History

Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Mortimer and Baron Harley of Wigmore is buried in the vault of the Duke of Newcastle in Westminster Abbey. He has no monument or grave marker. The vault is in the St John the Evangelist's chapel.

He was the only son of Robert, 1st Earl of Oxford and his first wife Elizabeth (Foley) and was born 2 June 1689. He was educated at Westminster School and Oxford university and became a Member of Parliament, High Steward of Cambridge and Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1713 he married Henrietta Cavendish Holles, daughter of John Holles, 4th Earl of Clare (later Duke of Newcastle) and his wife Lady Margaret. She sold the manuscripts collected by her husband and his father to the British Museum where they form the Harleian Manuscripts. He was buried on 25 June 1741 and she on 26 December 1755. Their only son Henry was buried in 1725. Their daughter Margaret married William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland and she was buried on 30 July 1785 in the Duke of Ormond's vault in Henry VII's chapel with her husband who had died in 1762. The Oxford title went to his cousin Edward.

Further reading:

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004.