PEERAGES
Last updated 28/10/2018 (19 Jan 2024)
Date Rank Order Name Born Died Age
ANNESLEY
20 Sep 1758 B[I] 1 William Annesley
Created Baron Annesley 20 Sep 1758 and Viscount Glerawly 14 Nov 1766
MP [I] for Midleton 1741‑1759
c 1710 12 Sep 1770
12 Sep 1770
17 Aug 1789
 
E[I]
2
1
Francis Charles Annesley, 2nd Viscount Glerawly
Created Earl Annesley 17 Aug 1789
For details of the special remainder included in this creation, see the note at the foot of this page
MP [I] for Downpatrick 1761‑1771
27 Nov 1740 19 Dec 1802 62
19 Dec 1802 2 Richard Annesley
MP [I] for Coleraine 1776‑1783, St. Canice 1783‑1790, Newtown(ards) 1790‑1798, Blessington 1798‑1800 and Midleton 1800; PC [I] 1798
14 Apr 1745 9 Nov 1824 79
9 Nov 1824 3 William Richard Annesley
MP for Downpatrick 1815‑1820
16 Jul 1772 25 Aug 1838 66
25 Aug 1838 4 William Richard Annesley
MP for Great Grimsby 1852‑1857
21 Feb 1830 10 Aug 1874 44
10 Aug 1874 5 Hugh Annesley
MP for Cavan 1857‑1874
26 Jan 1831 15 Dec 1908 77
15 Dec 1908 6 Francis Annesley
For information on the death of this peer, see the note at the foot of this page
25 Feb 1884 5 Nov 1914 30
5 Nov 1914 7 Walter Beresford Annesley 10 Feb 1861 7 Jul 1934 73
7 Jul 1934 8 Beresford Cecil Bingham Annesley 4 Apr 1894 29 Jun 1957 63
29 Jun 1957 9 Robert Annesley 20 Feb 1900 21 Feb 1979 79
21 Feb 1979 10 Patrick Annesley 12 Aug 1924 2 Feb 2001 76
2 Feb 2001 11 Philip Harrison Annesley 29 Mar 1927 18 Mar 2011 83
18 Mar 2011 12 Michael Robert Annesley 4 Dec 1933
ANNESLEY OF BLETCHINGTON
7 May 1917 B 1 Arthur Annesley, 11th Viscount Valentia
Created Baron Annesley 7 May 1917
This peerage was gazetted as Baron Annesley, of Bletchington, in the County of Oxford. This is somewhat unusual, given the existence of the Earldom of Annesley
23 Aug 1843 20 Jan 1927 83
20 Jan 1927
to    
6 Oct 1949
2 Caryl Arthur James Annesley, 12th Viscount Valentia
Barony extinct on his death
3 Jul 1883 6 Oct 1949 66
ANSLOW
28 Jun 1916
to    
20 Aug 1933
B 1 Tonman Mosley
Created Baron Anslow 28 Jun 1916
Peerage extinct on his death
16 Jan 1850 20 Aug 1933 83
ANSON
13 Jun 1747
to    
6 Jun 1762
B 1 George Anson
Created Baron Anson 13 Jun 1747
MP for Hedon 1744‑1747; First Lord of the Admiralty 1751; PC 1750
Peerage extinct on his death
22 Apr 1697 6 Jun 1762 65

17 Feb 1806 V 1 Thomas Anson
Created Baron Soberton and Viscount Anson 17 Feb 1806
MP for Lichfield 1789‑1806
14 Feb 1767 31 Jul 1818 51
31 Jul 1818 2 Thomas Anson
He was created Earl of Lichfield 15 Sep 1831 into which this title then merged
20 Oct 1795 18 Mar 1854 58
ANTRIM
12 Dec 1620 E[I] 1 Randal Macdonnell
Created Viscount Dunluce 28 May 1618 and Earl of Antrim 12 Dec 1620
10 Dec 1636
10 Dec 1636
26 Jan 1645
to    
3 Feb 1682
 
