Baron de Clifford is a title in the Peerage of England

Peerage of England

The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....

. It was created in 1299 for Robert de Clifford

Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford

Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford, also 1st Lord of Skipton , was an English soldier who became first Lord Warden of the Marches, defending the English border with Scotland. He was born in Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, and was married there in 1295 to Maud de Clare, eldest daughter of...

. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The de Clifford family settled in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 after the Norman conquest and were a notable family in late medieval England. The first Baron notably served as Earl Marshal of England but was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn

Battle of Bannockburn

The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...

 in 1314. His great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson, the eleventh Baron, was created Earl of Cumberland in 1525. His grandson, the third Earl, was a noted naval commander. On his death in 1605 the earldom passed to his younger brother, the fourth Earl (see the Earl of Cumberland

Earl of Cumberland

The title of Earl of Cumberland was created in the Peerage of England in 1525 for the 11th Baron de Clifford. It became extinct in 1643. See also Duke of Cumberland.The subsidiary title of the first three earls was Baron de Clifford...

 for later history of this title).

The barony of de Clifford was claimed in 1628 by his daughter and only child, Anne, but the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 postponed the hearing. The barony remained dormant until 1678, when Nicholas Tufton, 3rd Earl of Thanet, was allowed to claim the peerage and became the fifteenth Baron de Clifford. He was the son of Lady Margaret Sackville, daughter of the aforementioned Anne. On the death in 1721 of the Earl's younger brother, the sixth Earl, the earldom and barony separated. The earldom was inherited by the late Earl's nephew, the seventh Earl (see the Earl of Thanet

Earl of Thanet

Earl of the Isle of Thanet, in practice shortened to Earl of Thanet, was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1628 for Nicholas Tufton, 1st Baron Tufton. He had already succeeded as second Baronet of Hothfield in 1631 and been created Baron Tufton, of Tufton in the County of Sussex,...

 for further information on this title).

The barony fell into abeyance

Abeyance

Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...

 between the Earl's five daughters, Lady Katherine, Lady Anne, Lady Isabel, Lady Margaret and Lady Mary. It remained in abeyance until 1734 when the abeyance was terminated in favour of the third daughter, Margaret, who became the nineteenth Baroness. She was the wife of Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester

Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation)

Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, KB was a wealthy English land-owner and patron of the arts. He is particularly noted for commissioning the design and construction of Holkham Hall in north Norfolk. Between 1722 and 1728, he was Member of Parliament for Norfolk.He was the son of Edward Coke ...

. On her death in 1775 the title again fell into abeyance, this time between her sisters and their heirs. The abeyance was terminated only a year later in favour of Edward Southwell, the twentieth Baron. He was the grandson of Lady Catherine Tufton, eldest daughter of the sixth Earl of Thanet. He was succeeded by his son, the twenty-first Baron. He was childless and on his death in 1832 the barony fell into abeyance between his sisters Hon. Sophia and Hon. Elizabeth and the heirs of his deceased sister Hon. Catherine.

The peerage was called out of abeyance in 1833 in favour of Sophia, the twenty-second holder. She was the only surviving child of Hon. Catherine and her husband George Coussmaker. Lady de Clifford was the wife of John Russell, third son of Lord William Russell

Lord William Russell (aristocrat)

Lord William Russell , a member of the British aristocratic family of Russell and longtime Member of Parliament, did little to attract public attention after the end of his political career until, in 1840, he was murdered in his sleep by his valet.-Life:Russell was the posthumous child of Francis...

, third son of Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock

Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock

Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock was a British politician and the eldest son of the 4th Duke of Bedford....

, eldest son and heir of John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford

John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...

. She was succeeded by her son, the twenty-third Baron. He represented Tavistock

Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency)

Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...

 in Parliament as a Liberal

Liberal Party (UK)

The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...

. the title is held by his great-great-grandson, the twenty-seventh Baron, who succeeded his father in 1982. As a descendant of the fourth Duke of Bedford he is also in remainder to this peerage and its subsidiary titles.

Other members of the family have been created barons as Baron Clifford

Baron Clifford

The barony of this name has been in abeyance since 1858 – for the baronies with similar names that remain extant see Baron Clifford of Chudleigh and Baron de Clifford----...

 and Baron Clifford of Chudleigh

Baron Clifford of Chudleigh

Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, of Chudleigh in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Thomas Clifford...

, and baronets as Baronet Clifford of Flaxbourne, New Zealand

Clifford Baronets

There have been two Baronetcies created for a person with the surname Clifford.The Clifford Baronetcy, of the Navy was created for Augustus William James Clifford, the illegitimate son of the 5th Duke of Devonshire on August 4, 1838 in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...

, Baronet Clifford of the Navy

Clifford Baronets

There have been two Baronetcies created for a person with the surname Clifford.The Clifford Baronetcy, of the Navy was created for Augustus William James Clifford, the illegitimate son of the 5th Duke of Devonshire on August 4, 1838 in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...

 and Baronet Clifford-Constable of Tixall, Staffordshire

Constable Baronets

There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Constable, both in the Baronetage of England. Both titles are extinct....

