Lady Mairi's DB4

Charles Villiers told me about his grandmother's green Aston Martin DB4, now in Germany.

The DB4 model was produced by Aston Martin between 1958 and 1963.

THE LADY MAIRI BURY, of Mount Stewart, County Down, youngest child of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry, once drove over the Alps in this grand tourer with a cine-camera mounted on the dashboard.

The resultant film was very dramatic, and his grandmother occasionally screened it after dinner at Mount Stewart.

Charles saw it a couple of times.

The Lady Mairi Bury wearing her favourite emerald green evening dress

Lady Mairi took delivery of the Aston Martin in Spring, 1960.

The further history of the car is said to be well documented, and even the original Registration Book exists.

In 2013 the car was bought by a German enthusiast.

It was extensively restored and "optimized' in the Aston Martin workshop.

The whole work is documented with many invoices.

Lady Mairi had a particular fondness for the colour green, and used to take her grandson, Charles, for DRIVING LESSONS on the Mount Stewart estate roads in her Rover.

First published in January, 2020.

The Ulster Club

The Ulster Club, 23 Castle Place, Belfast, was established in 1856 by a group of gentlemen landowners.

It was frequented by aristocracy and gentry, including the Marquess of Downshire, the Earl of Antrim, the Earl of Enniskillen, the Viscount Bangor, the Lord O'Neill, and landed families like the Perceval-Maxwells of Finnebrogue.

The three-storey building, designed by SIR CHARLES LANYON, occupied a commanding position across the junction from the Bank Buildings.

It was built in the Regency style, stuccoed, with a cast-iron balcony attached to a bow-fronted central bay.

Which building stood at this site before the premises of the Ulster Club, I wonder?

This elegant Victorian building of ca 1863 was demolished in 1981 to make way for for Calvert House (1983-4), a four-storey glass structure.

Calvert house itself was effectively demolished in late 2019, and is now (2022) another glass-fronted structure.

I recall the Ulster Club, sadly derelict and ruinous at the height of "the Troubles", before it was razed to the ground.

The 5th Earl of Enniskillen was staying in the club when he received the calamitous news that his ancestral seat in County Fermanagh, Florence Court, was on fire.

Lady Enniskillen telephoned him at the club and he was said to have exclaimed, "what the hell do you expect me to do?", or words to that effect.

The Club sold its premises at Castle Place in the late 1960s and removed to one floor of River House in High Street.

It merged with the Ulster Reform Club in 1982.

First published in July, 2014.

Glyde Court

THE FOSTER BARONETS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LOUTH, WITH 3,442 ACRES

JOHN FOSTER (1665-1747), of Dunleer, County Louth, Mayor of Dunleer, married, in 1704, Elizabeth, youngest daughter of William Fortescue, of Newrath, County Louth, and had issue,

Anthony (1705-79), ancestor of Lord Oriel;
THOMAS, of whom presently;
John William, MP, of Dunleer;
Margaret; Alice; Charlotte.

The second son,

THE REV DR THOMAS FOSTER (1709-84), Rector of Dunleer, wedded, in 1740, Dorothy, daughter of William Burgh, of Birt, County Kildare, and had issue, an only child,

JOHN THOMAS FOSTER (1747-96), of Dunleer, MP for Dunleer, 1776-83, who espoused, in 1776, the Lady Elizabeth Hervey, daughter of Frederick, 4th Earl of Bristol and Lord Bishop of Derry, and had issue,

Frederick Thomas, born 1777;
AUGUSTUS JOHN, of whom hereafter;
Elizabeth.

His younger son, 

THE RT HON SIR AUGUSTUS VERE FOSTER GCH (1780-1848), of Stonehouse, County Louth, married, in 1815, Albina Jane, daughter of the Hon George Vere Hobart, and had issue,

FREDERICK GEORGE, his successor;
CAVENDISH HERVEY, 3rd Baronet;
Vere Henry Lewis.

