The Hanmer Baronets

THE HANMER BARONETS WERE THE LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN FLINTSHIRE, WITH 7,318 ACRES

This family is of great antiquity in Flintshire. By a deed still extant, David de Hampton granted to John de Hanmere the Fenns Wood, Flintshire, in 1198, during the reign of RICHARD I. The descendant of this JOHN DE HANMERE, in the female line, marrying in the reign of HENRY III, Sir Thomas de Macclesfield, their son assumed the name of HANMER from the family and estate of his mother; and from this marriage the male descent of the Hanmers is unbroken to the present day.

Sir Thomas de Macclesfield was succeeded by his son,

JOHN DE HANMERE, knighted by EDWARD I, and in his reign Constable of Carnarvon Castle.

His great-grandson, Sir Jenkin Hanmer, joined Owen Glendower (who had married his sister Margaret) in his rebellion against HENRY IV, and was slain at the battle of Shewsbury in 1403.

The family line passed uninterruptedly until we come to

SIR THOMAS HANMER, MP for Flintshire, 1593, one of the Council of the President of the Welsh Marches.

He also attended the Earl of Derby into France with the ensigns of the Garter to HENRY III from ELIZABETH I; and was himself knighted by JAMES I in 1603.

He married firstly, in 1585, Anne, daughter of Sir John Talbot, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;

Catherine.

He wedded secondly, Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Mostyn, and had further issue,

Thomas; Roger.

Sir Thomas died ca 1619, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN HANMER (c1590-1624), MP for Flintshire, who espoused Dorothy, daughter of Sir Richard Trevor, and had issue,

John;

David;

THOMAS, of whom hereafter;

Mary; Katherine.

Sir John was created a baronet in 1620, designated of Hanmer, Flintshire.

He was succeeded by his youngest son,

SIR THOMAS HANMER, 2nd Baronet (1612-78), MP for Flintshire, 1640-78, Cupbearer to CHARLES I, in whose cause he raised, during the civil war, two troops of horse.

Sir Thomas was to have been one of the Knights of the Royal Oak had the institution of that order actually taken place.

He espoused firstly, in 1631, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Baker, of Whittingham Hall, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;

Trevor.

Sir Thomas wedded secondly, Susan, daughter of Sir William Hervey, of Ickworth, Suffolk, and had further issue,

William, father of the 4th Baronet;

Thomas;

Thomasin.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN HANMER, 3rd Baronet, of Hanmer Hall, Flintshire, and Whittingham Hall, Suffolk, MP for Flintshire, and colonel of a regiment under WILLIAM III at the battle of the Boyne.

Sir John attained the rank of Major-General in the army.

He married Mary, daughter of Joseph Alston, and had issue, an only daughter, Mary.

Sir John was killed in a duel, in 1701, when the title devolved upon his nephew,

SIR THOMAS HANMER, 4th Baronet (1677-1746), of Pall Mall, Westminster, Bettisfield Park, Flintshire, and Mildenhall, Suffolk, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, 1712.

Sir Thomas married twice; the marriages, however, were without issue, when the baronetcy expired; and the estate of Hanmer devolved, by settlement, upon his kinsman,

WALDEN HANMER (1717-83), only son of Job Hanmer, who was created a baronet in 1774, designated of Hanmer, Flintshire.

Sir Walden, fifteenth in descent from Sir John de Hanmere, Governor of Carnarvon Castle, wedded, in 1783, Anne, youngest daughter and co-heir of Henry Vere Graham, of Holbrook Hall, Suffolk, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;

Job;

Graham;

Edward;

Walden Henry;

Anne.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR THOMAS HANMER, 2nd Baronet (1747-1828), who wedded, in 1779, Margaret, daughter of George Kenyon, of Peel, Lancashire, and had issue,

THOMAS, father of SIR JOHN HANMER, 3rd Baronet, cr Baron Hanmer;

Job;

John;

George Edward;

Henry;

William;

Margaret.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his grandson,

SIR JOHN HANMER, 3rd Baronet (1809-81), MP, High Sheriff of Flintshire, 1832, who espoused, in 1833, Georgiana, youngest daughter of Sir George Chetwynd Bt, of Grendon Hall, Warwickshire.

Sir John was elevated to the peerage, in 1872, in the dignity of BARON HANMER, of Hanmer, and of Flint, Flintshire.

His lordship died without issue, when the barony expired; the baronetcy, however, devolved upon his brother,

SIR WYNDHAM EDWARD HANMER, 4th Baronet (1810-87).

• Sir Edward John Henry Hanmer, 5th Baronet (1843–1893)
• Sir Wyndham Charles Henry Hanmer, 6th Baronet (1867–1922)
• Sir (Griffin Wyndham) Edward Hanmer, 7th Baronet (1893–1977)
• Sir John Wyndham Edward Hanmer, 8th Baronet (1928–2008)
• Sir Wyndham Richard Guy Hanmer, 9th Baronet (born 1955)

Bettisfield Hall (Image: Shropshire Star)

BETTISFIELD PARK, the former seat of the Hanmer family, is at least of 16th century origin.

It was depicted by Moses Griffith in the 18th century with a symmetrical south front.

The east front was similar, and additional ranges on the west elevation would indicate that it already had a courtyard plan before major extension in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

A new south front was built in the late 18th century, incorporating part of the 16th century house.

In the mid-19th century there were further additions on the east side, including an Italianate tower of the 1840s and a Tudor-style tower with French pavilion roof, plus additions to the north-west elevation.

Demolition of parts of the house began after 1945, mainly comprising the mid 19th century additions and the 16th century portion of the east front.

In 1989 Bettisfield it was sold by the Hanmer family.

In 1989-93 the 18th century section of the house was restored by Cornelia Bayley.

The surviving portion of Bettisfield Park is a substantial Georgian country house of two storeys over a basement, of scribed render over an ashlar plinth, hipped slate roofs behind low parapets on moulded cornices, and brick stacks.

First published in February, 2021.