1st Earl of Cork

Coat-of-arms of the Barons Boyle

THE EARLS OF CORK AND ORRERY WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY CORK, WITH 20,195 ACRES

LEWIS BOYLE, of Bidney, Herefordshire, descendant of Ludowick Boyle (living in the reign of HENRY III), was founder of the Friars in the city of Hereford, and was living in the time of HENRY VI.

He married Elizabeth, daughter of William Russell, of Hereford, and had issue, two sons, of whom the younger son,

ROGER BOYLE, of Canterbury, Kent, wedded Jane, daughter of Thomas Patishall, of Hereford, and had, with other issue, three sons,

John, of Hereford;

ROGER, of whom hereafter;

Michael, ancestor of Boyle, VISCOUNT BLESINGTON.

The second son,

ROGER BOYLE, of Canterbury and Preston, by Haversham, Kent, espoused, in 1564, Joan, daughter of John Naylor, of Renville, Kent.

He died in 1576, having had issue, three sons and two daughters, of whom,

John (Rt Rev), Lord Bishop of Cork and Cloyne;

RICHARD, of whom presently;

Mary, m Sir Richard Smyth, of Ballynatray.

The second son,

THE RT HON RICHARD BOYLE (1566-1643), studied law at the Middle Temple; but despairing, from his scanty means, of being able to pursue his studies, embarked for Ireland as an adventurer; and having obtained, after suffering some persecutions from the local authorities, the favour and protection of ELIZABETH I, amassed considerable wealth, received the honour of Knighthood, was sworn of the Privy Council, and elevated to the Peerage of that Kingdom, 1616, as Baron Boyle, Baron of Youghal (whose armorial bearings are atop); and, in 1620, created Viscount Dungarvan, County Waterford, and EARL OF CORK.

His lordship, who was called "The great Earl of Cork," and who left a narrative of his remarkable career, entitled The True Remembrancer, married firstly,  in 1595, Joan, daughter and co-heir of William Apsley, of Limerick, with whom he acquired an estate of 500l a year, but by whom he had no issue.

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (Image: National Gallery of Ireland)

He wedded secondly, 1603, Catherine, daughter of Sir Geoffrey Fenton, Knight, Principal Secretary of State for Ireland, and had,

RICHARD, his successor;

Geoffrey;

Lewis;

ROGER, created EARL OF ORRERY;

Francis, created VISCOUNT SHANNON;

Robert, of Stalbridge, Dorset;

Alice; Sarah; Lettice; Joan; Katherine; Dorothy; Mary; Margaret.

The great Earl of Cork, who was Lord Treasurer of Ireland, died at Youghal, 1643, and lies interred in his chapel with an inscription expressing his own marriages, titles and employments, which concludes with this distich ~

"Sic posui tumulum, superest intendere Votis

 Parce animæ, carnem solvito, Christe veni."

The 1st Earl's wife, Lady Cork, died previously in Dublin, 1629-30, and was privately buried in a vault wherein a fair monument is erected, headed with this motto, "God's providence is our inheritance."

Lord Cork's principal country seat in Ireland was Lismore Castle in County Waterford.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

RICHARD, 2nd Earl of Cork and 1st Earl of Burlington (1612-98), of Burlington House, Mayfair, London, who espoused, in 1635, the Lady Elizabeth Clifford, daughter and heiress of Henry, 5th Earl of Cumberland.

He succeeded his younger brother as Viscount Boyle in 1642, and his father as Earl of Cork, 1643, and was made a Peer of England, in 1644, as Baron Clifford, of Lanesborough, Yorkshire; and, in 1664, was created EARL OF BURLINGTON.

He had issue,

CHARLES, styled Viscount Dungarvan; father of 3rd Earl;

Richard, died at the battle of Lowestoft;

Frances; Elizabeth; Mary Anne; Henrietta.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,

CHARLES, 3rd Earl of Cork and 2nd Earl of Burlington, who married, in 1688, Juliana, daughter and heiress of the Hon Henry Noel, of Luffenham, Rutland (2nd son of 3rd Viscount Campden), and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;

Elizabeth; Juliana; Jane; Henrietta.

His lordship died in 1704, and was succeeded by his only son,

RICHARD, 4th Earl of Cork and 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694-1753), KG, who wedded, in 1720, the Lady Dorothy Savile, elder daughter and co-heir of William, 2nd Marquess of Halifax, and by her, who died in 1758, had three daughters.

His lordship claimed, in 1737, the Barony of Clifford, as great-grandson of the Lady Elizabeth Clifford, daughter and heir of Henry, Lord Clifford; and the House of Lords acknowledged and confirmed his lordship's' right thereto.

This nobleman was eminent as a munificent encourager of literature and the fine arts, and as the friend of Pope he will be ever remembered.