Mr Foster was knighted 1825 for his diplomatic services (which were not particularly distinguished, since his manners were not conciliating).

Sir Augustus was created a baronet in 1831, designated of Glyde Court, County Louth.

The influence of his stepfather William, 5th Duke of Devonshire, was exercised at the instance of his mother, the Duke's second wife.

The 1st Baronet, who committed suicide, was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR FREDERICK GEORGE FOSTER, 2nd Baronet (1816-1857), who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his next brother,

THE REV SIR CAVENDISH HERVEY FOSTER, 3rd Baronet (1817-1890), who married, in 1844, Isabella, daughter of the Rev John Todd, and had issue,

JOHN FREDERICK, his successor;
Hervey;
Jane Vere.

Sir Cavendish was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR AUGUSTUS VERE FOSTER, 4th Baronet (1873-1947), JP DL, Captain, Norfolk Yeomanry, who married, in 1894, Charlotte Philippa Marion, daughter of the Rev Henry Edward Browne ffolkes, and had issue,

ANTHONY VERE (1908-34);
Philippa Eugenie Vere; Dorothy Elizabeth Charlotte Vere.

The baronetcy became extinct in 1947 following the decease of the 4th and last Baronet.

GLYDE COURT, near Tallanstown, County Louth, was a late 18th century house with a long elevation, remodelled in the 19th century in Jacobean style.

The long elevation had curvilinear gables and two curved bows.

The main entrance was at one end of the house, where there was a shorter front with two gabled projections joined by an arcaded cloister.

The last baronet to live at Glyde Court, Sir Augustus, features in a romantic Edwardian family portrait by Sir William Orpen KBE, on display at the National Gallery of Ireland.

First published in April, 2013.

1st Viscount Charlemont

Armorial bearings of 1st Earl of Charlemont KP

THE VISCOUNTS CHARLEMONT WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ARMAGH, WITH 20,695 ACRES 

The settlement of this noble family in Ireland took place in the reign of ELIZABETH I, when THE RT HON SIR TOBY CAULFEILD (1565-1627), a distinguished and gallant soldier, was employed in that part of Her Majesty's dominions against the formidable Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.

This gentleman was the son of Alexander Caulfeild, Recorder of Oxford, who was descended from ancestors of great antiquity and worth settled in that county, and at Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire.

In 1615, Sir Toby was appointed one of the council for the province of Munster. The next year, 1616, he joined in commission with the Lord Deputy of Ireland (Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison), and others, for parcelling out the escheated lands in Ulster to such British undertakers as were named in the several tables of assignation.

In these employments, the King (JAMES I) found him so faithful, diligent, and prudent, that His Majesty deemed him highly deserving the peerage, and accordingly created him, in 1620, Lord Caulfeild, Baron Charlemont, with limitation of the honour to his nephew, Sir William Caulfeild, Knight.

His lordship died unmarried, in 1627, and was succeeded by the said 

SIR WILLIAM CAULFEILD, 2nd Baron (1587-1640), who took his seat in parliament, 1634, after the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had moved to know the pleasure of the House, whether he should be admitted to this place, having brought neither writ of summons nor patent; whereupon it was resolved that his lordship should be admitted, inasmuch as they were all satisfied that he was a Lord of Parliament.

His lordship, High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1620, wedded Mary, daughter of Sir John King, Knight (ancestor of the Earls of Kingston), and had issue,

TOBY, his successor;
ROBERT, successor to his brother;
WILLIAM, created Viscount Charlemont;
George;
Thomas;
John;
Anne; Mary; Margaret.

His lordship, Master-General of the Ordnance, 1627-34, was succeeded by his eldest son, 

TOBY, 3rd Baron (1621-42), who also succeeded his late father as Governor of Charlemont Fort, 1640, and there resided with his company of the 97th Regiment of Foot, in garrison.

This fort was a place of considerable strength and importance during the rebellion of 1641; but his lordship suffered himself to be surprised, in that year; and being made prisoner, with his whole family, was subsequently murdered, by the orders, it is said, of Sir Phelim O'Neill.

