Lordship of Bowland
Encyclopedia
The Lordship of Bowland, an ancient English
title connected with the Forest of Bowland
in the northwest of England, was once thought lost and was only recently rediscovered. It disappeared from sight in 1885 when the estates of the Towneleys, one of Lancashire’s great aristocratic families, were broken up following the death of the last male heir. For much of the twentieth century, experts thought that the Lordship of Bowland belonged to the Crown. In 1938, the Duchy of Lancaster
had acquired some 6000 acres (24.3 km²) of the Forest of Bowland, now known as the Whitewell Estate
, near Clitheroe
, and it was believed the Lordship of Bowland had been acquired with it.
It was only when a researcher checked the terms of the sale that the truth emerged. In fact, the 1938 purchase, while it included mineral, sporting and forestry rights, specifically excluded the Lordship of Bowland itself. Further research then revealed that the Lordship had in fact been retained by an extinct Towneley family trust. In 2008, Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan stepped forward on the family’s behalf to claim the title of 15th Lord of Bowland. Controversially, he then went on to auction the title. The 16th Lord of Bowland was later revealed to be a Cambridge University don who specialises in the history of Lancashire, its place names and dialects and has ancestral links to the Forest.
of Bowland thought to have been created by William Rufus sometime after Domesday and granted to his vassal
Roger de Poitou, 1st Lord of Bowland, possibly to reward Poitou for his role in defeating the army of Scots king Malcolm III in 1091-2. The Forest and Liberty of Bowland, along with the grant of the adjacent fee
of Blackburnshire
and holdings in Hornby and Amounderness
, came to form the basis of what became known as the Honor of Clitheroe
.
From an early date, the Lord of Bowland was also known as Lord of the Fells
, a subsidiary title
reflecting the upland character of much of his demesne and analogous to the medieval Scottish title Lord of the Isles
.
Before 1095, Roger gave control of the Forest and Liberty into the hands of his neighbour Robert de Lacy
, Baron of Pontefract
. These lands then became part of the holdings confiscated from Robert de Lacy
, as a supporter of Robert Curthose in conflicts with Henry I of England
. (These supporters, who included Roger de Poitou, lost their lands and were exiled.) During the period of Robert de Lacy’s banishment, his English estates were held by Hugh de la Val until Hugh’s death circa 1130 when William Maltravers married his Hugh's widow and obtained a grant of the de Lacy estates for a term of years. King Stephen
, after his accession to the throne in 1135, restored the lands to Robert de Lacy. Robert's lands were then inherited by his eldest son Ilbert II de Lacy
.
In 1311, the Honor of Clitheroe was subsumed into the Earldom of Lancaster. After 1351, it was administered as part of the Duchy of Lancaster
, with the Duke (from 1399, the Sovereign) acknowledged lord paramount
over the Forest and the ten manors
of the Liberty. As lord paramount, he was styled Lord King of Bowland.
Territorially, the Lordship of Bowland covered an area of almost 300 square miles (777 km²) on the historic borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It comprised a Royal Forest
and a Liberty
of ten manors spanning eight townships and four parishes. The manors within the Liberty were Slaidburn
(Newton-in-Bowland, West Bradford
, Grindleton), Knowlmere
, Waddington
, Easington
, Bashall
, Mitton
, Withgill (Crook)
, Leagram
, Hammerton
and Dunnow (Battersby)
. Harrop was included within the Forest.
In 1661, the manors contained within the former Honor of Clitheroe
, including the Forest and Liberty of Bowland, were granted by the Crown to General George Monck
as part of the creation of the Dukedom of Albermarle
. Monck had been a key figure in the restoration of Charles II
. The Lordship of Bowland then descended through the Montagu
, Buccleuch
and Towneley
families.
assumed the throne in 1399 and the Duchy of Lancaster
, of which the lordship was part, descended with the English Crown until the Restoration of Charles II
.
2009-present 16th Lord of Bowland William Bowland
became Bowbearer. However, the appointment of Charles Bowman as Chief Steward was short-lived. Later that year, the Cambridge University Heraldic & Genealogical Society published a history of the Lordship.
