1st Earl of Lucan

THE EARLS OF LUCAN WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY MAYO, WITH 60,570 ACRES

The family of BINGHAM is of Saxon origin, and of very great antiquity. It was originally seated at Sutton Bingham, Somerset; from whence it removed, during the reign of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, to Melcombe Bingham, Dorset. 

RALPH DE BINGHAM, of Sutton Bingham, Somerset, descended from Sir John de Bingham, Knight, during the reign of HENRY I, had issue two sons,

RALPH, his heir;

Robert (1180-1246), Bishop of Salisbury.

The elder son,

RALPH DE BINGHAM, of Sutton Bingham, who left, with other issue, a younger son,

ROBERT BINGHAM, who held lands in the manor of West Stafford, 1246, married Lucy, daughter and heiress of Robert Turberville, and had issue a son,

ROBERT BINGHAM, of Melcombe Bingham, Dorset, who wedded Eleanor, daughter of Sir Andrew Wake, and died in 1307, having had issue,

RICHARD BINGHAM, of Melcombe, who married Pernell, daughter of Sir Galfrid Warnhill, and died in 1317, having had issue,

ROBERT BINGHAM, of Melcombe, born about 1295, who wedded Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Aston, and had issue,

RICHARD BINGHAM, of Melcombe, who espoused Catherine, daughter of Thomas Silvester, and died ante 1404, having had issue,

ROBERT BINGHAM, of Melcombe, who married Margaret, daughter of John Frampton, and died in 1431.  

This gentleman's direct lineal descendant,

ROBERT BINGHAM, of Melcombe, wedded Alice, daughter of Thomas Coker, of Mappowder, in Dorset, and had (with two daughters), eight sons, viz.

ROBERT, ancestor of Bingham of Melcombe Bingham;
Christopher;
RICHARD, of whom hereafter;
GEORGE (Sir), Knight;
Roger, dsp;
John (Sir), Knight, an officer in Ireland;
Thomas;
Charles.

The third son,

SIR RICHARD BINGHAM (1528-99), Knight, of Melcombe, Dorset, became the most eminent person of his family, and one of the most celebrated captains of the age in which he lived.

At the time of the armada, Sir Richard was one of ELIZABETH I's military council.

He was instrumental in reducing insurrections in Ireland, in 1586, 1590, and 1593, and was eventually constituted marshal of that kingdom, and general of Leinster.

Sir Richard died at Dublin soon after attaining these honours, leaving an only daughter, when the representation of the family in Ireland devolved upon  his nephew,

HENRY BINGHAM (1573-c1658), of Castlebar, County Mayo (son of George Bingham, Governor of Sligo, who was killed by Ensign Ulick Burgh, ca 1596, which Ulick delivered up to the castle of O'Donnell and his adherents).

He was created a baronet in 1634, designated of Castlebar, County Mayo.

Sir Henry wedded Miss Byrne, of Cabinteely, near Dublin, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR GEORGE BINGHAM, 2nd Baronet (1625-82), father of

SIR HENRY BINGHAM, 3rd Baronet (1654-1714), at whose decease, without issue, the titles devolved upon his half-brother,

SIR GEORGE, 4th Baronet, who was succeeded at his decease by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN BINGHAM, 5th Baronet (1696-1749), Governor and MP for County Mayo, who espoused Anne, daughter of Agmondisham Vesey, grandniece of the celebrated general (in the army of JAMES II) Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan, who fell at the battle of Landen, in Flanders; and great-granddaughter of CHARLES II, through His Majesty's illegitimate daughter, sister of the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth.

Sir John was an officer of rank on the side of JAMES II at the decisive conflict of Aughrim, and contributed to the success of WILLIAM III by deserting his colours in the very brunt of the battle.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN BINGHAM, 6th Baronet (1730-50), MP for County Mayo; but dying unmarried, the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR CHARLES BINGHAM, 7th Baronet (1735-99), MP for County Mayo, who was elevated to the peerage, in 1776, in the dignity of Baron Lucan, of Castlebar.

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of an earldom, in 1795, as EARL OF LUCAN.