M[I]
2
1
Randal Macdonnell
Created Marquess of Antrim 26 Jan 1645
On his death, the Marquessate became extinct
1609 3 Feb 1682 72
3 Feb 1682 3 Alexander Macdonnell
MP for Wigan 1660‑1685 [This is not borne out by other pages on this website - there is no record of an Alexander Macdonnell being MP for anywhere from 1660]; Lord Lieutenant of Antrim
Attainted by Cromwell, but reversed 1660. Again attainted 1689, but again reversed 1697
1615 10 Dec 1699 84
10 Dec 1699 4 Randal Macdonnell 1680 19 Oct 1721 41
19 Oct 1721 5 Alexander Macdonnell
PC [I] 1755
22 Jul 1713 13 Oct 1775 62
13 Oct 1775
19 Jun 1785
18 Aug 1789
to    
29 Jul 1791
E[I]
E[I]
M[I]
6
1
1
Randall William Macdonnell
Created Viscount Dunluce and Earl of Antrim 19 Jun 1785, and Marquess of Antrim 18 Aug 1789
MP [I] for Antrim County 1768‑1776; PC [I] 1786
For details of the special remainders included in the creations of 1785, see the note at the foot of this page
On his death the Viscountcy of Dunluce of 1618, the Earldom of 1620 and the Marquessate became extinct, but the creations of 1785 passed to -
4 Nov 1749 29 Jul 1791 41
29 Jul 1791 E[I] 2 Anne Catherine Macdonnell 12 Aug 1775 30 Jun 1834 58
30 Jun 1834 3 Charlotte Kerr 12 Aug 1779 22 Oct 1835 56
22 Oct 1835 4 Hugh Seymour McDonnell 7 Aug 1812 19 Jul 1855 42
19 Jul 1855 5 Mark McDonnell 3 Apr 1814 19 Dec 1869 55
19 Dec 1869 6 William Randal McDonnell 8 Jan 1851 19 Jul 1918 67
19 Jul 1918 7 Randall Mark Kerr McDonnell 10 Dec 1878 15 Jun 1932 53
15 Jun 1932 8 Randall John Somerled McDonnell 22 May 1911 26 Sep 1977 66
26 Sep 1977 9 Alexander Randal Mark McDonnell 3 Feb 1935 21 Jul 2021 86
21 Jul 2021 10 Randal Alexander St. John McDonnell 2 Jul 1967
AP-ADAM
6 Feb 1299
to    
1310
B 1 Sir John Ap-Adam
Summoned to Parliament as Lord Ap-Adam 6 Feb 1299
On his death the peerage fell into abeyance
1310
APSLEY
24 Jan 1771 B 1 Henry Bathurst
Created Baron Apsley 24 Jan 1771
He subsequently succeeded to the Earldom of Bathurst in 1775 with which title this peerage then merged and still remains so
20 May 1714 6 Aug 1794 80
ARASE
19 Oct 1706
to    
15 Apr 1761
B[S] 1 Archibald Campbell
Created Lord Oronsay, Dunoon and Arase, and Viscount and Earl of Ilay 19 Oct 1706
He subsequently succeeded to the Dukedom of Argyll in 1743. The creations of 1706 became extinct on his death
Jun 1682 15 Apr 1761 78
ARBUTHNOT OF EDROM
1 Oct 2015 B[L] James Norwich Arbuthnot
Created Baron Arbuthnot of Edrom for life 1 Oct 2015
MP for Wanstead and Woodford 1987‑1997 and Hampshire North East 1997‑2015; PC 1998
4 Aug 1952
ARBUTHNOTT
16 Nov 1641 V[S] 1 Sir Robert Arbuthnott
Created Lord Inverbervie and Viscount of Arbuthnott 16 Nov 1641
10 Oct 1655
10 Oct 1655 2 Robert Arbuthnott 16 Jun 1682
16 Jun 1682 3 Robert Arbuthnott 1663 Aug 1694 31
Aug 1694 4 Robert Arbuthnott 26 Nov 1686 8 May 1710 23
8 May 1710 5 John Arbuthnott 1692 8 May 1756 63
8 May 1756 6 John Arbuthnott 20 Apr 1791
20 Apr 1791 7 John Arbuthnott 25 Feb 1754 27 Feb 1800 46
27 Feb 1800 8 John Arbuthnott
Lord Lieutenant Kincardine 1805‑1847
16 Jan 1778 10 Jan 1860 81
10 Jan 1860 9 John Arbuthnott 4 Jun 1806 26 May 1891 84
26 May 1891 10 John Arbuthnott 20 Jul 1843 30 Nov 1895 52
30 Nov 1895 11 David Arbuthnott
For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page
29 Jan 1845 24 May 1914 69
24 May 1914 12 William Arbuthnott 26 Oct 1849 8 Nov 1917 68
8 Nov 1917 13 Walter Charles Warner Arbuthnott 22 Oct 1847 9 Aug 1920 72
9 Aug 1920 14 John Ogilvy Arbuthnott
Lord Lieutenant Kincardine 1926‑1960
15 Sep 1882 17 Oct 1960 78
17 Oct 1960 15 Robert Keith Arbuthnott
Lord Lieutenant Kincardine 1961‑1966
21 Aug 1897 15 Dec 1966 69
15 Dec 1966 16 John Campbell Arbuthnott
Lord Lieutenant Kincardine 1977‑1999, KT 1996
26 Oct 1924 14 Jul 2012 87
14 Jul 2012 17 John Keith Oxley Arbuthnott 18 Jul 1950
ARCEDEKNE
15 May 1321 B 1 Thomas le Arcedekne
Summoned to Parliament as Lord Arcedekne 15 May 1321
c Aug 1331
c Aug 1331 2 John le Arcedekne by Dec 1377
by Dec 1377
to    
by Dec 1400
3 Warin le Arcedekne
On his death the peerage is presumed to have fallen into abeyance
by Dec 1400
ARCHER
14 Jul 1747 B 1 Thomas Archer
Created Baron Archer 14 Jul 1747
MP for Warwick 1735-1741 and Bramber 1741-1747
21 Jul 1695 19 Oct 1768 73
19 Oct 1768
to    
25 Apr 1778
2 Andrew Archer
MP for Bramber 1761 and Coventry 1761‑1768
Peerage extinct on his death
29 Jul 1736 25 Apr 1778 41
ARCHER OF SANDWELL
9 Jul 1992
to    
14 Jun 2012
B[L] Peter Kingsley Archer
Created Baron Archer of Sandwell for life 9 Jul 1992
MP for Rowley Regis and Tipton 1966‑1974 and Warley West 1974‑1992; Solicitor-General 1974‑1979; PC 1977
Peerage extinct on his death
20 Nov 1926 14 Jun 2012 85
ARCHER OF WESTON-SUPER-MARE
27 Jul 1992 B[L] Jeffrey Howard Archer
Created Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare for life 27 Jul 1992
MP for Louth 1969‑1974
15 Apr 1940
For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page.
ARCHIBALD
12 Jul 1949 B 1 George Archibald
Created Baron Archibald 12 Jul 1949
21 Jul 1898 25 Feb 1975 76
25 Feb 1975
to    
27 Feb 1996
2 George Christopher Archibald
He disclaimed the peerage for life 7 Mar 1975. Peerage extinct on his death
30 Dec 1926 27 Feb 1996 69
ARDEE
19 Jul 1616 B[I] 1 Edward Brabazon
Created Lord Brabazon, Baron of Ardee 19 Jul 1616
See "Brabazon"
1549 7 Aug 1625 76
ARDELVE
18 Nov 1766 B[I] 1 Kenneth Mackenzie
Created Baron of Ardelve and Viscount Fortrose 18 Nov 1766
He was subsequently created Earl of Seaforth in 1771, but on his death all peerages became extinct
15 Jan 1744 Aug 1781 37
ARDEN
23 May 1770 B[I] 1 Catherine Perceval, Countess of Egmont
Created Baroness Arden 23 May 1770
11 Jun 1784
11 Jun 1784
28 Jul 1802
 
2
1
Charles George Perceval
Created Baron Arden 28 Jul 1802
MP for Launceston 1780‑1790, Warwick 1790‑1796 and Totnes 1796‑1802; Lord Lieutenant Surrey 1830‑1840
1 Oct 1756 5 Jul 1840 83
5 Jul 1840 3 George James Perceval
He succeeded to the Earldom of Egmont in 1841, with which title the two baronies then merged and remained so until the barony of 1802 became extinct in 1929 and the barony of 1770 became extinct in 2011
14 Mar 1794 2 Aug 1874 80
ARDENERIE
May 1580 B[I] 1 Sir John Bourke
Created Baron of Ardenerie May 1580
24 Nov 1580
24 Nov 1580
to    
1591
2 William Bourke
Peerage became dormant on his death
c 1560 1591
ARDGLASS
15 Apr 1645 E[I] 1 Thomas Cromwell, 4th Baron Cromwell
Created Viscount Lecale 22 Nov 1624 and Earl of Ardglass 15 Apr 1645
11 Jun 1594 1653 59
1653 2 Wingfield Cromwell 12 Sep 1622 3 Oct 1668 46
3 Oct 1668 3 Thomas Cromwell 29 Nov 1653 11 Apr 1682 28
11 Apr 1682
to    
26 Nov 1687
4 Vere Essex Cromwell
PC [I] 1685
Peerage extinct on his death
1623 26 Nov 1687 64
ARDILAUN
1 May 1880
to    
20 Jan 1915
B 1 Sir Arthur Edward Guinness
Created Baron Ardilaun 1 May 1880
MP for Dublin 1868‑1869 and 1874‑1880
Peerage extinct on his death
1 Nov 1840 20 Jan 1915 74
ARDMANNOCH
23 Jan 1481
to    
17 Jan 1504
B[S] 1 James Stewart
Created Lord of Brechin, Navar and Ardmannoch, and Earl of Ross 23 Jan 1481, and Lord Brechin & Navar, Earl of Edirdale, Marquess of Ormond and Duke of Ross 29 Jan 1488
Second son of James III of Scotland
Peerages extinct on his death
Mar 1476 17 Jan 1504 28

15 May 1565 B[S] 1 Henry Stuart
Created Lord Ardmannoch and Earl of Ross 15 May 1565, and Duke of Albany 20 Jul 1565
See "Albany"
1545 10 Feb 1567 21

23 Dec 1600
to    
27 Mar 1625
B[S] 1 Charles Stuart
Created Lord Ardmannoch, Earl of Ross, Marquess of Ormond and Duke of Albany 23 Dec 1600
He succeeded to the throne of England as Charles I in 1625, when the peerage merged with the Crown
19 Nov 1600 30 Jan 1649 48
ARDROSSAN
21 Feb 1806 B 1 Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglintoun
Created Baron Ardrossan 21 Feb 1806
See "Eglinton"
5 Nov 1739 14 Dec 1819 80
ARDWICK
16 Jan 1970
to    
18 Aug 1994
B[L] John Cowburn Beavan
Created Baron Ardwick for life 16 Jan 1970
MEP 1975‑1979
Peerage extinct on his death
19 Apr 1910 18 Aug 1994 84
ARGYLL
1457 E[S] 1 Colin Campbell, 2nd Lord Campbell
Created Earl of Argyll 1457
10 May 1493
10 May 1493 2 Archibald Campbell 9 Sep 1513
9 Sep 1513 3 Colin Campbell Oct 1529
Oct 1529 4 Archibald Campbell 1558
1558 5 Archibald Campbell
Chancellor of Scotland 1573; PC 1571
c 1532 12 Sep 1575
12 Sep 1575 6 Colin Campbell
Chancellor of Scotland 1579‑1584
Oct 1584
Oct 1584 7 Archibald Campbell 1576 1638 62
1638
15 Nov 1641
to    
27 May 1661
 
