Marquess of Cholmondeley

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Marquessate of Cholmondeley
heirs male of the body
lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles
  • Earl of Cholmondeley
  • Earl of Rocksavage
  • Viscount Cholmondeley (IRL)
  • Viscount Malpas
  • Baron Cholmondeley
  • Baron Newborough (IRL)
  • Baron Newburgh
StatusExtant
Seat(s)
MottoCassis tutissima virtus
(Virtue is the safest helmet)[1]

Marquess of Cholmondeley (/ˈʌmli/ CHUM-lee) is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley.

History

The Cholmondeley family descends from William le Belward (or de Belward), the feudal lord of the barony of Malpas in Cheshire who acquired the lordship of "

Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester. Their eldest son David le Belward inherited the feudal barony of Malpas and was the ancestor of the Egerton family. The second son, Robert le Belward, became feudal lord of the barony of Cholmondeley, which he passed to his son Sir Hugh de Cholmondeley (or "Chelmundeleih"), who adopted the new surname.[1][2][3]

His lineal descendant was

Queen Mary II and also served as Comptroller of the Household and as Treasurer of the Household. In 1689 he was created Baron Cholmondeley, of Nantwich in the County of Chester, in the Peerage of England, with remainder to his younger brother George Cholmondeley. In 1706 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Malpas, in the County of Chester, and Earl of Cholmondeley, in the County of Chester, also in the Peerage of England and with the same special remainders.[1]

Houghton Hall, the ancestral home of the Marquess of Cholmondeley since the establishment of the title

Lord Cholmondeley never married and was succeeded according to the special remainders (and according to the normal descent in the viscountcy of Cholmondeley) by his younger brother George, the second Earl. He was a prominent military commander and commanded the Horse Guards at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. In 1715, ten years before he succeeded his elder brother, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland in his own right as Baron Newborough, of Newborough in the County of Wexford, and in 1716 he was made Baron Newburgh, in the Isle of Anglesey, in the Peerage of Great Britain.[4] On his death the titles passed to his son, the third Earl. He was a politician and held office as Lord Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.[1]

He was succeeded by his grandson, the fourth Earl. He was the son of

House of Commons but in 1821 he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Newburgh. Lord Cholmondeley was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Marquess. He sat as Member of Parliament for Castle Rising and South Hampshire. As he outlived most of his children, including the elder son, the third Marquess was succeeded in his titles by his grandson.[1] As of 2024, the titles are held by his great-great-great-grandson, the seventh Marquess, who succeeded his father in 1990.[1]

The courtesy title of the Marquess's heir is Earl of Rocksavage, while Lord Rocksavage's eldest son is known as Viscount Malpas.[citation needed]

The family seats are Houghton Hall, Norfolk, and Cholmondeley Castle, which is surrounded by a 7,500-acre (3,000-hectare) estate near Malpas, Cheshire.[7]

Lord Great Chamberlain

A part of the office of Lord Great Chamberlain came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven.[8] The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office. As Lord Great Chamberlain, the present Marquess was, during the reign of Elizabeth II, along with the Duke of Norfolk (the Earl Marshal), one of only two hereditary peers to retain automatic seats in the House of Lords after the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999.

Cholmondeley Castle

Cholmondeley Room

Peers in the House of Lords can hold their 70th birthday parties in the Cholmondeley Room at the Palace of Westminster.[9] Among other uses, Baroness Elliot of Harwood organised a dinner in 1984 for all female Conservative members of Parliament and peers; and this event was held in this venue.[10] The Cholmondeley Room and Terrace and the Attlee Room are available for private functions, sponsored by Members for personal use or for external organisations.[11]

Viscounts Cholmondeley (1661)

Earls of Cholmondeley (1706), Viscount Malpas (1706), Baron Newborough (1715), Baron Newburgh (1716)

19th-century illustration of the Marquess' coat of arms

Marquesses of Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage (1815)

The heir apparent is Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage, the elder of the present holder's twin sons (b. 2009). His younger twin brother is Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley.

Family tree and line of succession

Line of succession[12]
  • George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1883–1968)
    • Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1919–1990)
      • David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley (b. 1960)
        • (1). Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage (b. 2009)
        • (2). Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley (b. 2009)
    • Lord John George Cholmondeley (1920–1986)
      • (3). Charles George Cholmondeley (b. 1959)

See also

Notes

References

External links