He wedded, in 1760, Margaret, daughter and sole heir of John Smith, of Cannons Leigh, Devon, and Audries, Somerset, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
Lavinia; Margaret; Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

RICHARD, 2nd Earl (1764-1839), who espoused, in 1794, the Lady Elizabeth Belasyse, third daughter and co-heir of Henry, 2nd Earl Fauconberg, and had issue,

GEORGE CHARLES, his successor;

Richard Camden;

Elizabeth; Anne; Louisa; Georgiana.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

GEORGE CHARLES, 3rd Earl (1800-88), GCB, Field Marshal in the Army, who married, in 1829, Anne, daughter of 6th Earl of Cardigan, and had issue, with two other daughters,

CHARLES GEORGE, his successor;

Richard, Rear-Admiral;

Augusta; Lavinia.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

CHARLES GEORGE, 4th Earl (1830-1914), KP, Vice-Admiral of Connaught, who wedded, in 1859, the Lady Cecilia Catherine, youngest daughter of 5th Duke of Richmond, KG, and had issue,

GEORGE CHARLES, his successor;

Cecil Edward (Sir), GCVO etc;

Francis Richard (Sir), KCB etc;

Alexander Frederik;

Albert Edward;

Lionel Ernest;

Rosalind Cecilia Caroline (Dame), DBE, m 3rd Duke of Abercorn.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE CHARLES, 5th Earl (1860-1949), GCVO, KBE, CB, TD, PC, DL, who was created, in 1934, Baron Bingham, of Melcombe Bingham, Dorset.

He espoused, in 1896, Violet Sylvia Blanche, OBE, only daughter of Joseph Spender Clay, of Ford Manor, Surrey, and had issue,

GEORGE CHARLES PATRICK, his successor;

John Edward;

Barbara Violet; Margaret Diana.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

GEORGE CHARLES PATRICK, 6th Earl (1898-1964), who married, in 1929, Kaitilin Elizabeth Anne, only child of the Hon Edward Dawson, second son of 1st Earl of Dartrey, and had issue,

RICHARD JOHN, his successor;

Hugh;

Jane; Sarah.

His lordship was succeeded by his elder son,

RICHARD JOHN, 7th Earl, born in 1934, who wedded, in 1963, Veronica Mary, daughter of Major Charles Moorhouse Duncan, and had issue,

GEORGE CHARLES, his successor;

Frances; Camilla.

His lordship has been missing since 1974, and was declared dead in 1999; a death certificate was issued in 2016.

The 7th Earl was succeeded by his son,

GEORGE CHARLES, 8th Earl, born in 1967, styled Lord Bingham until 2016, who married, in 2016, Anne-Sofie, daughter of Lars Foghsgaard, and has issue,

CHARLES LARS JOHN, his successor, styled Lord Bingham;

Daphne.

7th Earl of Lucan

DESPITE being owners of one of the largest estates in County Mayo, the Lucans were mainly absentee landlords, pursuing political and military careers elsewhere while their Mayo estates were administered by agents.

By the 19th century their estate was concentrated in the parishes of Aglish, Turlough and Ballyhean in the barony of Carra; Ballinrobe in the barony of Kilmaine; Killedan in the barony of Gallen; Kilmaclasser in the barony of Burrishoole; Oughaval and Kilgeever in the barony of Murrisk.

From, 1898, parts of the Lucan estate began to be sold to the Irish Congested Districts' Board.

In 1905, over 40,000 acres were purchased by the Board for a cost of over £100,000. In 1911, another 10,000 acres were bought.

The Lucan Estates company was set up in 1925.

The Earls of Lucan also owned an estate of over 1,000 acres at Laleham in Middlesex, now a golf club.

Its history is here.

Castlebar House, the County Mayo seat of the Lucans, was first burnt in 1798.

It was said to be

"romantically situated on the brow of a steep eminence overhanging the river, and attached to it is an extensive and well-wooded demesne, affording a pleasant promenade to the inhabitants of the town."

When resident in Castlebar during the 19th century, the Lucans lived in the lodge known as The Lawn (below), described in the Ordnance Survey Field Name Books as the residence of St Clair O'Malley, who was agent to the Earls of Lucan in the 1830s.

Castlebar House is referred to as the seat of the Earls of Lucan in 1894.

It was sold by the family in 1924.

The Lawn, or Castlebar House, suffered a fire in 1930s, was restored, and today is part of St Joseph's school.

The Earls of Lucan were seated at Laleham Abbey (or House), Surrey, from 1805-1928.

First published in January, 2012.