Lord Aston of Forfar

Last updated

Lord Aston of Forfar
Coronet of a British Baron.svg
Aston of Forfar.png

Lord Aston of Forfar was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The barony was created on 28 November 1627 for Sir Walter Aston, Bt, who had been previously created Baronet of Tixall Hall, Staffordshire (in the Baronetage of England) on 22 May 1611. [1]

Contents

On the death of the 5th Lord, on 24 August 1751, the Tixall Baronetcy became extinct. [2] The title fate of the Aston of Forfar barony is unclear, however.

Sir John Bernard Burke believed the original letters patent stated that on the failure of the 1st Lord's line, the title should pass to his brother and his heirs. [2] The barony is thought to have passed to a distant relative: Philip Aston, the great-great-grandson of the 1st Lord's brother, who was styled as the 6th Lord during his lifetime. [2] Later research, however, has shown there may have been a more senior descendant, meaning the 6th and 7th Lords were probably not entitled to the title, despite being styled as "Lord Aston of Forfar" during their lifetimes. [3]

George Cokayne, however, acknowledges the assumption of the title by the 8th and 9th Lords as "possibly lawful"; [1] with the 8th Lord receiving recognition by King George III. [4]

History

Tixall House and Gatehouse (c. 1686) by R. Plot. Tixall Hall and Gatehouse (1686).jpg
Tixall House and Gatehouse (c. 1686) by R. Plot.

The early Lords Aston were devoutly Roman Catholic and used their wealth and influence to make Tixall a safe haven for Catholics. They were also staunch Royalists, which meant that the Crown was usually prepared to tolerate their religious beliefs. The 2nd Lord Aston was accused of recusancy, but the charges were quickly dropped. During the Popish Plot, the 3rd Lord Aston was sent to the Tower of London, but in due course was released without standing trial. [5]

The sister of Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar, was Anne, who married Ambrose Elton, Esq., of The Hazle, Ledbury, Herefordshire. Elton served as Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1618, and was a graduate of Brasenose College, Oxford, which his ancestors had founded. [6]

After the 5th Lord

With the death of the 5th Lord, the main line of the family, and the Baronet title, became extinct. [2] The fate of the barony of "Aston of Forfar" is unclear.

Burke states the title passed to Philip Aston, the great-great-grandson of the 1st Lord's brother. [2] Philip died unmarried and without issue; the title would thus pass to his younger brother Walter. [2]
Philip and Walter's right to use the title was, however, later disputed. Both were styled as "6th and 7th Lord Aston of Forfar" but, probably unbeknownst to them, there was a male descendant on a more senior line, William Aston of Beaulieu, County Louth, Ireland who outlived them, and was thus the legitimate (but at the time unrecognised) 6th Lord. [3]

Philip, Walter, and the legitimate senior claimant, all died without male issue. The two claims for the title were then reunited in a single person: Walter Aston; Philip and Walter's first cousin. [2]

Walter was styled at the time as the 8th Lord, but his uncertain status caused problems in his career. Scottish Peers were entitled to vote to elect 16 Scottish representative peers to the House of Lords. In 1768 Walter's right to vote in these elections raised objections as he was not listed on the Union Roll. [4]
Walter's right to the title seems to have been confirmed, however, when in 1769 King George III referred to him as "Walter, Lord Aston, Baron of Forfar", and granted him an annual pension of £300. [4]

Following Walter's death, the title passed to his only son, the clergyman Walter Aston. [2] He attempted to get official recognition for the barony, but died before the matter was settled.[ citation needed ] His claim as 9th Lord Aston of Forfar is called "possibly lawful" by Cokayne; who states the title became "dormant" with his death. [1]

Modern Claimants

The title is currently considered extinct. It is, however, still claimed by descendants of the Aston family.[ citation needed ] The current claimant's right to use the title is disputed and unrecognised.

Aston baronets, of Tixall (1611)

Lords Aston of Forfar (1627)

Notes

  1. ↑ Both Philip and Walter were styled as 6th and 7th Lord Aston of Forfar. However, after their deaths evidence was discovered to suggest there may have been a more senior descendant. Although this senior descendant died without male issue, he outlived Philip and Walter, and thus should have inherited the barony instead of them.
  2. ↑ Both Philip and Walter were styled as 6th and 7th Lord Aston of Forfar. However, after their deaths evidence was discovered to suggest there may have been a more senior descendant. Although this senior descendant died without male issue, he outlived Philip and Walter, and thus should have inherited the barony instead of them.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Audley</span>

Baron Audley is a title in the Peerage of England first created in 1313, by writ to the Parliament of England, for Sir Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle, a member of the Anglo-Norman Audley family of Staffordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Devon</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Devon is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of England. It was possessed first by the Redvers family, and later by the Courtenay family. It is not to be confused with the title of Earl of Devonshire, which is held by the Duke of Devonshire, although the letters patent for the creation of the latter peerages used the same Latin words, Comes Devon(iae). It was a re-invention, if not an actual continuation, of the pre-Conquest office of Ealdorman of Devon.