This unfortunate nobleman, dying unmarried, was succeeded by his brother, 

ROBERT, 4th Baron (1622-42), who died a few months afterwards from an overdose of a prescription of opium, and was succeeded by his next brother,

WILLIAM, 5th Baron (1624-71), who apprehended Sir Phelim O'Neill and had him executed for the murder of his brother, the 3rd Baron.

His lordship having filled, after the Restoration, several high and confidential situations, was advanced to a viscountcy, 1655, as Viscount Charlemont, of County Armagh.

He wedded Sarah, second daughter of Charles, 2nd Viscount Drogheda, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
Toby;
John;
Mary; Alice; Elizabeth.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

WILLIAM, 2nd Viscount (c1655-1726); who opposed with zeal the cause of WILLIAM III against JAMES II.

His lordship espoused Anne, daughter of the Most Rev James Margetson, Lord Archbishop of Armagh, by whom he had, with five daughters, five sons to survive infancy, namely,

JAMES, his successor;
Thomas, Governor of Annapolis;
Charles (Rev), Rector of Donaghenry;
John, MP;
Henry Charles.

He died after enjoying the peerage more than half a century, in 1726, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

JAMES, 3rd Viscount (1682-1734), MP for Charlemont, 1703-4 and 1713-26, who married Elizabeth, only daughter of the Rt Hon Francis Bernard, of Castle Mahon, County Cork, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in Ireland, and had issue,

Francis;
JAMES, of whom hereafter;
Alice.

The elder son, Francis, wedded Mary, only daughter of John, Lord Eyre; though was lost, with his lady, infant child, and servant, in a hurricane, during his passage to Ireland from London, in 1775, to fulfil his parliamentary duties as MP for Charlemont.

The Hon Francis Caulfeild left issue, Colonel James Eyre Caulfeild, born in 1765, and Eleanor, who married William, 3rd Earl of Wicklow.

The 3rd Viscount was succeeded by his only surviving son,

JAMES, 4th Viscount (1728-99), KP, who was advanced to an earldom, in 1763, in the dignity of EARL OF CHARLEMONT.

1st Earl of Charlemont KP.  Photo Credit: National Portrait Gallery

His lordship wedded, in 1768, Mary, daughter of Thomas Hickman, of Brickhill, County Clare (descended from the noble family of Windsor, Viscounts Windsor, which title became extinct in 1728), and had issue,

FRANCIS WILLIAM, his successor;
James Thomas;
Henry, MP, of Hockley Lodge, Co Armagh;
Elizabeth.

He was a distinguished patriot, and had the honour of commanding-in-chief the celebrated Volunteer Army of Ireland in 1779.

The 1st Earl was a Founder Knight of the Order of St Patrick.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS WILLIAM, 2nd Earl (1775-1863),  KP, who espoused, in 1802, Anne, daughter of William Bermingham, and had issue,

James William, styled Viscount Caulfeild (1803-23);
William Francis (1805-7);
Maria Melosina; Emily Charlotte.

His lordship died without surviving male issue, when the family honours reverted to his cousin,

JAMES MOLYNEUX, 3rd Earl (1820-92), KP (son of the Hon Henry Caulfeild, second son of 1st Earl), Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, MP for Armagh, 1847-67.

His lordship married twice, though both marriages were without issue, when the earldom and barony expired, and the remaining peerages devolved upon his kinsman,

JAMES ALFRED, 7th Viscount (1830-1913), CB JP DL, of Loy House, Cookstown, and Drumcairne, County Tyrone,

Captain, Coldstream Guards; fought in the Crimean War; Vice Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, 1868; High Sheriff of County Tyrone, 1868; Comptroller of the Household of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1868-95; Honorary Colonel, 3rd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; Usher of the Black Rod of the Order of St Patrick, 1879-1913.

