Baron Arundell of Wardour

Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour, by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Baron Arundell of Wardour, in the County of Wiltshire, was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1605 for Thomas Arundell, known as "Thomas the Valiant". He was the grandson of Sir Thomas Arundell and Margaret Howard, sister of Queen Catherine Howard. Arundell had already been created a count of the Holy Roman Empire by Rudolph II in December 1595 (see below). He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He fought as a Royalist in the Civil War and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Stratton in 1643. His son, the third Baron, was implicated in the Popish Plot and imprisoned in the Tower of London for six years. However, after the accession of James II he was restored to favour and served as Lord Privy Seal from 1687 to 1688. His great-great-great-grandson, the eighth Baron (the title having descended from father to son), was an avid collector of art and accumulated immense debts in building and furnishing New Wardour Castle.

He had no sons and was succeeded by his cousin, the ninth Baron. He was the son of the Hon. James Everard Arundell, younger son of the sixth Baron. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the tenth Baron. He voted against the Reform Bill 1832, the only Catholic peer to do so. He was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eleventh Baron. Two of the eleventh Baron's son, the twelfth and thirteenth Barons, succeeded in the title. The latter was a Roman Catholic priest. On the thirteenth Baron's death the title passed to his third cousin once removed, the fourteenth Baron. He was the great-grandson of Thomas Raymond Arundell, younger son of the aforementioned the Hon. James Everard Arundell, younger son of the sixth Baron. He died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fifteenth Baron. When he died the titles passed to his son, the sixteenth Baron. He was killed in action in 1944 during the Second World War. On his death the barony became extinct.

The Barons took their title from Wardour Castle in Wiltshire, which is now partially ruined; it was previously owned by the Duke of Norfolk who claims the title of Earl of Wardour.

Barons Arundell of Wardour (1605)

• Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour (1560–1639)
• Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour (1586–1643)
• Henry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour (d. 1694)
• Thomas Arundell, 4th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1633–1712)
• Henry Arundell, 5th Baron Arundell of Wardour (d. 1726)
• Henry Arundell, 6th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1694–1746)
• Henry Arundell, 7th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1717–1756)
• Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1740–1808)
• James Everard Arundell, 9th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1763–1817)
• James Everard Arundell, 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1785–1834)
• Henry Benedict Arundell, 11th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1804–1862)
• John Francis Arundell, 12th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1831–1906)
• Everard Aloysius Gonzaga Arundell, 13th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1834–1907)
• Edgar Clifford Arundell, 14th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1859–1921)
• Gerald Arthur Arundell, 15th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1861–1939)
• John Francis Arundell, 16th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1907–1944)

Counts Arundell of Wardour in the Holy Roman Empire

In 1595, Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour was created a hereditary Count of the Holy Roman Empire by Emperor Rudolph II for his military service in Hungary. This grant occasioned much controversy on his return to England over its effect on his English precedence and the legitimacy of foreign titles in England. While some have interpreted the grant of nobility to mean that all of his legitimate descendants are entitled to the title of Count or Countess of the Holy Roman Empire, "...a limitation to heirs general in an Austrian patent is not to be construed in the English sense...in Austria the expression is construed as referring only to a male heir." ^[1]

See also

• Baron Talbot of Malahide

External links

• The Latin text of the patent and translation

References

1. ^ College of Arms correspondence

(In fact, such a grant is slightly different from an English grant to heirs-male, as daughters of holders of the title may use the title of Countess until marriage.

• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• www.thepeerage.com