M[S]
8
1
Archibald Campbell
Created Marquess of Argyll 15 Nov 1641
PC 1626
He was tried for high treason and executed when all honours were forfeited
1597 27 May 1661 63
16 Oct 1663
to    
30 Jun 1685
9 Archibald Campbell
Restored to the Earldom 16 Oct 1663, attainted 1681, executed 1685 when honours forfeited
c 1625 30 Jun 1685
1689
23 Jun 1701
 
D[S]
10
1
Archibald Campbell
Created Lord of Inverary, Mull, Morvern and Tirie, Viscount of Lochow and Glenyla, Earl of Campbell and Cowall, Marquess of Kintyre and Lorn and Duke of Argyll 23 Jun 1701
Obtained reversal of attainder 1689
21 Oct 1703
21 Oct 1703 2 John Campbell
Created Baron of Chatham and Earl of Greenwich 26 Nov 1705 and Duke of Greenwich 27 Apr 1719
Lord Lieutenant Surrey 1715‑1716; PC 1709; KT 1704; KG 1710
On his death the Earldom and Dukedom of Greenwich became extinct
10 Oct 1680 4 Oct 1743 62
4 Oct 1743 3 Archibald Campbell
Created Lord Oronsay, Dunoon and Arase, and Viscount and Earl of Ilay 19 Oct 1706
These titles extinct on his death
Privy Seal of Scotland 1721; PC 1711
Jun 1682 15 Apr 1761 78
15 Apr 1761 4 John Campbell
MP for Buteshire 1713‑1715, Elgin Burghs 1715‑1722 and 1725‑1727 and Dunbartonshire 1727‑1761; PC 1762; KT 1765
c 1693 9 Nov 1770
9 Nov 1770 5 John Campbell
Created Baron Sundridge 22 Dec 1766
MP for Glasgow 1744‑1761 and Dover 1765‑1766; Lord Lieutenant Argyll 1794‑1806
Jun 1723 24 May 1806 82
24 May 1806 6 George William Campbell, 3rd Baron Hamilton of Hameldon
MP for St. Germans 1790‑1796; Lord Lieutenant Argyll 1806‑1839; PC 1833
22 Sep 1766 22 Oct 1839 73
22 Oct 1839 7 John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell
MP for Argyllshire 1799‑1822
21 Dec 1777 25 Apr 1847 69
25 Apr 1847
7 Apr 1892
 
D
8
1
George Douglas Campbell
Created Duke of Argyll [UK] 7 Apr 1892
Lord Privy Seal 1853 ,1859‑1866 and 1880‑1881; Postmaster General 1855‑1858; Secretary of State for India 1868‑1874; Lord Lieutenant of Argyll 1862‑1900; PC 1853; KT 1856; KG 1884
30 Apr 1823 24 Apr 1900 76
24 Apr 1900 9
2
John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell
MP for Argyllshire 1868‑1878 and Manchester South 1895‑1900; Governor General of Canada 1878‑1883; Lord Lieutenant of Argyll 1900‑1914; KT 1871; PC 1875; KG 1911
6 Aug 1845 2 May 1914 68
2 May 1914 10
3
Niall Diarmid Sutherland Campbell
Lord Lieutenant Argyll 1922‑1949
16 Feb 1872 20 Aug 1949 77
20 Aug 1949 11
4
Ian Douglas Campbell
For further information on his wife, Margaret, see the note at the foot of this page
18 Jun 1903 7 Apr 1973 69
7 Apr 1973 12
5
Ian Campbell
Lord Lieutenant Argyll and Bute 1994‑2001
28 Aug 1937 21 Apr 2001 63
21 Apr 2001 13
6
Torquhil Ian Campbell 29 May 1968
ARKLOW
27 Nov 1801
to    
21 Apr 1843
B 1 HRH Augustus Frederick
Created Baron of Arklow, Earl of Inverness and Duke of Sussex 27 Nov 1801
Sixth son of George III
Peerages extinct on his death
27 Jan 1773 21 Apr 1843 70

24 May 1881 B 1 HRH Leopold George Duncan Albert
Created Baron Arklow, Earl of Clarence and Duke of Albany 24 May 1881
See "Albany"
7 Apr 1853 28 Mar 1884 30
ARLINGTON
22 Apr 1672 E 1 Henry Bennet
Created Baron Arlington 14 Mar 1665 and Baron Arlington, Viscount Thetford and Earl of Arlington 22 Apr 1672
Secretary of State 1668; Lord Lieutenant Suffolk 1681‑1685, KG 1672; PC 1679
6 Sep 1618 28 Jul 1685 66
28 Jul 1685 2 Isabella Fitzroy, Duchess of Grafton 1668 7 Feb 1723 54
7 Feb 1723 3 Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Grafton 25 Oct 1683 6 May 1757 73
6 May 1757 4 Augustus Henry Fitroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton 28 Sep 1735 14 Mar 1811 75
14 Mar 1811 5 George Henry Fitzroy, 4th Duke of Grafton 14 Jan 1760 28 Sep 1844 84
28 Sep 1844 6 Henry Fitzroy, 5th Duke of Grafton 10 Feb 1790 26 Mar 1863 73
26 Mar 1863 7 William Henry Fitzroy, 6th Duke of Grafton 4 Aug 1819 21 May 1882 62
21 May 1882 8 Augustus Charles Lennox Fitzroy, 7th Duke of Grafton 22 Jun 1821 4 Dec 1918 97
4 Dec 1918 9 Alfred William Maitland Fitzroy, 8th Duke of Grafton 3 Mar 1850 10 Jan 1930 79
10 Jan 1930
to    
4 Aug 1936
10 John Charles William Fitzroy, 9th Duke of Grafton
On his death the peerages fell into abeyance
1 Aug 1914 4 Aug 1936 22
May 1999 B 11 Jennifer Jane Forwood
Barony called out of abeyance in her favour 1999
For further information on this peeress, see the note at the foot of this page
7 May 1939
ARMAGH
24 Apr 1799 E[I] 1 HRH Ernest Augustus
Created Earl of Armagh and Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale 24 Apr 1799
Fifth son of George III
See "Cumberland and Teviotdale"
6 Jun 1771 18 Nov 1851 80
ARMAGHDALE
17 Jan 1918
to    
11 Jun 1924
B 1 Sir John Brownlee Lonsdale, 1st baronet
Created Baron Armaghdale 17 Jan 1918
MP for Armagh Mid 1899‑1918; Lord Lieutenant Armagh 1920‑1924
Peerage extinct on his death
23 Mar 1850 11 Jun 1924 74
ARMITSTEAD
19 Jul 1906
to    
7 Dec 1915
B 1 George Armitstead
Created Baron Armitstead 19 Jul 1906
MP for Dundee 1868‑1873 and 1880‑1885
Peerage extinct on his death
28 Feb 1824 7 Dec 1915 91
ARMSTRONG
6 Jul 1887
to    
27 Dec 1900
B 1 Sir William George Armstrong
Created Baron Armstrong 6 Jul 1887
Peerage extinct on his death
26 Nov 1810 27 Dec 1900 90

