Richard Hill of Hawkstone

Last updated

Richard Hill of Hawkstone
British (English) School - The Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Hill of Hawkstone (1654-1727) - 1298214 - National Trust.jpg
Portrait (before 1700)
Born23 March 1655 (baptized)
Died11 June 1727
EducationShrewsbury School; St John's College, Cambridge
Occupation(s)diplomatist, statesman, public servant
Parent(s)Rowland Hill and Margaret Whitehall

Richard Hill of Hawkstone Hall, Shropshire, was baptised at Hodnet, Shropshire, on 23 March 1655 and died unmarried at Richmond, Surrey, on 11 June 1727, aged 72. He was known as 'the Great Hill', diplomatist, public servant and statesman, who accumulated great wealth through a series of profitable appointments and judicious dealings.

He was the second son of Rowland Hill (baptised 1623?) of Hawkstone and his wife, Margaret Whitehall of Doddington, Shropshire. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and admitted to St John's College, Cambridge (BA 1679; MA 1682), and was ordained deacon. [1] In 1675, he worked as a tutor to the sons of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington, and then to the children of Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester. Through Hyde, he became acquainted with Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh, paymaster of the forces, by whom he was appointed deputy paymaster of William III to the army in Flanders during the War of the Grand Alliance, 1688–96.

In the 1690s and early 18th century he went on to hold several eminent positions. He served as a diplomat during the War of the Spanish Succession, as envoy to Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria in Brussels, and to the duke of Savoy in Turin, whom he persuaded to join the Grand Alliance. Hill made the allies guarantors for the Vaudois, a medieval heretic sect, later Protestants, who had suffered centuries of persecution by the dukes of Savoy, and they were guaranteed toleration, so that the Vaudois pastors placed him 'at the head of our Nehemiahs' (Diplomatic Correspondence, 2.973).

In 1699 he was ambassador at the court of The Hague. Hill returned to England to become a Commissioner of the Admiralty (1702–08). He was appointed a Lord of the Treasury (1699–1702) and Counsellor to Prince George of Denmark, the Prince Consort of Queen Anne. William III 'did often declare that he had never employed two ministers of greater vigilance, capacity and virtue than yourself, my Lord, and the Reverend Mr Hill' (according to a 1720 dedication to John Robinson, bishop of London, who had been Lord Privy Seal).

He was given a final appointment to Brussels, but he retired in 1710 due to ill-health, entering holy orders in the Church of England. He refused a bishopric in the hopes of taking that of Ely, and became a fellow of Eton College in 1714. He lived quietly as tenant at Cleveland House, St James's, and at Trumpeters' House at the Old Palace, Richmond, where 'he was much resorted to by the most eminent persons of the time [and] the Royal family shewed him very particular regards' (Gilbert Burnet, 4.318).

Portrait c. 1720 British (English) School - The Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Hill of Hawkstone (1654-1727) - 1298211 - National Trust.jpg
Portrait c. 1720

Hill inherited Hawkstone Hall in 1700 and reordered the mansion and park to his own designs. With the fortune he made from his paymastership (subsequently augmented by loans, investments and mortgages), he extended his estates at Tern Hall, Atcham, near Shrewsbury (today Attingham Park), and at Shenstone, Staffordshire, and systematically purchased estates in many counties, including Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire, thus adding to his already substantial inheritance with the aim of founding an enduring dynasty. He secured the wealth and influence of the Hills as one of the great families and landowners in 18th- to 19th-century Shropshire, providing liberally for three nephews, especially his protégé Rowland Hill of Hawkstone (1705–1783), who was given a baronetcy in his honour in 1727 and was later father of Richard Hill (1732–1808) and preacher Rowland Hill (1744–1833).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shropshire</span> County in England

Shropshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England, on the border with Wales. It is bordered by Cheshire to the north, the Welsh county of Wrexham to the north and northwest, Staffordshire to the east, Worcestershire to the southeast, Herefordshire to the south, and the Welsh county of Powys to the west. The largest settlement is Telford, while Shrewsbury is the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount Hill</span> Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Viscount Hill, of Hawkstone and of Hardwicke in the County of Salop, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1842 for General Rowland Hill. He had already been created Baron Hill, of Almaraz and of Hawkstone in the County of Salop, in 1814, with remainder to the heirs male of his body, and Baron Hill, of Almarez and of Hawkestone and Hardwicke in the County of Salop, in 1816, with remainder to the heirs male of his elder brother John Hill. The viscountcy was created with the same special remainder. On the first Viscount's death in 1842, the barony of 1814 became extinct as he had no male issue, while he was succeeded in the barony of 1816 and the viscountcy according to the special remainders by his nephew Sir Rowland Hill, 4th Baronet. His son, the 3rd Viscount, sat as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Shropshire North. In 1875, he assumed by royal licence the additional surname of Clegg, which was that of his maternal grandfather. He inherited financial problems from his father which led to the breakup and sale of the family estates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atcham</span> Village in Shropshire, England