JAMES EDWARD,  8th Viscount  (1880-1949), PC DL, was elected to the Northern Ireland Parliament as a Senator, where he sat from 1925-37, and was sometime Minister for Education.

James Alfred Caulfeild, 7th Viscount (1830–1913);
James Edward Caulfeild, 8th Viscount; (1880–1949);
Charles Edward St George Caulfeild, 9th Viscount (1887–1962);
Robert Toby St George Caulfeild, 10th Viscount (1881–1967);
Charles St George Caulfeild, 11th Viscount (1884–1971);
Richard St George Caulfeild, 12th Viscount (1887–1979);
Charles Wilberforce Caulfeild, 13th Viscount (1899–1985);
John Day Caulfeild, 14th Viscount Charlemont (1934–2001);
John Dodd Caulfeild, 15th Viscount (b 1966).

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon Shane Andrew Caulfeild (b 1996).

*****

The Charlemonts were a Patrick family, three members of whom were Knights of St Patrick.

Lord Charlemont was the greatest landowner in County Armagh, owning 20,695 acres a century ago.

He also owned almost 6,000 acres in County Tyrone.

During more recent times, the 8th Viscount, PC (NI), DL (1880-1949) was elected to the House of Lords as a Representative Peer; and to the Northern Ireland Parliament as a senator.

He sat in the NI Senate from 1925-37 and was Minister for Education for all but the first of his years.

Lord Charlemont's main country seat, near the village of Moy, County Tyrone, was Roxborough Castle.

The exquisite gates are all that remain.

The Castle was burnt by Irish republicans in 1922.

Charlemont Fort, on the County Armagh side of the river, was burnt in 1920.

Charlemont Fort, with Roxborough Castle in the Background

Subsequently Lord Charlemont lived at another residence, Drumcairne, near Stewartstown in County Tyrone.

It is thought that he eventually moved to the sea-side resort of Newcastle in County Down.

He inherited the titles from his uncle in 1913.

Having no children, the titles passed, on his death, to a cousin.

The 14th Viscount lived in Ontario, Canada and the viscountcy is still extant with the present 15th Viscount Charlemont. 

First published in December, 2009.

Edgeworthstown House

THE EDGEWORTHS OWNED 3,255 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LONGFORD

In the reign of ELIZABETH I, about 1563, two brothers, EDWARD and FRANCIS EDGEWORTH, went to Ireland, probably under the patronage of the Earl of Essex and Robert Cecil, as those names have since continued in the family.

The elder brother,

THE RIGHT REV DR EDWARD EDGEWORTH, who was beneficed by Her Majesty, was appointed Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, 1593.

He died without issue, and was succeeded by his brother,

FRANCIS EDGEWORTH, Clerk of the Hanaper, 1619, who married Jane, daughter of Edward Tuite, and sister of Sir Edmond Tuite, and by her (who founded an Irish convent near St Germain, near Paris) had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Anne; Mary; Margaret.

He died in 1625, and was succeeded by his only son,

CAPTAIN JOHN EDGEWORTH, of Cranallagh Castle, County Longford, High Sheriff of County Longford, 1646, MP, 1646-9, who wedded firstly, Anne, daughter of Sir Hugh Culme, of Cloughoughter Castle, County Cavan, by whom he had a son,

JOHN, his heir.

He espoused secondly, Mrs Bridgman, widow of Edward Bridgman, brother to Sir Orlando Bridgman, the Lord Keeper.

Captain Edgeworth was succeeded by his only son,

SIR JOHN EDGEWORTH (1638-c1700), MP for St Johnstown (Longford), 1661-99, knighted by CHARLES II, 1672, who married firstly, Mary, only daughter and heir of Edward Bridgman, and acquired with her an estate in Lancashire, besides a considerable fortune in money, and had by her six sons.

By his second wife, Anne, he had three sons and two daughters.

Among his issue were,

FRANCIS, his heir;
Robert, ancestor of EDGEWORTH of Kilshrewly;
Henry, of Lissard;
Essex (Rev), of Templemichael.