4 Aug 1903 B 1 William Henry Armstrong Fitzpatrick Watson-Armstrong
Created Baron Armstrong 4 Aug 1903
3 May 1863 15 Oct 1941 78
15 Oct 1941 2 William John Montagu Watson-Armstrong 10 Oct 1892 6 Jul 1972 79
6 Jul 1972
to    
1 Oct 1987
3 William Henry Cecil John Robin Watson-Armstrong
Peerage extinct on his death
6 Mar 1919 1 Oct 1987 68
ARMSTRONG OF HILL TOP
18 Jun 2010 B[L] Hilary Jane Armstrong
Created Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top for life 18 Jun 2010
MP for Durham North West 1987‑2010; Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury 2001‑2006; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 2006‑2007; PC 1999
30 Nov 1945
ARMSTRONG OF ILMINSTER
26 Feb 1988
to    
3 Apr 2020
B[L] Sir Robert Temple Armstrong
Created Baron Armstrong of Ilminster for life 26 Feb 1988
Peerage extinct on his death
30 Mar 1927 3 Apr 2020 93
ARMSTRONG OF SANDERSTEAD
29 Jan 1975
to    
12 Jul 1980
B[L] Sir William Armstrong
Created Baron Armstrong of Sanderstead for life 29 Jan 1975
PC 1973
Peerage extinct on his death
3 Mar 1915 12 Jul 1980 65
ARMSTRONG-JONES
16 Nov 1999
to    
13 Jan 2017
B[L] Anthony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon
Created Baron Armstrong-Jones for life 16 Nov 1999
Peerage extinct on his death
7 Mar 1930 13 Jan 2017 86
ARNOLD
12 Feb 1924
to    
3 Aug 1945
B 1 Sydney Arnold
Created Baron Arnold 12 Feb 1924
MP for Holmfirth 1912‑1918 and Penistone 1918‑1921; Paymaster General 1929‑1931
Peerage extinct on his death
13 Jan 1878 3 Aug 1945 67
ARRAN [IRELAND]
13 May 1662
to    
25 Jan 1686
E[I] 1 Lord Richard Butler
Created Baron Butler of Cloughgrenan, Viscount Tullough and Earl of Arran 13 May 1662, and Baron Butler of Weston [E] 27 Aug 1673
Peerage extinct on his death
15 Jun 1639 25 Jan 1686 46

8 Mar 1693
to    
17 Dec 1758
E[I] 1 Charles Butler
Created Baron of Cloughgrenan, Viscount of Tullogh and Earl of Arran 8 Mar 1693, and Baron Butler of Weston 23 Jan 1694
He later [1745] succeeded as 7th Earl of Ormonde and 3rd Duke of Ormonde
The above peerages (and the Dukedom) became extinct on his death
4 Sep 1671 17 Dec 1758 87

12 Apr 1762 E[I] 1 Sir Arthur Gore, 3rd baronet
Created Baron Saunders and Viscount Sudley 15 Aug 1758 and Earl of Arran 12 Apr 1762
MP [I] for Donegal Borough 1727‑1758; PC [I] 1748
1703 17 Apr 1773 69
17 Apr 1773 2 Arthur Saunders Gore
MP [I] for Donegal Borough 1759‑1761 and 1768‑1774, and Wexford County 1761‑1768; PC [I] 1771; KP 1783
25 Jul 1734 8 Oct 1809 75
8 Oct 1809 3 Arthur Saunders Gore
MP [I] for Baltimore 1783‑1790 and Donegal County 1800; MP for Donegal 1801‑1806
20 Jul 1761 20 Jan 1837 75
20 Jan 1837 4 Philip Yorke Gore
KP 1841
23 Nov 1801 25 Jun 1884 82
25 Jun 1884 5 Arthur Saunders Gore
Created Baron Sudley 7 Nov 1884
Lord Lieutenant Mayo 1889‑1901; KP 1898
6 Jan 1839 14 Mar 1901 62
14 Mar 1901 6 Arthur Jocelyn Charles Gore
Lord Lieutenant Donegal 1917‑1920; KP 1909; PC [I] 1917
14 Sep 1868 19 Dec 1958 90
19 Dec 1958 7 Arthur Paul John James Charles Gore 31 Jul 1903 28 Dec 1958 55
28 Dec 1958 8 Arthur Kattendyke Strange Archibald Gore 5 Jul 1910 23 Feb 1983 72
23 Feb 1983 9 Arthur Desmond Colquhoun Gore
[Elected hereditary peer 1999-]
14 Jul 1938
ARRAN [SCOTLAND]
26 Apr 1467
to    
1469
E[S] 1 Thomas Boyd
Created Earl of Arran 26 Apr 1467
He was attainted 1469 and the title forfeited
c 1472

11 Aug 1503 E[S] 1 James Hamilton, 3rd Lord Hamilton
Created Earl of Arran 11 Aug 1503
c 1475 c 1529
c 1529 2 James Hamilton
Regent of Scotland 1542‑1554
22 Jan 1575
22 Jan 1575 3 James Hamilton
He resigned the Earldom in 1581 in favour of James Stewart (see below). After James Stewart was attainted in 1585, he was restored to the Earldom in 1586
Mar 1609
Mar 1609 4 James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Hamilton 1589 2 Mar 1625 36
2 Mar 1625
12 Apr 1643
 
E[S]
5
1
James Hamilton, 3rd Marquess of Hamilton
Created Lord Aven and Innerdale, Earl of Arran, Marquess of Clydesdale and Duke of Hamilton 12 Apr 1643
19 Jun 1606 9 Mar 1649 42
9 Mar 1649 6 William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton
On his death the creation of 1643 passed to the Duchess of Hamilton while the original creation of 1503 became dormant
14 Dec 1616 2 Sep 1651 34

28 Oct 1581
to    
1585
E[S] 1 James Stewart
Created Lord of Avane and Hamilton, and Earl of Arran 28 Oct 1581
He was attainted 1585 when the peerage was forfeited
1596
ARRASS
See "Macdonnell and Arrass" cr 1660
ARUNDEL
Dec 1067 E 1 Roger de Montgomery
Created Earl of Arundel Dec 1067
27 Jul 1094
27 Jul 1094 2 Hugh de Montgomery 1098
1098
to    
1102
3 Robert de Bellesme
He was attainted and exiled 1102 when the peerage was forfeited

1138 E 1 William de Albini
He married Adelicia in 1138 and acquired the Earldom of Arundel
12 Oct 1176
12 Oct 1176 2 William de Albini 24 Dec 1193
24 Dec 1193 3 William de Albini Mar 1221
Mar 1221 4 William de Albini Aug 1224
Aug 1224 5 Hugh de Albini c 1215 7 May 1243