In April 2011, the 16th Lord made an official visit to the Forest with his Bowbearer in attendance. A month later, former Steward to the Honor of Clitheroe
Michael Parkinson, a partner with chartered surveyors Ingham & Yorke of Clitheroe, assumed the role of the Chief Steward, the first formal appointment since 1922.
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...
title connected with the Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
in the northwest of England, was once thought lost and was only recently rediscovered. It disappeared from sight in 1885 when the estates of the Towneleys, one of Lancashire’s great aristocratic families, were broken up following the death of the last male heir. For much of the twentieth century, experts thought that the Lordship of Bowland belonged to the Crown. In 1938, the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
had acquired some 6000 acres (24.3 km²) of the Forest of Bowland, now known as the Whitewell Estate
Whitewell
Whitewell is a hamlet within the Ribble Valley borough of Lancashire, England, in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Historically, it lay on the border of the former West Riding of Yorkshire. It stands above a picturesque bend in the River Hodder.The hamlet comprises Upper...
, near Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
, and it was believed the Lordship of Bowland had been acquired with it.
It was only when a researcher checked the terms of the sale that the truth emerged. In fact, the 1938 purchase, while it included mineral, sporting and forestry rights, specifically excluded the Lordship of Bowland itself. Further research then revealed that the Lordship had in fact been retained by an extinct Towneley family trust. In 2008, Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan stepped forward on the family’s behalf to claim the title of 15th Lord of Bowland. Controversially, he then went on to auction the title. The 16th Lord of Bowland was later revealed to be a Cambridge University don who specialises in the history of Lancashire, its place names and dialects and has ancestral links to the Forest.
History
The ancient origins of the Lordship lie in the Forest and LibertyLiberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
of Bowland thought to have been created by William Rufus sometime after Domesday and granted to his vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
Roger de Poitou, 1st Lord of Bowland, possibly to reward Poitou for his role in defeating the army of Scots king Malcolm III in 1091-2. The Forest and Liberty of Bowland, along with the grant of the adjacent fee
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
of Blackburnshire
Blackburnshire
Blackburnshire was a hundred, or ancient division of the county of Lancashire, in northern England. It was centred on Blackburn, and covered an area approximately equal to modern day East Lancashire....
and holdings in Hornby and Amounderness
Amounderness
Amounderness was a hundred of Lancashire in North West England. Formerly, the name had been used for territories now in Lancashire and north of the River Ribble that had been included in Domesday Yorkshire.-Etymology and history:...
, came to form the basis of what became known as the Honor of Clitheroe
Honor of Clitheroe
The Honour of Clitheroe is an ancient grouping of manors and royal forests centred on Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire, England; an honour traditionally being the grant of a large landholding complex, not all of whose parts are contiguous...
.
From an early date, the Lord of Bowland was also known as Lord of the Fells
Lord of the Fells
Lord of the Fells is a subsidiary title of the Lords of Bowland. The title is thought to have become customary during the high medieval period as a description of the Lords' rugged upland demesne. Bowland Fells, more widely known as the Forest of Bowland, is an area of barren gritstone fells,...
, a subsidiary title
Subsidiary title
A subsidiary title is an hereditary title held by a royal or a noble but which is not regularly used to identify that person.For example, the Duke of Norfolk is also the Earl of Arundel, the Earl of Surrey, the Earl of Norfolk, the Baron Beaumont, the Baron Maltravers, the Baron FitzAlan, the Baron...
reflecting the upland character of much of his demesne and analogous to the medieval Scottish title Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
.
Before 1095, Roger gave control of the Forest and Liberty into the hands of his neighbour Robert de Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
, Baron of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
. These lands then became part of the holdings confiscated from Robert de Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
, as a supporter of Robert Curthose in conflicts with Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
. (These supporters, who included Roger de Poitou, lost their lands and were exiled.) During the period of Robert de Lacy’s banishment, his English estates were held by Hugh de la Val until Hugh’s death circa 1130 when William Maltravers married his Hugh's widow and obtained a grant of the de Lacy estates for a term of years. King Stephen
Stephen, King of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
, after his accession to the throne in 1135, restored the lands to Robert de Lacy. Robert's lands were then inherited by his eldest son Ilbert II de Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
.