In Great Haywood, a village approximately two miles from Tixall, the main public house is called 'The Clifford Arms'

Barons de Clifford (1299)

• Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford
  Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford
  Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford, also 1st Lord of Skipton , was an English soldier who became first Lord Warden of the Marches, defending the English border with Scotland. He was born in Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, and was married there in 1295 to Maud de Clare, eldest daughter of...
  
   (1274–1314)
• Roger de Clifford, 2nd Baron de Clifford (1299–1322)
• Robert de Clifford, 3rd Baron de Clifford (1305–1344)
• Robert de Clifford, 4th Baron de Clifford (1329–1344)
• Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron de Clifford
  Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron de Clifford
  Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron de Clifford, ninth Lord Clifford, fifth Baron of Westmoreland , was the son of Robert de Clifford, 3rd Baron de Clifford , second son of Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford , the founder of the northern branch of the family. His mother was Isabella Roger de...
  
   (1333–1389)
• Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron de Clifford
  Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron de Clifford
  Sir Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron de Clifford, also 6th Lord of Skipton was a Knight of The Chamber, hereditary Sheriff of Westmorland, Governor of Carlisle Castle, and Warden of the East Marches....
  
   (1363–1391)
• John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford
  John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford
  Sir John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford, also 7th Lord of Skipton, KG , hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland was an English peer.-Life:...
  
   (1388–1422)
• Thomas Clifford, 8th Baron de Clifford (1414–1455)
• John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford
  John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford
  John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford, also 9th Lord of Skipton was a Lancastrian military leader during the Wars of the Roses...
  
   (1435–1461)
• Henry Clifford, 10th Baron de Clifford (1454–1524)
• Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland, 11th Baron de Clifford
  Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland
  Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland KG was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676. He was a close friend of Henry VIII and his son Henry married the King's niece Lady Eleanor Brandon. He was created Earl of Cumberland on June 18, 1525 and made a Knight...
  
   (1493–1542)
• Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland, 12th Baron de Clifford
  Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland
  Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676. He was married to Lady Eleanor Brandon, a niece of Henry VIII of England.-Family:...
  
   (1517–1569)
• George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, 13th Baron de Clifford
  George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland
  Sir George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, KG was an English peer, as well as a naval commander and courtier in the court of Queen Elizabeth I.-Background:...
  
   (1558–1605) (dormant until 1678)
• Anne Herbert, 14th Baroness de Clifford
  Lady Anne Clifford
  Lady Anne Clifford, 14th Baroness de Clifford was the only surviving child of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland by his wife Lady Margaret Russell, daughter of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford...
  
   (1590–1676) (unsuccessfully claimed title in 1628; recognised in 1649)
• Nicholas Tufton, 3rd Earl of Thanet, 15th Baron de Clifford
  Nicholas Tufton, 3rd Earl of Thanet
  Nicholas Tufton, 3rd Earl of Thanet , styled Lord Tufton until 1664, was an English nobleman.Tufton was the eldest son of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet, and Lady Margaret, daughter of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset and Lady Anne Clifford. Through his father he was a great-great-grandson of...
  
   (1631–1679) (allowed to claim title in 1678)
• John Tufton, 4th Earl of Thanet, 16th Baron de Clifford
  John Tufton, 4th Earl of Thanet
  John Tufton, 4th Earl of Thanet , styled The Honourable John Tufton until 1679, was an English politician and nobleman....
  
   (1638–1680)
• Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet, 17th Baron de Clifford
  Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet
  Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet , styled The Honourable Richard Tufton until 1680, was an English nobleman....
  
   (1640–1684)
• Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet, 18th Baron de Clifford
  Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet
  Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet, 18th Baron de Clifford PC was an English nobleman and politician.He was the fourth son of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet and his wife Margaret Sackville, Baroness Clifford and inherited the title on the death in 1684 of his elder brother Richard Tufton, 5th Earl...
  
   (1644–1721) (abeyant 1721)
• Margaret Coke, 19th Baroness de Clifford (1700–1775) (abeyance terminated 1734; abeyant 1775)
• Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford
  Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford
  Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford was a British politician.He was the son of Edward Southwell by his wife Katherine, daughter of Edward Watson, Viscount Sondes....
  
   (1738–1777) (abeyance terminated 1776)
• Edward Southwell, 21st Baron de Clifford (1767–1832) (abeyant 1832)
• Sophia Coussmaker, 22nd Baroness de Clifford (1791–1874) (abeyance terminated 1833)
• Edward Southwell Russell, 23rd Baron de Clifford (1824–1877)
• Edward Southwell Russell, 24th Baron de Clifford (1855–1894)
• Jack Southwell Russell, 25th Baron de Clifford (1884–1909)
• Edward Southwell Russell, 26th Baron de Clifford (1907–1982)
• John Edward Southwell Russell, 27th Baron de Clifford (b. 1928)

The heir presumptive

Heir Presumptive

An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...

 is the present holder's brother the Hon. William Southwell Russell (b. 1930)

The heir presumptive's heir apparent

Heir apparent

An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....

is his son, Miles Edward Southwell Russell (b. 1966)

The heir presumptive's heir apparent's heir apparent is his son Edward Southwell Russell (b. 1998)

Further reading

• Clifford, Hugh (13th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh). The House of Clifford from Before the Conquest. Phillimore & Co, 1987.
• Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis; Lines 64–32, 82–32, 156–30, 161–29, 205–32.