1289 E 1 Richard Fitz-Alan
Created Earl of Arundel 1289
3 Feb 1267 1302 35
1302
to    
1326
2 Edmund Fitz-Alan
He was attainted and executed 1326 when the peerage was forfeited
1 May 1285 17 Nov 1326 41
1331 3 Richard Fitz-Alan
Restored to the peerage 1331
c 1306 24 Jan 1376
24 Jan 1376
to    
1397
4 Richard Fitz-Alan
KG 1386
He was attainted and executed 1397 when the peerage was forfeited
c 1348 21 Sep 1397
Oct 1400 5 Thomas Fitz-Alan
Restored to the peerage Oct 1400
KG 1400
13 Oct 1381 13 Oct 1415 34
13 Oct 1415 6 John Fitz-Alan 1 Aug 1385 21 Apr 1421 35
21 Apr 1421 7 John Fitz-Alan
KG 1432
14 Feb 1408 12 Jun 1435 27
12 Jun 1435 8 Humphrey Fitz-Alan Jan 1429 24 Apr 1438 9
24 Apr 1438 9 William Fitz-Alan
KG 1471
23 Nov 1417 early 1488 70
early 1488 10 Thomas Fitz-Alan
KG 1474
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Lord Maltravers in 1482
25 Oct 1524
25 Oct 1524 11 William Fitz-Alan
KG 1525
c 1484 23 Jan 1544
23 Jan 1544 12 Henry Fitz-Alan
KG 1544
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Lord Maltravers 5 Feb 1533
c 1513 24 Feb 1580
24 Feb 1580
to    
1589
13 Philip Howard
He was attainted and the peerage forfeited in 1589
28 Jun 1557 19 Oct 1595 38
1604 14 Thomas Howard
Restored to the peerage 1604
Lord Lieutenant Surrey 1635; KG 1611
7 Jul 1585 26 Sep 1646 61
26 Sep 1646 15 Henry Frederick Howard 15 Aug 1608 17 Apr 1652 43
17 Apr 1652 16 Thomas Howard
He was restored to the Dukedom of Norfolk in 1660 into which this peerage then merged
9 Mar 1627 13 Dec 1677 50

4 Aug 1377 B 1 John d'Arundel
Summoned to Parliament as Lord Arundel 4 Aug 1377
16 Dec 1379
16 Dec 1379 2 John d'Arundel 30 Nov 1364 14 Aug 1390 24
14 Aug 1390 3 John d'Arundel (or Fitz-Alan)
He succeeded to the Earldom of Arundel in 1415 (see above) with which title this peerage then merged
1 Aug 1385 21 Apr 1421 35
ARUNDELL OF TRERICE
23 Mar 1664 B 1 Richard Arundell
Created Baron Arundell of Trerice 23 Mar 1664
MP for Bere Alston 1660‑1661 and 1662‑1664
c 1616 7 Sep 1687
7 Sep 1687 2 John Arundell Aug 1649 23 Jun 1698 48
23 Jun 1698 3 John Arundell 25 Feb 1678 24 Sep 1706 28
24 Sep 1706
to    
13 Aug 1768
4 John Arundell
Peerage extinct on his death
21 Nov 1701 13 Aug 1768 66
ARUNDELL OF WARDOUR
4 May 1605 B 1 Thomas Arundell
Created Baron Arundell of Wardour 4 May 1605
c 1560 7 Nov 1639
For further information on this peer, see the note at the foot of this page.
7 Nov 1639 2 Thomas Arundell
For further information on this peer's wife, see the note at the foot of this page
c 1586 16 May 1643
16 May 1643 3 Henry Arundell
Lord Privy Seal 1686; PC 1686
20 Feb 1606 28 Dec 1694 88
28 Dec 1694 4 Thomas Arundell 1633 10 Feb 1712 78
10 Feb 1712 5 Henry Arundell 20 Apr 1726
20 Apr 1726 6 Henry Arundell 4 Oct 1694 30 Jun 1746 51
30 Jun 1746 7 Henry Arundell 4 Oct 1717 12 Sep 1756 38
12 Sep 1756 8 Henry Arundell 21 Mar 1740 4 Dec 1808 68
4 Dec 1808 9 James Everard Arundell 4 Mar 1763 14 Jul 1817 54
14 Jul 1817 10 James Everard Arundell 3 Nov 1785 21 Jun 1834 48
21 Jun 1834 11 Henry Benedict Arundell 12 Nov 1804 19 Oct 1862 57
19 Oct 1862 12 John Francis Arundell 28 Dec 1831 26 Oct 1906 74
26 Oct 1906 13 Everard Aloysius Gonzaga Arundell 6 Sep 1834 11 Jul 1907 72
11 Jul 1907 14 Edgar Clifford Arundell 20 Dec 1859 8 Dec 1921 61
8 Dec 1921 15 Gerald Arthur Arundell 11 Dec 1861 30 Mar 1939 77
30 Mar 1939
to    
25 Sep 1944
16 John Francis Arundell
Peerage extinct on his death
18 Jun 1907 25 Sep 1944 37
ARWYN
29 Dec 1964
to    
23 Feb 1978
B[L] Arwyn Randall Arwyn [formerly Davies - name changed by deed poll 14 Dec 1964]
Created Baron Arwyn for life 29 Dec 1964
Peerage extinct on his death
17 Apr 1897 23 Feb 1978 80
ASCOTT
2 Aug 1628 V 1 Robert Dormer, 2nd Baron Dormer
Created Viscount Ascott and Earl of Carnarvon 2 Aug 1628
See "Carnarvon"
20 Sep 1643
ASHBOURNE
4 Jul 1885 B 1 Edward Gibson
Created Baron Ashbourne 4 Jul 1885
MP for Dublin University 1875‑1885; Attorney General for Ireland 1877‑1880; Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1885‑1886, 1886‑1892 and 1895‑1905; PC [I] 1877; PC 1885
4 Sep 1837 22 May 1913 75
22 May 1913 2 William Gibson 16 Dec 1868 21 Jan 1942 73
21 Jan 1942 3 Edward Russell Gibson 1 Jun 1901 3 Sep 1983 82
3 Sep 1983 4 Edward Barry Greynville Gibson 28 Jan 1933 6 Oct 2020 87
6 Oct 2020 5 (Edward) Charles D'Olier Gibson 31 Dec 1967
ASHBROOK
30 Sep 1751 V[I] 1 Henry Flower, 2nd Baron Castle Durrow
Created Viscount Ashbrook 30 Sep 1751
27 Jun 1752
27 Jun 1752 2 William Flower 25 Jun 1744 30 Aug 1780 36
30 Aug 1780 3 William Flower 19 Oct 1767 6 Jan 1802 34
6 Jan 1802 4 Henry Jeffrey Flower 6 Nov 1776 4 May 1847 70
4 May 1847 5 Henry Flower 17 Jun 1806 3 Aug 1871 65
3 Aug 1871 6 Henry Jeffrey Flower 26 Mar 1829 14 Dec 1882 53
14 Dec 1882 7 William Spencer Flower 23 Mar 1830 25 Nov 1906 76
25 Nov 1906 8 Robert Thomas Flower 1 Apr 1836 9 Mar 1919 82
9 Mar 1919 9 Llowarch Robert Flower 9 Jul 1870 30 Aug 1936 66
30 Aug 1936 10 Desmond Llowarch Edward Flower 9 Jul 1905 5 Dec 1995 90
5 Dec 1995 11 Michael Llowarch Warburton Flower 9 Dec 1935
ASHBURNHAM
20 May 1689 B 1 John Ashburnham
Created Baron Ashburnham 20 May 1689
MP for Hastings 1679‑1681 and 1685‑1689
15 Jan 1656 21 Jan 1710 54
21 Jan 1710 2 William Ashburnham
MP for Hastings 1702‑1710
21 May 1679 16 Jun 1710 31
16 Jun 1710
14 May 1730
 