In 1311, the Honor of Clitheroe was subsumed into the Earldom of Lancaster. After 1351, it was administered as part of the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, with the Duke (from 1399, the Sovereign) acknowledged lord paramount
Lord Paramount
Paramount , is the highest authority, or that being of the greatest importance...
over the Forest and the ten manors
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of the Liberty. As lord paramount, he was styled Lord King of Bowland.
Territorially, the Lordship of Bowland covered an area of almost 300 square miles (777 km²) on the historic borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It comprised a Royal Forest
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
and a Liberty
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
of ten manors spanning eight townships and four parishes. The manors within the Liberty were Slaidburn
Slaidburn
Slaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. With a population in 2001 of just under 300, it covers just over 5000 acres of the Forest of Bowland...
(Newton-in-Bowland, West Bradford
West Bradford, Lancashire
West Bradford is a village and civil parish Lancashire, England, 27 miles west of the larger city of Bradford, West Yorkshire and 2.5 miles north of Clitheroe. It covers some 2000 acres of the Forest of Bowland. In Domesday, it is recorded as Bradeford and in the thirteenth century,...
, Grindleton), Knowlmere
Slaidburn
Slaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. With a population in 2001 of just under 300, it covers just over 5000 acres of the Forest of Bowland...
, Waddington
Waddington, Lancashire
Waddington is a small village, 2 miles north-west of Clitheroe, within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. It is also a civil parish. Prior to the 1974 county boundary changes, Waddington just fell within the boundary of Bowland Rural District of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
, Easington
Easington, Lancashire
Easington is a civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, with a population in 2001 of 52. Prior to 1974, it formed part of Bowland Rural District in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It covers just over 9000 acres.-History:...
, Bashall
Bashall Eaves
Bashall Eaves is a village and civil parish in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, about four miles west of Clitheroe. The placename element eaves is Old English and refers to Bashall's location on the borders of the Forest of Bowland.According to the 2001 census, the parish of...
, Mitton
Great Mitton
Great Mitton is a village and a civil parish in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It is separated from the civil parish of Little Mitton by the River Ribble, both lie about 3 miles from the town of Clitheroe...
, Withgill (Crook)
Great Mitton
Great Mitton is a village and a civil parish in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It is separated from the civil parish of Little Mitton by the River Ribble, both lie about 3 miles from the town of Clitheroe...
, Leagram
Bowland-with-Leagram
Bowland-with-Leagram is a civil parish in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, covering part of the Forest of Bowland. According to the census, the parish had a population of 181 in 1951 and 128 in 2001....
, Hammerton
Slaidburn
Slaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. With a population in 2001 of just under 300, it covers just over 5000 acres of the Forest of Bowland...
and Dunnow (Battersby)
Slaidburn
Slaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. With a population in 2001 of just under 300, it covers just over 5000 acres of the Forest of Bowland...
. Harrop was included within the Forest.
In 1661, the manors contained within the former Honor of Clitheroe
Honor of Clitheroe
The Honour of Clitheroe is an ancient grouping of manors and royal forests centred on Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire, England; an honour traditionally being the grant of a large landholding complex, not all of whose parts are contiguous...
, including the Forest and Liberty of Bowland, were granted by the Crown to General George Monck
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
as part of the creation of the Dukedom of Albermarle
Duke of Albemarle
The Dukedom of Albemarle has been created twice in the Peerage of England, each time ending in extinction. Additionally, the title was created a third time by James II in exile and a fourth time by his son the Old Pretender, in the Jacobite Peerage. The name is the Latinised form of the ancient...
. Monck had been a key figure in the restoration of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. The Lordship of Bowland then descended through the Montagu
Montagu
- People with the surname :* Alexander Montagu, 13th Duke of Manchester* Ashley Montagu* Charles Montagu , several persons* Edward Montagu , several persons* Edwin Samuel Montagu* Elizabeth Montagu* Ewen Montagu...
