Baron Clinton

Baron Clinton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1298 for John de Clinton. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The first Baron's great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron, fought on the Yorkist side in the Wars of the Roses. He was attainted in 1461 but late restored to his title. His great-great-grandson, the ninth Baron, was created Earl of Lincoln in 1572. The titles remained united until the death of his great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Earl, in 1692. The earldom was inherited by the late Earl's cousin, the sixth Earl (see the Earl of Lincoln for later history of this title) while the barony fell into abeyance between his aunts.

The abeyance was terminated in 1721 in favour of Hugh Fortescue, the fourteenth Baron. In 1746 he was created Baron Fortescue, of Castlehill in the County of Devon, with remainder to his half-brother Matthew, and Earl Clinton, with remainder to the heirs male of his body. Lord Clinton was childless and on his death the earldom of Clinton became extinct while he was succeeded in the barony of Fortescue according to the special remainder by his half-brother, the second Baron (see the Earl Fortescue for later history of this title). The barony of Clinton, however, was passed on to the late Earl's cousin Margaret Walpole, the fifteenth holder. She was the widow of Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford. She was succeeded by her son, the third Earl and sixteenth Baron. He was childless and on his death the earldom passed to his uncle, the fourth Earl (see the Earl of Orford for later history of this title), while the barony of Clinton became dormant.

It was successfully claimed in 1794 by the late Earl's kinsman Robert George William Trefusis, the seventeenth Baron. He was a descendant of Lady Arabella, second daughter of the fourth Earl of Lincoln. His younger son, the nineteenth Baron, notably represented Callington in the House of Commons. He was succeeded by his son, the twentieth Baron. He served as Under-Secretary of State for India from 1867 to 1868 in the Conservative administrations of the Earl of Derby and Benjamin Disraeli and was also Lord Lieutenant of Devonshire. In 1867 Lord Clinton assumed by Royal license the additional surnames of Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes, which were those of his father-in-law.

His son, the twenty-second Baron, held minor office in the coalition government of David Lloyd George and served as Lord Warden of the Stannaries. On his death in 1957 the barony fell into abeyance between his two daughters Hon. Harriet and Hon. Fenella. The abeyance was terminated in 1965 in favour of Gerald Neville Mark Fane Trefusis, the twenty-third and (as of 2007) present holder of the title. He is the only son of Captain Charles Nevile Fane (who was killed in the Second World War), eldest son of the aforementioned Hon. Harriet. Lord Clinton had already in 1958 assumed by deed poll the additional surname of Trefusis.

Barons Clinton (1298)

*John de Clinton, 1st Baron Clinton (d. 1315)
*John de Clinton, 2nd Baron Clinton(d. c. 1335)
*John de Clinton, 3rd Baron Clinton (d. 1398)
*William de Clinton, 4th Baron Clinton (1378-1431)
*John de Clinton, 5th Baron Clinton (1410-1464)
*John Clinton, 6th Baron Clinton (1431-1488)
*John Clinton, 7th Baron Clinton (1471-1514)
*Thomas Clinton, 8th Baron Clinton (1490-1517)
*Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln, 9th Baron Clinton (1512-1585)
*Henry Clinton, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, 10th Baron Clinton (1541-1616)
*Thomas Clinton, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, 11th Baron Clinton (1568-1619)
*Theophilus Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln, 12th Baron Clinton (1600-1667)
*Edward Clinton, 5th Earl of Lincoln, 13th Baron Clinton (d. 1692) (abeyant)
*Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl of Clinton, 14th Baron Clinton (1696-1751) (abeyance terminated 1721; abeyant 1751)
*Margaret Shirley, 15th Baroness Clinton (1709-1781) (abeyance terminated 1760)
*George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford, 16th Baron Clinton (1730-1791) (dormant on his death)
*Robert George William Trefusis, 17th Baron Clinton (1764-1797) (claimed title 1794)
*Robert Cotton St John Trefusis, 18th Baron Clinton (1787-1832)
*Charles Rodolph Trefusis, 19th Baron Clinton (1791-1866)
*Charles Henry Rolle Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton (1834-1904)
*Charles John Robert Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton (1863-1957) (abeyant)
*Gerald Neville Mark Fane Trefusis, 22nd Baron Clinton (b. 1934) (abeyance terminated 1965)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Charles Patrick Rolle Fane-Trefusis (b. 1962)

The Heir Apparent's Heir Apparent is his son Edward Charles Rolle Fane-Trefusis (b. 1994)

ee also

*Earl of Lincoln (1572 creation)
*Earl Fortescue
*Earl of Orford

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/ Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page]