The eldest son,

COLONEL FRANCIS EDGEWORTH (1657-1709), of Edgeworthstown, MP for Longford Borough, 1703-9, raised a regiment for WILLIAM III.

He wedded firstly, Dorothy, daughter of Hugh Culme, of County Cavan, by whom he had a son, Francis, who died unmarried; and secondly, Dorothy, daughter of Sir Charles Hamilton Bt, of Castle Hamilton, County Cavan, and had a son, John, who dsp, and a daughter, Francelina.

Colonel Edgeworth espoused thirdly, Mary, widow of John Bradstone, and had a son and successor,

RICHARD EDGEWORTH (1701-70), of Edgeworthstown, High Sheriff of County Longford, 1742, MP for Longford Borough, 1737-60, who married, in 1731, Rachel Jane, daughter of Sir Salathiel Lovell, of Harleston, Northamptonshire, and had issue,

RICHARD LOVELL, his heir;
Mary; Margaret.

Mr Edgeworth was succeeded by his only son,

RICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH (1744-1817), of Edgeworthstown, MP for St Johnstown, 1798-1800, born at Bath, the celebrated writer on education and inventions.

By four wives he was father of no less than twenty-two children.

Mr Edgeworth was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

LOVELL EDGEWORTH JP DL (1775-1842), of Edgeworthstown, High Sheriff of County Longford, 1819, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his half-brother,

CHARLES SNEYD EDGEWROTH DL (1786-1864), of Edgeworthstown, who married, in 1813, Henrica, daughter of John Broadhurst, of Foston Hall, Derbyshire, which lady dsp 1846.

He dsp 1864, and was succeeded by his nephew,

ANTONIO EROLES EDGEWORTH JP DL (1842-1911), of Edgeworthstown, High Sheriff of County Longford, 1890, who wedded, in 1874, Françoise, daughter of Colonel Delcher, of the French Service.

Mr Edgeworth dsp 1911, and was succeeded by his cousin,

FRANCIS YSIDRO EDGEWORTH (1845-1926), son of Richard Lovell Edgeworth and his fourth wife, Frances Ann Beaufort, of Edgeworthstown, who died unmarried.

EDGEWORTHSTOWN HOUSE, Edgeworthstown, County Longford, is an early 18th century mansion erected by Richard Edgeworth MP.

It comprises two storeys over a basement, with two adjoining fronts.

The entrance front has three bays between two tripe windows in the upper storey; while the adjoining front has a three-bay breakfront which rises above the roofline as a pedimented attic.

Richard Lovell Edgeworth enlarged and renovated the house after 1770, and added many ingenious devices, including leather straps to prevent doors banging, sideboards on wheels, and even a water-pump which automatically dispensed a halfpenny to beggars who worked it for half an hour.

Following Francis Ysidro Edgeworth's decease in 1926, Edworstown estate was inherited by Mrs C F Montagu (née Sanderson), whose mother was an Edgeworth.

Mrs Montagu sold the property to Bernard Noonan, who bequeathed it, in 1947, to an order of nuns which used it as a nursing home.

The exterior of the house was subsequently greatly altered; and the interior was gutted and rebuilt.

First published in June, 2018.

Seaport Lodge

THE LESLIES OWNED 7,428 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ANTRIM

SEAPORT LODGE, an elegant two-storey villa in Portballintrae, County Antrim, was constructed in the mid-18th century as a holiday home for the Leslies of LESLIE HILL.

In 1832, Portballintrae consisted of only a few houses, chiefly occupied by maritime pilots, but ‘near this to the west side of the bay is Seaport House, the summer residence of James Leslie Esquire.’

Seaport Lodge was built about 1790, though its situation was ‘exposed and unprotected, [the location] was admirably calculated for that of a bathing lodge’.

By 1859, the Lodge had passed in the family from James Leslie (1768-1847) to his younger son Henry Leslie (1803-64), who was recorded as both occupant and owner of the property.