, Buccleuch
Duke of Buccleuch
The title Duke of Buccleuch , formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 20 April 1663 for the Duke of Monmouth, who was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II of Scotland, England, and Ireland and who had married Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch.Anne...
and Towneley
Towneley (family)
The Towneley or Townley family are an English recusant family whose ancestry can be traced back to Norman England. They take their name from Towneley Hall in Burnley, Lancashire, which was the family seat until its sale in 1901.-The Towneleys of Towneley Hall:...
families.
Lords of Bowland 1092-1399
- 1092-1093 1st Lord of Bowland Roger de Poitou (gave control of lands to Robert de Lacy)
- 1093-1136 2nd Lord of Bowland Robert de LacyDe Lacyde Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
, 2nd Baron of Pontefract (his lands confiscated twice, and exiled during this period) - 1136-1141 3rd Lord of Bowland Ilbert II de LacyDe Lacyde Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
, 3rd Baron of Pontefract (1st son of Robert de Lacy) - 1141-1187 4th Lord of Bowland Henry de Lacy, 4th Baron of PontefractDe Lacyde Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
(2nd son of Robert de Lacy, endowed Kirkstall AbbeyKirkstall AbbeyKirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded c.1152. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry...
) - 1187-1193 5th Lord of Bowland Robert II de Lacy, 5th Baron of PontefractDe Lacyde Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
(son of Henry de Lacy) - 1193-1194 Lady of Bowland suo jure Albreda de Lisours, Baroness of Pontefract suo jureDe Lacyde Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
(granddaughter of Robert de Lacy) - 1194-1211 7th Lord of Bowland Roger de Lacy, 6th Baron of Pontefract (grandson of Albreda de Lisours - adopted surname de Lacy)
- 1211-1240 8th Lord of Bowland John de Lacy, 7th Baron of Pontefract, 2nd Earl of LincolnJohn de Lacy, 2nd Earl of LincolnJohn de Lacy was the 2nd Earl of Lincoln, of the fourth creation.-Background:He was the eldest son and heir of Roger de Lacy and his wife, Maud or Matilda de Clere .-Public life:...
(son of Roger de Lacy) - 1240-1258 9th Lord of Bowland Edmund de Lacy, 8th Baron of PontefractEdmund de Lacy, Baron of PontefractEdmund de Lacy was the son of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln. When his father died in 1240 he inherited his father's titles and lands which included Baron of Pontefract, Baron of Halton, Lord of Bowland, and Constable of Chester. As he was a minor his inheritance was held by him in wardship by...
(son of John de Lacy) - 1258-1311 10th Lord of Bowland Henry de Lacy, 9th Baron of Pontefract, 3rd Earl of LincolnHenry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of LincolnHenry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln was a confidant of Edward I of England.In 1272 on reaching the age of majority he became Earl of Lincoln...
(son of Edmund de Lacy) - 1311-1322 11th Lord of Bowland Thomas, 2nd Earl of LancasterEarl of LancasterThe title of Earl of Lancaster was created in the Peerage of England in 1267, merging in the crown in 1399. See also Duke of Lancaster.-Earls of Lancaster :...
(son-in-law of Henry de Lacy - executed by Edward II of EnglandEdward II of EnglandEdward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
) - 1322-1345 12th Lord of Bowland HenryHenry, 3rd Earl of LancasterHenry , 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster was an English nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England.-Family and lineage:...
, 3rd Earl of LancasterEarl of LancasterThe title of Earl of Lancaster was created in the Peerage of England in 1267, merging in the crown in 1399. See also Duke of Lancaster.-Earls of Lancaster :...
(brother of Thomas) - 1345-1361 13th Lord of Bowland Henry of Grosmont, 4th Earl, later Duke of LancasterDuke of LancasterThere were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries. See also Duchy of Lancaster.There were three creations of the Dukedom of Lancaster....
(son of Henry) - 1361-1399 14th Lord of Bowland John of Gaunt, Duke of LancasterDuke of LancasterThere were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries. See also Duchy of Lancaster.There were three creations of the Dukedom of Lancaster....
, Duke of AquitaineDuke of AquitaineThe Duke of Aquitaine ruled the historical region of Aquitaine under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings....
