Earl of Pomfret
Encyclopedia
Earl of Pomfret in the County of York
, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain
. It was created in 1721 for Thomas Fermor, 2nd Baron Leominster. The Fermor family descended from Richard Fermor
(d. 1552) who acquired great wealth as a merchant. However, he fell out with Henry VIII
after remaining an adherent of Catholicism
and had his estates confiscated. Some of the estates, including Easton Neston
, were restored after the accession of Edward VI
. His grandson Sir George Fermor entertained James I
at Easton Neston in 1603. Sir George's grandson William Fermor was created a Baronet, of Easton Neston in the County of Northampton, in the Baronetage of England in 1641, aged nineteen. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baronet. He was raised to the Peerage of England
as Baron Leominster, in the County of Hereford, in 1692 (the title was also spelled Baron Lempster). His eldest son was the aforementioned second Baron who was elevated to an earldom in 1721. The latter was succeeded by his son, the second Earl. He was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber
to George III
. Two of his sons, the third and fourth Earls, both succeeded in the title. The titles became extinct on the death of the fourth Earl's son, the fifth Earl, in 1867.
The seat of the Fermor family was Easton Neston
in Northamptonshire. The house came into the Hesketh family (who were later created Barons Hesketh) through the marriage in 1846 of Sir Thomas George Hesketh, 5th Baronet, of Rufford, to Lady Anna Maria Arabella Fermor, sister and heiress of the 5th Earl of Pomfret. The house was sold by the 3rd Baron Hesketh
in 2005.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
. It was created in 1721 for Thomas Fermor, 2nd Baron Leominster. The Fermor family descended from Richard Fermor
Richard Fermor
Richard Fermor , was an English wool merchant. His father was also a wool merchant in Witney, Oxfordshire, called Thomas Fermor.He was a merchant of the staple at Calais.He married Anne, daughter of Sir William Browne, Lord Mayor of London...
(d. 1552) who acquired great wealth as a merchant. However, he fell out with Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
after remaining an adherent of Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and had his estates confiscated. Some of the estates, including Easton Neston
Easton Neston
Easton Neston is a country house near Towcester, Northamptonshire, England, and is part of the Easton Neston Parish. It was designed in the Baroque style by the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. Easton Neston is thought to be the only mansion which was solely the work of Hawksmoor...
, were restored after the accession of Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. His grandson Sir George Fermor entertained James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
at Easton Neston in 1603. Sir George's grandson William Fermor was created a Baronet, of Easton Neston in the County of Northampton, in the Baronetage of England in 1641, aged nineteen. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baronet. He was raised to 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....
as Baron Leominster, in the County of Hereford, in 1692 (the title was also spelled Baron Lempster). His eldest son was the aforementioned second Baron who was elevated to an earldom in 1721. The latter was succeeded by his son, the second Earl. He was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...
to George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
. Two of his sons, the third and fourth Earls, both succeeded in the title. The titles became extinct on the death of the fourth Earl's son, the fifth Earl, in 1867.
The seat of the Fermor family was Easton Neston
Easton Neston
Easton Neston is a country house near Towcester, Northamptonshire, England, and is part of the Easton Neston Parish. It was designed in the Baroque style by the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. Easton Neston is thought to be the only mansion which was solely the work of Hawksmoor...
in Northamptonshire. The house came into the Hesketh family (who were later created Barons Hesketh) through the marriage in 1846 of Sir Thomas George Hesketh, 5th Baronet, of Rufford, to Lady Anna Maria Arabella Fermor, sister and heiress of the 5th Earl of Pomfret. The house was sold by the 3rd Baron Hesketh
Alexander Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh
Thomas Alexander Fermor-Hesketh, 3rd Baron Hesketh, KBE, PC , is a British UK Independence Party politician. For most of his life, he has preferred to be addressed by his middle name...
in 2005.
Fermor Baronets, of Easton Neston (1641)
- Sir William Fermor, 1st Baronet (1619–1661)
- Sir William Fermor, 2nd BaronetWilliam Fermor, 1st Baron LeominsterWilliam Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster , was an English connoisseur.Fermor was the eldest son of Sir William Fermor, 1st Baronet, of Easton Neston, Northamptonshire, by Mary, daughter of Hugh Perry of London and widow of Henry Noel, second son of Edward, viscount Campden. He succeeded as second...
(1648–1711) (created Baron Leominster in 1692)
Barons Leominster (1692)
- William Fermor, 1st Baron LeominsterWilliam Fermor, 1st Baron LeominsterWilliam Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster , was an English connoisseur.Fermor was the eldest son of Sir William Fermor, 1st Baronet, of Easton Neston, Northamptonshire, by Mary, daughter of Hugh Perry of London and widow of Henry Noel, second son of Edward, viscount Campden. He succeeded as second...
(1648–1711) - Thomas Fermor, 2nd Baron Leominster (1698–1753) (created Earl of Pomfret in 1721)
Earls of Pomfret (1721)
- Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret (1698–1753)
- George Fermor, 2nd Earl of Pomfret (1722–1785)
- George Fermor, 3rd Earl of Pomfret (1768–1830)
- Thomas William Fermor, 4th Earl of Pomfret (1770–1833)
- George Richard William Fermor, 5th Earl of Pomfret (1824–1867)