He died in 1753, and having an only surviving daughter, CHARLOTTE, who had married the 4th Duke of Devonshire, and inherited the Barony of Clifford, all his lordship's other English honours ceased, while those of Ireland devolved upon his kinsman,

JOHN (1707-62), 5th Earl of Cork and 5th Earl of Orrery, in Ireland, and Baron Boyle of Marston in Great Britain (refer to Roger, third son of 1st Earl of Cork), who wedded firstly, in 1728, the Lady Henrietta Hamilton, youngest daughter of George, 1st Earl of Orkney, and had issue,

Charles, styled Viscount Dungarvan, dvp;

HAMILTON, 6th Earl;

Elizabeth.

He espoused secondly, in 1738, Margaret, daughter and sole heir of John Hamilton, of Caledon, County Tyrone, and had further issue,

EDMUND, 7th Earl;

Lucy; Catherine.

His lordship distinguished himself in the republic of letters, and was the friend of Swift, upon whom, and whose writings, he published Remarks.

He died in 1762, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

HAMILTON, 6th Earl of Cork (1729-64), MP for Charleville, 1759-60, and for Warwick, 1751-62, Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), Oxford, who died unmarried, when the honours devolved upon his half-brother,

EDMUND, 7th Earl (1742-98), who married, in 1764, Anne, daughter and heir of Kelland Courtenay, of Painsford, Devon, and had issue,

John Richard, styled Viscount Dungarvan, dvp 1768;

EDMUND, 8th Earl;

Courtenay (Sir), Vice-admiral;

Lucy Isabella.

The 7th Earl, whose first marriage was dissolved in 1782, wedded secondly, 1786, Mary, youngest daughter of 1st Viscount Galway.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

EDMUND, 8th Earl (1767-1856), KP, a General in the Army, ADC to The King, who espoused, in 1795, Isabella Henrietta, third daughter of William Poyntz, of Midgham, Berkshire, and had issue,

EDMUND WILLIAM, styled Viscount Dungarvan, dvp 1826;

George Richard ((1799-1810);

CHARLES, styled Viscount Dungarvan; father of 9th Earl;

JOHN, from whom the 12th, 13th, and 14th Earls descended;

Robert Edward, MP;

Richard Cavendish (Rev);

Isabella Elizabeth; Lucy Georgina; Louisa.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,  

RICHARD EDMUND ST LAWRENCE, 9th Earl (1829-1904), KP, ADC to QUEEN VICTORIA, 1889-99, who married, in 1853, the Lady Emily Charlotte de Burgh, second daughter of Ulick, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde, KP, and had issue,

CHARLES SPENCER CANNING, 10th Earl;

ROBERT JOHN LASCELLES, 11th Earl;

FitzAdelm Alfred Wentworth;

Emily Harriet Catherine; Grace Elizabeth; Honora Janet; Dorothy Blanche; Isabel Lettice Theodosia; Bertha Louise Canning.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES SPENCER CANNING, 10th Earl (1861-1925), who wedded, in 1918, Rosalie (Mrs Gray), daughter of William Waterman de Villiers, of Romsey, Hampshire, and dsp 1925, when he was succeeded by his brother,

ROBERT JOHN LASCELLES, 11th Earl (1864-1934), who wedded, in 1890, Josephine Catherine, only child of Joseph P Hale, of San Francisco, California, USA, and dsp 1934, when he was succeeded by his kinsman,

WILLIAM HENRY DUDLEY, as 12th Earl (1873-1967), GCB, GCVO, Admiral of the Fleet, who married, in 1902, the Lady Florence Cecilia Keppel, daughter of William, 7th Earl of Albemarle.

The marriage was without issue, and the honours reverted to his kinsman,

PATRICK REGINALD, as 13th Earl (1910-95), who wedded firstly, in 1952, Dorothy Kate, daughter of  Robert Ramsden; and secondly, in 1978, Mary Gabrielle, daughter of Louis Ginnett.

The marriages were without issue, and the honours reverted to his kinsman,

JOHN WILLIAM, as 14th Earl (1916-2003), DSC, VRD, who wedded, in 1943, Mary Leslie, daughter of General Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson, and had issue,

JOHN RICHARD, his successor;

Robert William;

Charles Reginald.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN RICHARD, 15th Earl, born in 1945, Lieutenant-Commander RN (Rtd), who married, in 1973, Rebecca Juliet, daughter of the Rt Hon Michael Antony Cristobal Noble, Baron Glenkinglas, PC, and has issue,

RORY JONATHAN COURTENAY, styled Viscount Dungarvan, his heir;

Cara Mary Cecilia; Davina Clare Theresa.                                                                                                                                                            

Lord Cork also owned 11,531 acres of land in County Kerry, 3,398 acres in Somerset, and 3,189 acres in County Limerick.

Ancestral seats ~ Lismore Castle, County Waterford; Marston Bigot Park, Frome, Somerset.

Former London residences ~  Burlington House, Mayfair; 68, South Audley Street.

Former Dublin residence ~ Cork House, Dame Street.