E
3
1
John Ashburnham
Created Viscount St. Asaph and Earl of Ashburnham 14 May 1730
MP for Hastings 1710
13 Mar 1687 10 Mar 1737 49
10 Mar 1737 2 John Ashburnham
Lord Lieutenant Sussex 1754‑1757; PC 1765
30 Oct 1724 8 Apr 1812 87
8 Apr 1812 3 George Ashburnham
KG 1829
He was summoned to Parliament by a Writ of Acceleration as Baron Ashburnham 23 Mar 1803
25 Dec 1760 27 Oct 1830 69
27 Oct 1830 4 Bertram Ashburnham 23 Nov 1797 22 Jun 1878 80
22 Jun 1878 5 Bertram Ashburnham 28 Oct 1840 15 Jan 1913 72
15 Jan 1913
to    
12 May 1924
6 Thomas Ashburnham
Peerages extinct on his death
8 Apr 1855 12 May 1924 69
ASHBURTON
8 Apr 1782 B 1 John Dunning
Created Baron Ashburton 8 Apr 1782
MP for Calne 1768‑1782; Solicitor General 1767‑1770; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1782‑1783; PC 1782
18 Oct 1731 18 Aug 1783 51
18 Aug 1783
to    
Feb 1823
2 Richard Barre Dunning
Peerage extinct on his death
17 Sep 1782 Feb 1823 40

10 Apr 1835 B 1 Alexander Baring
Created Baron Ashburton 10 Apr 1835
MP for Taunton 1806‑1826, Callington 1826‑1831, Thetford 1831‑1832 and Essex North 1832‑1835; PC 1834
27 Oct 1774 12 May 1848 73
12 May 1848 2 William Bingham Baring
MP for Thetford 1826‑1830 and 1841‑1848, Callington 1830‑1831, Winchester 1832‑1837, and Staffordshire North 1837‑1841; PC 1845
Jun 1799 23 Mar 1864 64
23 Mar 1864 3 Francis Baring
MP for Thetford 1830‑1831, 1832‑1841 and 1848‑1857
20 May 1800 6 Sep 1868 68
6 Sep 1868 4 Alexander Hugh Baring
MP for Thetford 1857‑1867
4 May 1835 18 Jul 1889 54
18 Jul 1889 5 Francis Denzil Edward Baring 20 Jul 1866 27 Mar 1938 71
27 Mar 1938 6 Alexander Francis St Vincent Baring
Lord Lieutenant Hampshire 1960‑1973; KG 1969
7 Apr 1898 12 Jun 1991 93
12 Jun 1991 7 John Francis Harcourt Baring
KG 1994
2 Nov 1928 6 Oct 2020 91
6 Oct 2020 8 Mark Francis Robert Baring 17 Aug 1958
ASHBY
6 Jul 1973
to    
22 Oct 1992
B[L] Sir Eric Ashby
Created Baron Ashby for life 6 Jul 1973
Peerage extinct on his death
24 Aug 1904 22 Oct 1992 88
ASHBY ST LEDGERS
15 Mar 1910 B 1 Ivor Churchill Guest
Created Baron Ashby St. Ledgers 15 Mar 1910 and Viscount Wimborne 15 Jun 1918
See "Wimborne"
16 Jan 1873 14 Jun 1939 66
ASHCOMBE
22 Aug 1892 B 1 George Cubitt
Created Baron Ashcombe 22 Aug 1892
MP for Surrey West 1860‑1885 and Epsom 1885‑1892; PC 1880
4 Jun 1828 26 Feb 1917 88
26 Feb 1917 2 Henry Cubitt
MP for Reigate 1892‑1906; Lord Lieutenant Surrey 1905‑1939
14 Mar 1867 27 Oct 1947 80
27 Oct 1947 3 Roland Calvert Cubitt 26 Jan 1899 28 Oct 1962 63
28 Oct 1962 4 Henry Edward Cubitt 31 Mar 1924 4 Dec 2013 89
4 Dec 2013 5 Mark Edward Cubitt 29 Feb 1964
 

