Viscountcy of Gormanston | |
---|---|
Creation date | 7 August 1478 |
Created by | Edward IV |
Peerage | Peerage of Ireland |
First holder | Robert Preston, 4th Baron Gormanston |
Present holder | Jenico Nicholas Dudley Preston, 17th Viscount Gormanston |
Heir apparent | The Hon. Jenico Francis Tara Preston |
Subsidiary titles | Baron Gormanston Baron Gormanston, of Whitewood |
Status | Extant |
Former seat(s) | Gormanston Castle |
Viscount Gormanston is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1478 and held by the head of the Preston family, which hailed from Lancashire. It is the oldest vicomital title in the British Isles; the holder is Premier Viscount of Ireland.
The Preston family descends from Sir Robert Preston, who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Sometime between 1365 and 1370 he was created Baron Gormanston by writ to the Parliament of Ireland. His son and heir, the second Baron, played a prominent part in public affairs, and was arrested for treason in 1418. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, served as Lord Deputy of Ireland: in 1478 he was created Viscount Gormanston in the Peerage of Ireland. His son, the second Viscount, served as Lord Justice of Ireland in 1525. A later descendant, the seventh Viscount, was a supporter of King James II and was outlawed after the Glorious Revolution.
Jenico Preston helped to suppress the Irish Rebellion of 1798, [1] and in 1800 he had the outlawry reversed and was summoned to the Irish House of Lords as the twelfth Viscount Gormanston. He was the great-grandson of Anthony Preston, the de jure ninth Viscount Gormanston, the nephew of the seventh Viscount. The twelfth Viscount was succeeded by his son, the thirteenth Viscount. In 1868 he was created Baron Gormanston, in County Meath, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave the Viscounts an automatic seat in the House of Lords. His son, the fourteenth Viscount, notably served as Governor of British Guiana and as Governor of Tasmania. The 15th Viscount was a Captain in the Royal Irish Fusiliers and a Deputy Lieutenant for County Meath. [2] As of 2023 [update] the titles are held by the latter's great-grandson, the seventeenth Viscount who succeeded to the titles in 1940 at the age of seven months after his father was killed in action during the Battle of France during the Second World War.
Another member of the Preston family was Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara. He was the second son of the fourth Viscount Gormanston. Also, John Preston, 1st Baron Tara, was a descendant of a younger brother.
The unusual first name Jenico borne by many Preston boys derives from the Gascon-born soldier Sir Jenico d'Artois, a prominent military commander who became a substantial landowner in Ireland. His daughter Jane married the 3rd Baron Gormanston, and was the mother of Sir Robert Preston, who was created a viscount.
The family seat was Gormanston Castle, County Meath, close to the county border with Dublin.
Earl Castle Stewart, in the County Tyrone, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for Andrew Thomas Stewart, 9th Baron Castle Stuart.
Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara was an Irish soldier of the 17th century. After lengthy service as a mercenary in the Spanish Army, Preston returned to Ireland following the outbreak of the Rebellion of 1641. He was appointed to command the Leinster Army of the Irish Confederacy, enjoying some success as well as a number of heavy defeats such as the Battle of Dungans Hill in 1647 where his army was largely destroyed. Like other Confederate leaders, Preston was a Catholic Royalist. He remained in close contact with the Lord Lieutenant the Marquess of Ormonde, and was a strong supporter of an alliance between Confederates and Royalists against the English Republicans.
Marquess of Linlithgow, in the County of Linlithgow or West Lothian, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 23 October 1902 for John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun. The current holder of the title is Adrian Hope.
Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1627 and is held by the head of the Brabazon family.
Baron Saye and Sele is a title in the Peerage of England held by the Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes family. The title dates to 1447 but it was recreated in 1603. Confusion over the details of the 15th-century title has led to conflicting order for titleholders; authorities such as Burke's Peerage and Debrett's Peerage do not agree on whether or not the 1447 creation is still extant.
Earl of Listowel is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1822 for William Hare, 1st Viscount Ennismore and Listowel, who had earlier represented Cork City and Athy in the Irish House of Commons.
