Her name was coined by her father, Sir Edward Conway, English governor of Brielle (called Brill in English) in Holland with the suffix -ian as a demonym and the Latin feminine suffix -a.

She was able to keep her husband informed of local political affairs when he was absent from home at Brampton Bryan in northwest Herefordshire, attending Parliament or for other reasons, and organised the collection of information locally for the Parliamentary Committee on Scandalous Ministers.

The letters also contain passages relating to personal details of their family life.

[1] During the English Civil War, in the absence of her husband and sons, Lady Harley defended her home, Brampton Bryan Castle, during a three-month siege by Royalist troops until the troops withdrew because they were needed at Gloucester.

Lady Harley died of pneumonia on 29 October 1643,[2] probably as a result of the hardships endured during the siege.