The special remainder to the Earldom of Annesley created in 1789
From the London Gazette of 18 August 1789 (issue 13124, page 557):-
His Majesty's Royal Letters being received granting the following Dignities, Letters Patent are preparing to be passed under the Great Seal of this Kingdom accordingly [including] to Francis Charles Viscount Glerawly the Dignity of Earl Annesley, of Castlewellan, in the County of Down, to him and the Heirs Male of his Body, and in Default of such Issue, to his Brother, the Honourable Richard Annesley, and the Heirs Male of his Body.
Francis Annesley, 6th Earl Annesley
The 6th Earl was killed in November 1914, as reported in The Times of 9 December 1914:-
A message received from Newcastle, County Down, yesterday from Lady Annesley, who is now in London, states that the aeroplane in which were Lord Annesley and Flight-Lieutenant Beevor was shot down by the Germans while it was flying over Ostend on November 5. Both the airmen were instantly killed.
It was announced by the Secretary of the Admiralty on November 11 that Flight-Lieutenant Beevor, R.N., with Sub-Lieutenant Earl Annesley, R.N.V.R., as passenger, left Eastchurch to fly across on the 5th, but that the machine never reached its destination. In spite of careful search with aeroplanes, seaplanes and control ships, no tidings of the missing airmen had been received.
The special remainders to the Viscountcy of Dunluce and the Earldom of Antrim created in 1785
From the London Gazette of 2 July 1785 (issue 12661, page 322):-
The King has been pleased to order Letters Patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the Kingdom of Ireland, containing His Majesty's Grant of the Dignities of Viscount and Earl of the said Kingdom to the Right Honourable Randal William Earl of Antrim, and the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten, by the Name, Stile and Title of Viscount Dunluce, in the County of Antrim, and Earl of Antrim, in the said County, with Remainders to the first and every other Daughter of the Body of the said Earl, and the Heirs Male of their respective Bodies lawfully begotten.
David Arbuthnott, 11th Viscount Arbuthnott
Although he had been viewed as being of unsound mind in Scotland, the 11th Viscount was not so viewed in England, thereby causing a deal of confusion in the management of his English estates. This situation was resolved in 1898, as reported by the Middlesbrough North-Eastern Daily Gazette of 28 March 1898:-
Mr. Fisher, Q.C., a Master in Lunacy, and a jury, on Saturday held an enquiry at the County Hotel, Carlisle, into the sanity of Viscount Arbuthnot, whose address was given as the Royal Lunatic Asylum. Montrose. Mr. F.W. Chance, Morton, was foreman of the jury. Mr. Herbert Chitty, barrister-at-law, appeared for the petitioner, the Hon. William Arbuthnot, a younger brother of Lord Arbuthnot, and asked the jury to come to the conclusion that his lordship was of unsound mind and incapable of managing himself or his affairs.
Lord Arbuthnot was about 53 years of age, and had been an imbecile practically from boyhood. As long ago as 1868 his father took proceedings in the Scottish Courts and was appointed to manage his affairs. From that time he had been under control in one asylum or another by order of the Courts. The English Courts, while they recognise the jurisdiction of a curator appointed in Scotland so far as personal property was concerned, did not recognise him for the purposes of real property; and in 1895, upon the death of his elder brother, the present Viscount came into the title and became the tenant for life of the family estates in Dorsetshire and Somersetshire. The consequence was that unless proceedings were taken and a verdict found that he was incapable of managing his affairs, there would be nobody capable of managing the family estates in England, and they would go to wrack and ruin. Evidence having been called, the jury found that Lord Arbuthnot was of unsound mind.
Between about 1891 and at least 1923, a syndicated column by the "Marquise de Fontenoy" appeared on a daily basis in a number of major American newspapers, notably the Chicago Daily Tribune and the Washington Post. The "Marquise de Fontenoy" was the nom-de-plume of Frederick Cunliffe-Owen (1855-1926) who specialised in writing articles relating to British and European aristocratic society, for consumption by American readers.
The following article appeared as part of the Marquise's column in the Chicago Daily Tribune on 5 April 1898:-
To the long list of crazy English peers must now be added the name of Viscount Arbuthnot, head of one of the most ancient and illustrious houses of Scotland, who has just been officially declared insane by the English courts. He only succeeded to the peerage three years ago, and since that time has been an inmate of a lunatic asylum at Montrose.
There is no doubt about his being mad as a March hare from a Scotch point of view. But there has been considerable difficulty about getting the English courts to look upon his eccentricities in the same light. Yet this was necessary, as there are large estates in the English Counties of Dorset and Somerset which go with the title, and which it was impossible to administer or manage by means of trustees as long as he was not judicially declared insane by English tribunals.
In order to show the delightful condition of affairs which this possession of distinct judicial systems by the two kingdoms of Scotland and of England have entailed in this particular case, I may mention that until now Lord Arbuthnot has only been judicially a lunatic north of the Tweed, and that while in Scotland his affairs have been managed for some time past by trustees in consequence of his lunacy, he has legally retained control of his English estates, for the administration of which nothing could be done without obtaining his signature from the lunatic asylum in which he is confined in Scotland. Being a Scotch peer, he has no hereditary seat in the House of Lords, which is rather an advantage. For there is nothing in the British constitution or code of justice which prevents members of the House of Lords mentally afflicted from casting their vote upon questions of national importance … and in the House of Lords it is sometimes a single vote which decides the fate of a great issue.
There is no doubt as to the legality and validity of the vote in the Upper House cast by a lunatic peer. It is a matter that has been decided by Parliament and confirmed by the Courts of law at the time of the passage of the Catholic emancipation bill prior to the accession of Queen Victoria, and was reaffirmed by the National Legislature at the time of the memorable defeat of Mr. Gladstone's home rule bill [8 September 1893], when Viscount Hereford, the Earl of Wilton and two or three other peers were brought down from their respective mad-houses to vote against the grant by England of long delayed justice to Ireland.
Curiously enough, neither the English law nor yet the National Legislature, will admit the validity of the vote cast in the Lower Chamber by a member of the Commons, who may happen to have become insane [but only since 1886]. That is to say, that a crazy Lord is held by law to possess more qualifications for the performance of legislative duties than a crazy Commoner. It is for the reader to judge whether this must be regarded as a compliment to the Lords, or whether it is a reflection on the importance or the reverse of their legislative duties.
Jeffrey Howard Archer, Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare
Archer was charged in 2001 with perjury and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. The allegations referred to an earlier civil action in which Archer had won substantial damages from a newspaper for suggesting that he had slept with a prostitute named Monica Coghlan. In the criminal trial he was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison.
According to Brewers Rogues, Villains and Eccentrics, Archer's father, William (1879-1957), was also somewhat less than honest. In 1914, he was charged with defrauding the public while posing as a mortgage broker. He jumped bail and departed for France, where he called himself William Grimwood and worked as a hospital orderly. In 1916 he travelled to America on a false passport and posed as an army surgeon recovering from a war wound. To back up this story he had compiled an album of false photographs that showed him in uniform. With the help of a bogus degree from Oxford University he then set up a charity that claimed to be raising money for injured soldiers. In 1917, he was arrested to taking money by false pretences and sentenced by an American court to three years in prison. He was released after 10 months and departed to Canada. Here, he re-offended and was sentenced to a year's hard labour. Before he could serve his sentence he was deported to Britain, where he was arrested and sent back to the Old Bailey to face a charge of jumping bail. He spent seven weeks in prison on remand before the prosecution dropped the case after one witness died and another moved to France.
Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (1912-1993)
The Duchess was the only daughter of George Wigham, a self-made businessman from Glasgow. She was voted "Deb of the Year' in 1930 and subsequently turned down an offer of marriage from Max Aitken, son of Lord Beaverbrook, and broke off her engagement to Prince Aly Khan in favour of the Earl of Warwick, who she subsequently deserted for Charles Sweeney, an American golfer.
Margaret was nearly killed in 1943 after she fell 40 feet down an elevator shaft. When she recovered, she had lost all sense of taste and smell due to nerve damage. At the same time, however, she had also become sexually voracious, to the point of nymphomania.
Sweeney discouraged his wife from leading an ostentatious life during World War II, so she consoled herself with American servicemen. She and Sweeney had two surviving children - Frances, later Duchess of Rutland, and Brian - but the marriage failed. She then married the 11th Duke of Argyll in 1951.
In 1963, the Duke instigated divorce proceedings in Edinburgh before Lord Wheatley. The case involved the production in court of a diary, stolen by the Duke, in which the Duchess had listed the physical attributes of her many lovers as if, in the words of her Daily Telegraph obituary, 'she was running them at Newmarket'. Even more of a sensation was caused by the production of photographs in which the Duchess, naked apart from three strings of pearls, was seen to be fellating someone who was soon to pass into folklore as 'the Headless Man'. In another photo found in her boudoir, a man was seen to be masturbating.
In his 40,000-word summing up, Lord Wheatley found that the Duchess had committed adultery with at least four men - the West German Ambassador at the UN, the public relations officer of the Savoy Hotel, an American businessman whose habits the judge likened to those of a tomcat, and the 'Headless Man'.
The Duke was granted his divorce, but the Duchess continued to entertain the public. She sued, at one time or another, her daughter, her landlord, her bankers and her recently widowed step-mother, who she accused (correctly, as it turned out) of having an affair with her ex-husband.
In her later years, the Duchess was much exercised by the servant problem. In the early 1980s she fell out with Mrs Springett, who had looked after her for many years. Mrs Springett had been found unconscious next to an empty whisky bottle on the floor of the Duchess's bedroom. Good relations were restored but the Duchess was obliged to send solicitor's letters instructing Mrs Springett to stop calling her 'a silly old whore' in front of her guests. In 1989, her Moroccan maid was prosecuted for running up a large phone bill. Had the Duchess not been permanently drunk, pleaded the maid, she would have remembered that she had given her permission to telephone her family in Morocco. The maid was acquitted.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the Duchess continued to entertain lavishly in her Grosvenor House apartment, but her final years were sad. Evicted from her Park Lane suite in 1990, she became a resident in a Pimlico nursing home.