Viscount Boyne, in the province of Leinster, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1717 for the Scottish military commander Gustavus Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Stackallan. He had already been created Baron Hamilton of Stackallan, in the County of Meath in 1715, also in the Peerage of Ireland. Hamilton was the youngest son of Sir Frederick Hamilton, youngest son of Claud Hamilton, 1st Lord Paisley, third son of James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. His grandson, the second Viscount, represented Newport in the House of Commons. His first cousin, the fourth Viscount, sat as a member of the Irish House of Commons for Navan.
Viscount Hawarden is a title in the Peerage of Ireland.
Viscount Bridport is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation became extinct in 1814, while the second creation is still extant.
Lord Aylmer, Baron of Balrath, in the County of Meath, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1718 for the naval commander Matthew Aylmer, the second son of Sir Christopher Aylmer, 1st Baronet, of Balrath. Lord Aylmer's son, the second Baron, represented Rye in the House of Commons. The latter's grandson, the fourth Baron, succeeded his kinsman as seventh Baronet, of Balrath, in 1776. The titles remain united. He was succeeded in both titles by his son, the fifth Baron. He was a general in the Army and served as Governor General of Canada from 1830 to 1835. Lord Aylmer assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Whitworth in 1825 on the death of his uncle Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth. On his death, the titles passed to his younger brother, the sixth Baron. He was an admiral in the Royal Navy.
Baron Langford, of Summerhill in the County of Meath, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 1 July 1800 for Clotworthy Rowley, who had earlier represented Trim and County Meath in the Irish House of Commons. Born Clotworthy Taylor, he was the fourth son of Thomas Taylor, 1st Earl of Bective and Jane Rowley, daughter of Hercules Langford Rowley and his wife Elizabeth Rowley, 1st Viscountess Langford. The viscountcy of Langford became extinct in 1796 on the death of Hercules Rowley, 2nd Viscount Langford. Clotworthy Taylor succeeded to the Rowley estates and assumed by Royal licence the surname of Rowley in lieu of Taylor. Four years later the Langford title was revived when he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Langford.
Viscount Tara was a title in the Peerage of Ireland.
(Jenico) Nicholas Dudley Preston, 17th Viscount Gormanston, is an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and British hereditary peer, who sat in the House of Lords until 1999.
Earl Ludlow was a title in the Peerage of Ireland, created on 3 October 1760 for Peter Ludlow, 1st Baron Ludlow. He had already been created Baron Ludlow, of Ardsalla in the County of Meath, on 19 December 1755, and was made Viscount Preston, of Ardsalla in the County of Meath, at the same time as he was given the earldom. He subsequently represented Huntingdonshire in Parliament and served as Comptroller of the Household from 1782 to 1784. Ludlow was the great-grandson of Henry Ludlow, brother of the Parliamentarian general Edmund Ludlow. His mother was Mary, daughter of John Preston, hence his choice of title for the viscountcy. Lord Ludlow was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his only brother, the third Earl. He was a General in the British Army. In 1831 he was created Baron Ludlow in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The titles became extinct on his death in 1842.
Baron Tara was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created for the first time in 1691 in favour of the soldier Lord Meinhardt Schomberg, younger son of Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg. He was made Earl of Bangor and Duke of Leinster at the same time. For more information on this creation, see Duke of Schomberg.
Jenico William Joseph Preston, 14th Viscount Gormanston,, was an aristocratic Anglo-Irish colonial administrator.
Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron of Dunsany was an Anglo-Norman peer. He was the second son of Sir Christopher Plunkett, and Uncle of Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron of Killeen, through his elder brother John Plunkett.
Robert Preston, 1st Viscount Gormanston (1435–1503) was an Irish peer and statesman of the fifteenth century who held the offices of Deputy to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Lord Deputy of Ireland.
Nicholas Preston, 6th Viscount Gormanston (1606–1643) sat in the House of Lords of the Irish Parliament of 1634–1635 and sided with the insurgents after the Irish Rebellion of 1641.
Jenico Preston, 7th Viscount Gormanston, was an Irish peer, Jacobite soldier and landowner.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location (link)