Sir William Keyt, 3rd Baronet

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sir William Keyt, 3rd Baronet (8 July 1688 –1741) of Norton House, Gloucestershire, was a British landowner and politician who sat in the

House of Commons from 1722 to 1735. He died at his house in a catastrophic fire of his own creation and the garden which remained, and was restored, gave rise to the poem Burnt Norton by T. S. Eliot
.

Early life

Keyt was the eldest son of William Keyt of Ebrington, Gloucestershire, and his wife Agnes Clopton, daughter of Sir John Clopton of Clopton, Warwickshire. He was educated privately. He succeeded his grandfather in the baronetcy on 30 November 1702. He married Anne Tracy, daughter of William Tracy, 4th Viscount Tracy, of Rathcoole on 23 November 1710.[1]

Career

Keyt became

Member of Parliament for Warwick at a by-election on 22 November 1722 which was at great expense to both sides. In Parliament, he consistently voted against the Government. A local Whig wrote of him that he was 'a Tory indeed; barring that I hear a mighty good character of him in all respects'. He was returned unopposed at the 1727 general election. At the 1734 general election, there was a contest at Warwick in which he was successful in the poll, but unseated on petition on 25 February 1735.[2]

Death and legacy

In 1716 Keyt acquired Norton House near Chipping Campden. He built a mansion on an adjacent site and laid out a garden at the same time. It had a large parterre, terraces and plantations with walks.[3] He left his wife for her maid, and went to live at Norton with her. When she saw his house, she asked ‘what is a kite without wings’, and so he extended it with two large side extensions. In time she deserted him, and he began drinking heavily. One night in September 1741 he caused a fire which spread to the whole house. Unsuccessful attempts were made to rescue him and little was left of him to be buried at the church of Aston-sub-Edge. It was said he was deranged and set the fire deliberately.[4] It was also proposed that he started the fire after a bout of heavy drinking.[2]

Keyt left children[4]

  • Thomas Charles Keyt (1712-1755) who succeeded to the baronetcy as 4th Baronet
  • John Keyt, an officer in the army
  • William Keyt who died young
  • Robert Keyt (1714-1784) who succeeded to the baronetcy as 5th Baronet and died without issue
  • Agnes who married Edward Gibbes and had three daughters

The estate became known as Burnt Norton and the garden remained as an attraction. It was after visiting the garden that T. S. Eliot wrote Burnt Norton the first of his Four Quartets.[5]

Keyt's story is the basis for the historical novel Burnt Norton by Caroline Sandon.[6]

References

  1. ^ Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1903), Complete Baronetage volume 3 (1649-1664), vol. 3, Exeter: William Pollard and Co, p. 140, retrieved 22 October 2018
  2. ^ a b Matthews, Shirley (1970). "Keyt, Sir William, 3rd Bt. (1688-1741), of Ebrington, Glos. and Stratford-on-Avon, Warws.". In Sedgwick, Romney (ed.). The House of Commons 1715-1754. The History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Norton House, (also known as Burnt Norton)". Parks & Gardens.
  4. ^ a b Mr Urban (1797). The Gentleman's Magazine, Part 2. E. Cave. p. 1109. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Caroline Sandon on the real-life history behind Burnt Norton". Head of Zeus.
  6. ISBN 9781781852880
    .
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Member of Parliament for Warwick
1722–1735
With: Dodington Greville 1722-1727
William Bromley
1727-1735 		Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by
William Keyt
 Baronet
(of Ebrington)
1702–1741 		Succeeded by
Thomas Charles Keyt
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sir_William_Keyt,_3rd_Baronet&oldid=1081853953"