Lord Ruthven of Freeland is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1651 for Thomas Ruthven. He was the grandson of Alexander Ruthven, younger son of William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven. The letters patent creating the peerage is said to have been burnt with the House of Freeland in 1750, and the remainder to the peerage is not accurately known. However, as the dignity was retained on the Union Roll, it has been presumed that the honour was to heirs-general. Lord Ruthven of Freeland was succeeded by his son, the second Lord. He never married and on his death in 1722 the title and estates devolved by entail upon his youngest sister, Jean. On her death the estates passed to her nephew Sir William Cunningham, 3rd Baronet, of Cunninghamhead. He was the only son of Anne, elder sister of the third Lady Ruthven and also heir of line. He assumed the surname of Ruthven upon the death of his aunt, but lived only six months after his accession to the estates and never assumed the title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Airlie</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland

Earl of Airlie is a title of the peerage in Scotland created on 2 April 1639 for James Ogilvy, 7th Lord Ogilvy of Airlie, along with the title "Lord Ogilvy of Alith and Lintrathen". The title "Lord Ogilvy of Airlie" was created on 28 April 1491.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Hastings</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Baron Hastings is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1290, and is extant. The second creation was in the Peerage of England in 1299, and became extinct on the death of the first holder in c. 1314. The third creation was in the Peerage of England in 1461, and has been in abeyance since 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron FitzWalter</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 24 June 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Berkeley</span> Title in the Peerage of England

The title Baron Berkeley originated as a feudal title and was subsequently created twice in the Peerage of England by writ. It was first granted by writ to Thomas de Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley (1245–1321), 6th feudal Baron Berkeley, in 1295, but the title of that creation became extinct at the death of his great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron by writ, when no male heirs to the barony by writ remained, although the feudal barony continued. The next creation by writ was in 1421, for the last baron's nephew and heir James Berkeley. His son and successor William was created Viscount Berkeley in 1481, Earl of Nottingham in 1483, and Marquess of Berkeley in 1488. He had no surviving male issue, so the Marquessate and his other non-inherited titles became extinct on his death in 1491, whilst the barony passed de jure to his younger brother Maurice. However, William had disinherited Maurice because he considered him to have brought shame on the noble House of Berkeley by marrying beneath his status to Isabel, daughter of Philip Mead of Wraxhall, an Alderman and Mayor of Bristol. Instead, he bequeathed the castle, lands and lordships comprising the Barony of Berkeley to King Henry VII and his heirs male, failing which to descend to William's own rightful heirs. Thus on the death of King Edward VI in 1553, Henry VII's unmarried grandson, the Berkeley inheritance returned to the family. Therefore, Maurice and his descendants from 1492 to 1553 were de jure barons only, until the return of the title to the senior heir Henry, becoming de facto 7th Baron in 1553. Upon his death he was succeeded by his relative George Harding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Lucas</span> Barony in the Peerage of England

Baron Lucas is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The second creation is extant and is currently held with the title Lord Dingwall in the Peerage of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Strange</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Baron Strange is a title which has been created four times in the Peerage of England. Two creations, one in 1295 and another in 1326, had only one holder each, upon whose deaths they became extinct. Two of the creations, that of 1299 and that of 1628, are extant. The surname Le Strange was Latinized as Extraneus. The arms of Le Strange of Knockin Castle in Shropshire were: Gules, two lions passant argent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William de Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley</span> English peer

William de Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley was an English peer, given the epithet "The Waste-All" by the family biographer and steward John Smyth of Nibley. He was buried at "St. Augustine's Friars, London" according to one source, but most likely in the Berkeley family foundation of St Augustine's Abbey, Bristol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Sherard</span>

Lord Sherard, Baron of Leitrim, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland in 1627. The third holder of the barony would also be named Baron Harborough (1714), Viscount Sherard (1718), and Earl of Harborough (1719), with the viscountcy ending with the death of its original holder in 1732, but the other titles persisting in the family until 1859. The Sherard barony became dormant in 1931 with the death of the last known male-line family member.

The title Baron Bergavenny was created several times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain, all but the first being baronies created by error. Abergavenny is a market town in South East Wales with a castle established by the Norman lord Hamelin de Balun c. 1087.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar</span> English courtier and diplomat

Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar was an English courtier and diplomat.

Walter Aston, 2nd Lord Aston of Forfar was the second and eldest surviving son of Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar, and Gertrude Sadleir, daughter of Sir Thomas Sadleir of Standon, Hertfordshire, and his second wife Gertrude Markham. Lady Aston was the granddaughter of the noted Elizabethan statesman Sir Ralph Sadler.

Walter Aston, 7th Lord Aston of Forfar, succeeded his brother Philip Aston, 6th Lord Aston of Forfar, as Lord Aston of Forfar in the peerage of Scotland in 1755.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Aston, 8th Lord Aston of Forfar</span>

Walter Aston, 8th Lord Aston of Forfar was the son of Edward Aston and Anne Bayley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Burghersh</span> Barony in the Peerage of England

The title of Baron Burghersh has been created three times in the Peerage of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Montagu</span> Extinct barony in the Peerage of England

The titles Baron Montacute or Baron Montagu were created several times in the Peerage of England for members of the House of Montagu. The family name was Latinised to de Monte Acuto, meaning "from the sharp mountain"; the French form is an ancient spelling of mont aigu, with identical meaning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston baronets</span> Title in the Baronetage of England

There have been two baronetcies created for persons with the surname Aston, both in the Baronetage of England. Both creations are extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Willoughby of Parham</span> Barony in the Peerage of England

Baron Willoughby of Parham was a title in the Peerage of England with two creations. The first creation was for Sir William Willoughby who was raised to the peerage under letters patent in 1547, with the remainder to his heirs male of body. An error in identifying the heir in 1680 resulted in an inadvertent novel creation by writ in 1680, without the restriction on inheritance by gender. The creation of the barony gave the right to a hereditary peerage and seat in the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament.

References

  1. 1 2 3 George Edward Cokayne (1900). Complete Baronetage.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sir John Bernard Burke, CB (1861). A Genealogical History of the Dormant: Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire.
  3. 1 2 "Person Page".
  4. 1 2 3 G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 289.
  5. ↑ Kenyon, J.P. The Popish Plot Phoenix Press reissue 2000 p.256
  6. ↑ A Topographical and Historical Description of the Parish of Tixall, Sir Thomas Clifford, Bart., Arthur Clifford, Esq., M. Nouzou, Paris, 1817

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.