Speculation over the identity of the 'Headless Man' and the masturbating man continued after her death. In a documentary titled Secret History; the Duchess and the Headless Man shown on English television in August 2000, 'the Headless Man' was named as Duncan Sandys, later Baron Duncan-Sandys, son-in-law of Winston Churchill and a cabinet minister at the time the photo was taken. The man in the other photo was named as Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Jennifer Jane Forwood, Baroness Arlington (11th in line)
The barony of Arlington fell into abeyance in 1936 on the death of the 9th Duke of Grafton. It was called out of abeyance in May 1999. The following article appeared in The Times of 27 May 1999:-
A 60-year-old housewife takes her seat in the House of Lords today after a two-year battle to claim an ancient ancestral title.
Jennifer Forwood, the wife of a retired financial adviser, won permission from the Queen to call herself Lady Arlington at the same time that her right to sit in the Lords was being abolished.
Lady Arlington will be one of only 17 women hereditary peers and the first Arlington to sit in the House of Lords since 1685.
The family title fell into abeyance in 1936 when the last Lord Arlington died aged 21 [22] at the wheel of his Bugatti racing car. [the title was one of the subsidiary titles of the 9th Duke of Grafton. For details of his death, see the note under that peerage]. Mrs. Forwood's mother, the elder of his two sisters, could have claimed the title but chose not to do so.
The newly ennobled Lady Arlington, a mother of two from Shaftesbury in Dorset, said yesterday: "I did this for family reasons. When a title has been in abeyance for a hundred years, it becomes extinct and I did not want that to happen. It is an English title and we are losing so much of our heritage. The title will now stay to be passed down the family even after the House of Lords is abolished."
Mrs. Forwood and her legal advisers began combing the ancient records in 1997 after the death of her mother. The main obstacle was finding proof that the title could pass down through the female line, as until the 20th century all the heirs had been male.
The evidence was eventually found in the 17th-century letters patent held in the Public Record Office at Kew.
The title was created in 1645 [1665] for Sir Henry Bennett, a member of Charles II's inner cabinet known as the Cabal, who had helped the King to regain the throne.
Sir Henry, born in Harlington, East London, is said to have chosen the title so that his wife would not be confused with another "Lady Bennet", a famous courtesan. The H [in Harlington] was dropped when the patent was made out.
The couple's only child was a daughter called Isabella and Lord Arlington begged the King to allow the title to pass through the female line rather than become extinct.
In 1672 Isabella married Henry FitzRoy, the first Duke of Grafton, who was also an illegitimate son of Charles II. Until the 20th century, a male heir carried on the joint title of the Duke of Grafton and Baron of Arlington.
When the 9th Duke was killed in a race the Grafton title passed to a distant cousin, but the barony fell into abeyance.
Mrs. Forwood persuaded her surviving aunt to forfeit her right to the title and she finally received her writ of summons. She said: "It has been a long two years but it is fascinating to look back at the family history. It was quite an adventure and we finally came across the correct documentation.
"I believe my family seat is in Norfolk, but of course the Duke of Grafton and his ancestors [descendants] are entitled to that now."
Baroness Arlington will take her place in the second chamber today in a brief and simple oath-taking ceremony at which peers are not required to wear robes.
Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour
The following is extracted from The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971 by L G Pine [Heraldry Today, London, 1972].
Sir Thomas Arundell [was] born ca 1560 and imprisoned in 1580 for his zeal as a Roman Catholic, but in 1588 subscribed £100 toward defeating the Spanish Armada. At an early age he went as a volunteer to the Imperial Army and served very valiantly against the Turks capturing a standard from them at Gran in Hungary. The Emperor, Rudolph II, thereupon created him a Count of the Holy Roman Empire … The Emperor's edict commended Arundell to Queen Elizabeth I, but she took a very different view of the matter on his return to England. In [Pine's] preface to the 102nd edition of Burke's Peerage [1959], in commenting on the use of foreign titles by British subjects, [Pine] wrote …
The classical case on which the question was formally raised and decided is that of Thomas, 1st Lord Arundell of Wardour who had gone with the Queen's consent and with letters of recommendation from her to serve the Emperor against the Turks. For the conspicuous bravery that he had shown in action he was made a Count of the Holy Roman Empire. When he came back with his new dignity he found the Queen furiously angry with him and public opinion on her side. The Peers made a formal representation against any recognition of his title, saying 'that it belongeth only to the Prince and not to any other to confer dignities on his own subjects!' He was committed to the Fleet Prison for two months and banished from court. The Queen settled the question of the recognition of foreign titles by a famous pronouncement: 'As chaste women ought not to cast their eyes upon any other than their own husbands, so neither ought subjects to cast their eyes upon any other prince than him whom God hath set over them. I would not have my sheep branded with another man's mark; I would not have them follow the whistle of a strange shepherd.'
Blanche Arundell, wife of the 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour (1583-1649)
Blanche was the 6th daughter of Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester. She married Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour in 1607. She is remembered for her gallant defence of Wardour Castle during the English Civil War.
The Arundell family was of Cornish descent but had lived in Wiltshire for 200 years when the English Civil War broke out. Like most of the west of England, Wiltshire strongly supported the Royalist cause. When the fighting began, Lady Arundell's husband and son, together with most of their retainers, went off to join the King's armies in the field, leaving only 50 men to stay with Lady Blanche, her daughter-in-law, Cecily, and Cecily's two young sons, aged 9 and 7 and her young daughter.
In 1643, Charles I was obliged to collect his scattered forces to make up an army to relieve Reading. As a result, the Royalist garrison at Malmesbury was withdrawn. The local Parliamentary commander, Sir Edward Hungerford, took advantage of this withdrawal by moving his forces out of Somerset into Wiltshire. On the afternoon of 2 May 1643, he reached Wardour and, finding it very strong, summoned a Colonel Strode with his forces to his aid. This made, in all, an army of around 1300 to besiege a castle of little military value and housing no more dangerous an enemy than a 60-year-old woman, a younger woman with 3 children and some servants and retainers.
Hungerford sent out a trumpeter calling upon Lady Blanche to surrender the castle, on the pretext that the castle 'being a receptacle of cavaliers and malignants, both Houses of Parliament had ordered it to be searched for men and arms.' Lady Blanche refused this command, replying that 'I have a command from my lord [her husband] to keep it, and I will obey that command'.
The only weapons in the castle were muskets and cross-bows. The castle itself had not been built for military purposes and was nestled on the side of a slope, so that on three sides the rising ground gave the attackers an advantage.
As soon as the sun was well up the following morning, cannons began to bombard the castle, continuing without respite for six days. The first shot crashed into the banqueting-hall, smashing the great chimney-piece of red marble. The defenders valiantly responded with a hail of musket fire. The few men in the castle had to stay at their posts without sleep, and almost without food, since Lady Blanche and the other women were kept busy loading the defenders' muskets.
During the first four days of the siege, Hungerford, on several occasions offered terms of surrender, guaranteeing safe quarter to the women and children, but not to the men. Lady Blanche replied steadily that she and the women with her preferred to die rather than accept such terms.
After the rejection of this offer, the Parliamentarians exploded two mines. The first was laid in a passage to a vault through which beer and wood were brought into the castle. Because it exploded outside the castle's foundations, it did little damage. However, the second mine was exploded in vaults honeycombing the foundations of the castle and caused major damage to those foundations.
By the sixth day, the attackers had succeeded in being able to throw balls of fire through the shattered windows, and all hope of holding the castle was lost. Agreeing to a parley, Lady Blanche stated her terms - everyone in the castle must be given quarter, men and women alike, and the women must be allowed to make disposal of their clothes. Six serving men were to be allowed to attend Lady Blanche and all the furniture and goods within the castle were to be guaranteed immunity from plunder.
Lady Blanche, her daughter-in-law and the three children were taken as prisoners to Shaftesbury. Hungerford did not, however, fulfil the remainder of his undertaking. The interior of the castle was stripped bare, paintings were ripped off the walls and torn to pieces, all of the outhouses were burned down, all of the ancient oaks and elms were cut down. In short, they attempted to destroy as much as possible, probably influenced by the fact that around 60 of their number had been killed in the siege.
Meanwhile, Lady Blanche's husband had been wounded in battle and had died at Oxford, soon after he had received the news that the castle had fallen and that his wife and his son's family had been made prisoners of war. The two young boys were separated from their mother and sent to Dorchester.
After Hungerford's men had trashed the castle, it was maintained as a garrison with Colonel (later Lieutenant-General) Edmund Ludlow (c 1617-1692) as its Governor. He had no sooner ensconced himself in the castle than Henry Arundell, Lady Blanche's son and, following the death of his father, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour, appeared and demanded its surrender. Ludlow refused, and in December 1643, the castle was again under siege, eventually falling on 18 March 1644. Arundell spared Ludlow's life and tried to exchange him for his two children, but without immediate success, although he eventually recovered his children in an exchange of prisoners later in the year.
In due course the entire family was re-united. Lady Blanche died at Winchester in October 1649 and was buried at Tisbury, near Salisbury. Her epitaph reads 'Who shall find a valiant woman? The price of her is a thing brought afar, and from the uttermost coast. The heart of her husband trusteth in her.' This quotation is from Proverbs 31:10.