Atcham is a village, ecclesiastical parish and civil parish in Shropshire, England. It lies on the B4380, 5 miles south-east of Shrewsbury. The River Severn flows round the village. To the south is the village of Cross Houses and to the north-west the hamlet of Emstrey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attingham Park</span> Stately home near Atcham, Shropshire, England

Attingham Park is an English country house and estate in Shropshire. Located near the village of Atcham, on the B4380 Shrewsbury to Wellington road. It is owned by the National Trust and is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wem</span> Town in Shropshire founded in the Norman period

Wem is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, 9 miles (14 km) north of Shrewsbury and 9 miles (14 km) south of Whitchurch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawkstone Park</span> Allegorical landscape honouring the Geneva Bible project in Shropshire, England

Hawkstone Park is a historic landscape park in Shropshire, England, with pleasure grounds and gardens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Berwick</span> Barony in the Peerage of Great Britain

Baron Berwick, of Attingham Park in the County of Shropshire, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1784 for Noel Hill, who had earlier represented Shrewsbury and Shropshire in Parliament. He was the son of Thomas Hill, son of Thomas Harwood, a draper, of Shrewsbury, Shropshire. His paternal grandmother was Margaret, daughter of Rowland Hill, sister of Sir Richard Hill and aunt of Sir Rowland Hill, 1st Baronet, ancestor of the Viscounts Hill. Hill's father had assumed the surname of Hill in lieu of his patronymic on succeeding to the Hill estates through his mother. Lord Berwick was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He was a patron of art. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Baron. He was a diplomat and politician. In 1824 he assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Noel, which was that of his maternal grandfather, William Noel, younger son of Sir John Noel, 4th Baronet, of Kirkby Mallory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weston-under-Redcastle</span> An estate village of the Sir Rowland Hill legacy estates

Weston-under-Redcastle is an estate village of the Sir Rowland Hill legacy estates. It is a civil parish in Shropshire, England. It lies 10 km by road east of Wem. Historically, it has been part of the manor of Hawkstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowland Hill (MP)</span> Publisher of the Geneva Bible and Tudor Statesman (c.1495–1561)

Sir Rowland Hill of Soulton, was the publisher of the Geneva Bible, thereby earning the title "The First Protestant Lord Mayor of London", having held that office in 1549. He was a statesman, polymath, merchant and patron of art and philanthropist active through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. He is associated with the recovery and development of Tudor English drama a generation before Shakespeare, and events that Hill was involved in may have shaped one or more Shakespearean characters.

Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a title in the Royal Household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. A Lord of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household; the term being first used in 1718. The duties of the Lords and Gentlemen of the Bedchamber originally consisted of assisting the monarch with dressing, waiting on him when he ate, guarding access to his bedchamber and closet and providing companionship. Such functions became less important over time, but provided proximity to the monarch; the holders were thus trusted confidants and often extremely powerful. The offices were in the gift of The Crown and were originally sworn by Royal Warrant directed to the Lord Chamberlain.

Shropshire Archives is located in Shrewsbury, England, and is the archives and local studies service for the historic county of Shropshire, which includes the borough of Telford and Wrekin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon</span>

George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon was the son of Theophilus Hastings, 7th Earl of Huntingdon and his first wife Elizabeth Lewis; he succeeded his father in 1701.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawkstone Hall</span> Wedding Venue/Hotel in Shropshire, England

Hawkstone Hall is a 43,400 square feet (4,030 m2) early 18th-century country mansion near Hodnet and Weston-under-Redcastle, Shropshire, England which was more recently occupied as the pastoral centre of a religious organisation for many years. It is a Grade I listed building.

Rowland Clegg-Hill, 3rd Viscount Hill, known as Rowland Hill until 1872, was a British Conservative politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowland Hill, 2nd Viscount Hill</span> British politician

Rowland Hill, 2nd Viscount Hill, known as Sir Rowland Hill, Bt, between 1824 and 1842, was a British peer and Tory politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet</span>

Sir Richard Hill, 2nd Baronet of Hawkstone, was a prominent religious revivalist and Tory Member of Parliament for Shropshire 1780–1806.

Richard Noel-Hill, 4th Baron Berwick of Attingham, was born in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Covent Garden, London, England, and baptised there on 11 November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Shaw (taxidermist)</span>

Henry Shaw was a notable nineteenth century English taxidermist working in Shropshire, England during the golden age of taxidermy when mounted animals became a popular part of Victorian era interior design.

References

  1. "Hill, Richard (HL675R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.