Henry Leslie continued to reside at Seaport Lodge until his death in 1864, at which time it passed to his widow, Harriet Ann Leslie.

In 1882, Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Douglas Leslie came into possession of Seaport.

Colonel Leslie resided there until his death, unmarried, in 1904 when his nephew, James Graham Leslie, took possession.

Despite the change in ownership during this period, Seaport Lodge was only used occasionally as a summer holiday home.

James Graham Leslie was still recorded as the householder of Seaport Lodge until 1929.

Seaport Lodge ca 2015 (Image: Timothy Ferres)

SEAPORT LODGE is a fine example of a mid-to-late-Georgian seaside dwelling built for purposes of leisure over the past concerns of defence and security.

Both Brett and Girvan give the construction date of Seaport Lodge as ca 1770, despite the Ordnance Survey documents claiming a later date of about 1790.

Sir Charles Brett states that the dwelling was constructed by James Leslie, soon after the completion of his other main residence, Leslie Hill, in 1772.

James Leslie’s ability to erect two major houses within such a short period led Brett to suggest that Leslie ‘much overstrained the family finances’ to realise his ambition of possessing a grand country house with a leisurely seaside retreat.

Local tradition states that Seaport Lodge was constructed gradually over a period of many years, originally designed solely for summer use.

The house did not possess fireplaces or servants quarters.

However, at an unknown date chimneys and fireplaces were installed as the dwelling came to be occupied outside of the summer months.

Seaport Lodge’s main domestic block was the first section of the building to be constructed.

Brett states that the two-storey western service wing was added later, most likely in 1827 as that date is inscribed on many of the later wing’s wall-plates.

An early painting of Seaport Lodge depicts rounded Gothic glazing to the ground floor; however the original glazing bars were replaced at the turn of the century when Colonel Leslie came into possession.

The dwelling also possessed a number of outbuildings, the most significant of which, its coaching stables, still survive and have been converted into a public house and restaurant.

Seaport Lodge (Image: Robert French/ NLI/ Ebay)

Seaport Lodge remained in the possession of the Leslie family until the mid-20th century.

The house has a round-headed entrance door in bow and the ground-floor windows are round-headed.

There are single-storey bows in the end elevations, with similar windows; and a conspicuous balustraded roof parapet.

The interior oval hall has a Classical plasterwork ceiling.

Seaport is presently white, though it is thought that it was originally grey in colour.

During the 1970s and 80s it was owned by Alexander Wyndham Hume Stewart-Moore, a senior director of Gallaher tobacco at that time.

The surrounding field has a curious structure built into the hill, now roofless.

Could it have been an ice-house?

A pair of charming Gothic gate lodges faced each other at the main entrance to Seaport Lodge.

They stood at the present entrance into the bar and restaurant, at the main road.

At the time of writing (2020) Seaport Lodge is undergoing extensive renovation and building work.

First published in May, 2012.

The Hardinge Baronets

This family is descended from

NICHOLAS HARDINGE, who was seated at Kings Newton, Derbyshire, in the reign of HENRY VII; who wedded Isabel, daughter of Edward Webb, and had issue,

SIR ROBERT HARDINGE (1621-79), Knight, of Kings Newton, who married Anne, daughter of Sir Richard Sprignell Bt, of Highgate, Middlesex, leaving with other issue,

Robert, dsp 1728;

GIDEON, of whom hereafter.

Sir Robert, a Master in Chancery, raised a royalist troop of horse during the reign of CHARLES I, and entertained CHARLES II at Kings Newton Hall.

Sir Robert, who was knighted, 1674, was succeeded by his younger son,

THE REV GIDEON HARDINGE (c1668-1712), Vicar of Kingston, Surrey, who left issue,

NICHOLAS, of whom we treat;
Caleb, MD, Physician to the Queen;
Mary, m Sir John Stracey, Knight.

