In December 1793 his uncle died, and Exeter inherited the vast Cecil estates, moving to Burghley House with his new family. Sarah had two more children, Brownlow, born in 1795, who was to inherit his father's title and estates, and Thomas, born in 1797. She died following the birth of Thomas, aged only 23. Sarah became known as the Cottage Countess, and never seemed to have adapted to her role as the mistress of a great household. The episode is recounted in Tennyson's poem "The Lord of Burleigh" (1835, published 1842), and was investigated by Elisabeth Inglis-Jones in her book "The Lord of Burghley" and by Andrew Harris for his book "The Vernons of Hanbury Hall".