 18 November 1781. They lived at Packington Hall near Meriden, Warwickshire and had thirteen children:
| Coronet: | Coronet of an Earl |
| Escutcheon: | Argent a chevron between three griffins passant Sable (Heneage Finch, 4th Earl of Aylesford) impaling quarterly 1st & 4th barry of ten Or and Sable 2nd & 3rd Argent a lion rampant tail nowed and erect Gules (Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath). |
| Supporters: | Dexter a griffin Sable ducally gorged Or sinister a lion Or ducally gorged Azure.[6] |