(son-in-law of Henry of Grosmont)
Lord Kings of Bowland 1399-1661
Henry IV of EnglandHenry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
assumed the throne in 1399 and the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, of which the lordship was part, descended with the English Crown until the Restoration of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
Lords of Bowland 1661-1885
- 1661-1670 1st Lord of Bowland 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
- 1670-1688 2nd Lord of Bowland 2nd Duke of AlbemarleChristopher Monck, 2nd Duke of AlbemarleChristopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, KG, PC was an English statesman and failed soldier.He was the son of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle....
- 1692-1709 3rd Lord of Bowland 1st Duke of MontaguRalph Montagu, 1st Duke of MontaguRalph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu was an English courtier and diplomat.-Life:He was the second son of Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton and Anne Winwood, daughter of the Secretary of State Ralph Winwood...
- 1709-1749 4th Lord of Bowland 2nd Duke of MontaguJohn Montagu, 2nd Duke of MontaguJohn Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG, KB, PC , styled Viscount Monthermer until 1705 and Marquess of Monthermer between 1705 and 1709, was a British peer...
- 1749-1790 5th Lord of Bowland 4th Earl of CardiganGeorge Montagu, 1st Duke of MontaguGeorge Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu, KG PC, FRS was a British peer.He was born George Brudenell in 1712 at Cardigan House, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in London, the son of the 3rd Earl of Cardigan and his wife, the former Lady Elizabeth Bruce...
- 1790-1802 6th Lord of Bowland 1st Earl of Beaulieu
- 1802-1812 7th Lord of Bowland 3rd Duke of BuccleuchHenry Scott, 3rd Duke of BuccleuchHenry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch and 5th Duke of Queensberry KG KT FRSE was a Scottish nobleman and long-time friend of the notable Sir Walter Scott...
- 1812-1819 8th Lord of Bowland 4th Duke of BuccleuchCharles Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of BuccleuchCharles William Henry Montagu-Scott, 4th Duke of Buccleuch & 6th Duke of Queensberry, KT was the son of Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch and Lady Elizabeth Montagu...
- 1819-1827 9th Lord of Bowland 5th Duke of Buccleuch
- 1827-1835 10th Lord of Bowland 2nd Baron Montagu of BoughtonBaron Montagu of BoughtonThe title of Baron Montagu of Boughton was first created in 1621, in the Peerage of England, for Sir Edward Montagu, eldest son of Sir Edward Montagu of Boughton Castle and grandson of another Sir Edward Montagu who had been Lord Chief Justice during the reign of Henry VIII...
- 1835-1846 11th Lord of Bowland Peregrine Towneley
- 1846-1876 12th Lord of Bowland Charles Towneley
- 1876-1878 13th Lord of Bowland John TowneleyJohn TowneleyJohn Towneley was an English Whig politician.He was elected at the 1841 general election as a Member of Parliament for Beverley, and held the seat until he did not stand at the 1852 general election.- Personal Life :...
- 1878-1885 Lady of Bowland suo jure Lucy Towneley
Lords of Bowland since 2008
2008-2009 15th Lord of Bowland Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan2009-present 16th Lord of Bowland William Bowland
Developments since 2008
In April 2010, it was reported that the 16th Lord had revived two ancient historic offices of the Forest of Bowland: those of Bowbearer and Chief Steward. Robert Parker of Browsholme HallBrowsholme Hall
Browsholme Hall is a privately owned Elizabethan house in the parish of Bowland Forest Low in the borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire , England. It is claimed to be the oldest surviving family home in Lancashire...
became Bowbearer. However, the appointment of Charles Bowman as Chief Steward was short-lived. Later that year, the Cambridge University Heraldic & Genealogical Society published a history of the Lordship.
In April 2011, the 16th Lord made an official visit to the Forest with his Bowbearer in attendance. A month later, former Steward to the Honor of Clitheroe
Honor of Clitheroe
The Honour of Clitheroe is an ancient grouping of manors and royal forests centred on Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire, England; an honour traditionally being the grant of a large landholding complex, not all of whose parts are contiguous...
Michael Parkinson, a partner with chartered surveyors Ingham & Yorke of Clitheroe, assumed the role of the Chief Steward, the first formal appointment since 1922.