Lord Polwarth

Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth in the County of Berwick, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1690 for Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth, 2nd Baronet, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1696 to 1702 (the Baronetcy had been created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia in 1637 for his father and namesake Patrick Hume). In 1697 he was further created Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth, Redbraes and Greenlaw, Viscount of Blasonberrie and Earl of Marchmont, also in the Peerage of Scotland. Upon the death of his grandson, the 3rd Earl, the creations of 1697 became dormant (unclaimed). The Heirs Apparent to the Earls of Marchmont used the courtesy title Lord Polwarth.

The claim to the lordship of 1690 was vested in his granddaughter, Anne Anstruther-Paterson ("de jure" 4th Lady Polwarth), daughter of Lady Anne Hume-Campbell, eldest daughter of the 3rd Earl. However, she died before any decision on her claim to the peerage had been reached. On her death the claim to the title passed to her aunt Diana Scott ("de jure" 5th Lady Polwarth), youngest daughter of the 3rd Earl, and then to her son Hugh Hepburne-Scott. In 1835, Hugh's claim to the peerage was allowed by the House of Lords. His son, the 7th Lord, was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1843 to 1867, and like his son, the 8th Lord, served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire. The latter's great-grandson, the 10th Lord, was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1945 to 1963, Governor of the Bank of Scotland from 1966 to 1972, and served in the Conservative administration of Edward Heath, as a Minister of State at the Scottish Office, from 1972 to 1974. As of 2007, the title is held by the latter's son, the 11th Lord.

The seat of the Lords Polwarth was Marchmont House in Berwickshire. However, the estate was sold in 1913.

Hume Baronets, of Polwarth (1637)

*Sir Patrick Hume, 1st Baronet (d. 1648)
*Sir Patrick Hume, 2nd Baronet (1641-1724) (created Lord Polwarth in 1697)

Lords Polwarth (1690)

*Patrick Hume, 1st Lord Polwarth (1641-1724) (created Earl of Marchmont in 1697)

Earls of Marchmont (1697)

*Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont (1641-1724)
*Alexander Hume-Campbell, 2nd Earl of Marchmont (1676-1740)
*Hugh Hume-Campbell, 3rd Earl of Marchmont (1708-1794) (Earldom dormant on his death)

Lords Polwarth (1690) (continued)

*Anne Anstruther-Paterson, "de jure" 4th Lady Polwarth (d. 1822)
*Diana Scott, "de jure" 5th Lady Polwarth (1735-1827)
*Hugh Scott, "de jure" later "de facto" 6th Lord Polwarth (1758-1841) (confirmed in title July 1835)
*Henry Francis Hepburne-Scott, 7th Lord Polwarth (1800-1867)
*Walter Hugh Hepburne-Scott, 8th Lord Polwarth (1838-1920)
*Walter George Hepburne-Scott, 9th Lord Polwarth (1864-1944)
*Henry Alexander Hepburne-Scott, 10th Lord Polwarth (1916-2005)
*Andrew Walter Hepburne-Scott, 11th Lord Polwarth (b. 1947)

Heir Apparent: William Henry Hepburne-Scott, Master of Polwarth (b. 1973)

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]