The Rev Gideon Hardinge's elder son,

Nicholas Hardinge MP

NICHOLAS HARDINGE (1699-1758), of Canbury, Surrey, MP for Eye, 1748-54, a barrister, Chief Clerk of the House of Commons, 1731, Attorney-General to the Duke of Cumberland, Joint Secretary to The Treasury, 1752, married, in 1738, Jane, daughter of Sir John Pratt, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and had issue,

George, dsp 1816;
Henry (Rev), father of the 2nd Baronet and Capt George N Hardinge RN;
RICHARD, of whom hereafter;
Juliana; Jane; Caroline.

George Hardinge MP (1743-1816)

The youngest son,

RICHARD HARDINGE (1756-1826), of BELLEISLE, County Fermanagh, was created a baronet in 1801, designated of BELLE ISLE, County Fermanagh, with remainder to the heirs male of his father.

Sir Richard wedded firstly, in 1793, Mary, natural daughter of RALPH, 1ST EARL OF ROSS, by whom he had no issue; and secondly, in 1826, Caroline Munster, daughter of Lieutenant-General George Wulff.

Sir Ralph Gore was born at BELLEISLE in 1725 and was created Earl of Ross in 1772. He died in 1801, leaving Belle Isle to his only surviving child, Mary, who married Sir Richard Hardinge, 1st Baronet, who sold Belle Isle, in 1830, to the Rev John Porter for £68,000 (£5.8 million in today's money).

Sir Richard died without issue, in 1826, when the baronetcy devolved, according to the limitation, upon his nephew,

THE REV SIR CHARLES HARDINGE, 2nd Baronet (1780-1864), Rector of Crowhurst, Surrey, who married, in 1816, Emily Bradford, second daughter of Kenneth Callander, of Craigforth, Stirlingshire, and had issue,

HENRY CHARLES, 3rd Baronet;
EDMUND STRACEY, 4th Baronet;
Robert James;
Caroline Bradford; six other daughters.

It is thought that Sir Charles sold BELLEISLE, his estate in County Fermanagh, and purchased Boundes Park in Kent.

Their other residence was Ketton Hall, Darlington, County Durham.

Sir Charles was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR HENRY CHARLES HARDINGE, 3rd Baronet (1830-73), who died unmarried, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR EDMUND STRACEY HARDINGE, 4th Baronet (1833-1924).

Former residences: 25 Duke Street, off Manchester Square, London; Sundridge, Sevenoaks, Kent.

• Sir Henry Charles Hardinge, 3rd Baronet (1830-73);
• Sir Edmund Stracey Hardinge, 4th Baronet (1833–1924);
• Sir Charles Edmund Hardinge, 5th Baronet (1878–1968);
• Sir Robert Hardinge, 6th Baronet (1887–1973);
• Sir Robert Arnold Hardinge, 7th Baronet (1914-86);
• Sir Charles Henry Nicholas Hardinge, 8th Baronet (1956–2004) – succeeded as 6th Viscount Hardinge in 1984).

THE VISCOUNTCY OF HARDINGE was created in 1846 for the soldier and politician Sir Henry Hardinge.

His son, the 2nd Viscount, represented Downpatrick in Parliament.

His great-great-grandson, the 6th Viscount, succeeded a distant relative as 8th Baronet, of Belle Isle in the County of Fermanagh, in 1986.

This aforementioned baronetcy had been created in 1801 for Richard Hardinge.

He was the third son of Nicolas Hardinge, younger brother of Rev Henry Hardinge and uncle of the latter's third son Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge.

The baronetcy was created with special remainder to the male heirs of Richard Hardinge's father.

Whilst the present and 7th Lord Hardinge is generally believed to be the 8th Hardinge Baronet, the succession has yet to be proved.

The mitre on the Hardinge crest indicates the family's ecclesiastical past. The other crests, two pennants, allude to the naval exploits of George Nicholas Hardinge: As a naval commander, he captained HMS Scorpion in 1803, capturing the brig Atalanta (or Atalante).  

First published in December, 2010.