Viscount Hereford
Encyclopedia
Viscount Hereford is a title in the Peerage of England
. It was created in 1550 for Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley
. The Devereux family is of Norman descent and came to England
after the Norman conquest
in 1066, and settled in Lyonshall and Bodenham, Herefordshire
. Sir Walter Devereux (d. 1485), married Anne Ferrers, 7th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley (d.1469) (see the Baron Ferrers of Chartley
for earlier history of this title). He was summoned to Parliament as Lord Ferrers of Chartley in her right. Devereux was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field
in 1485. Their son, the eighth Baron, married Cicely, daughter of William Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier, son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex and 5th Baron Bourchier
) (see the Baron Bourchier
for more information on the Bourchier family). He was succeeded by his son, the ninth Baron who served with distinction in the French Wars of King Henry VIII
and was honoured in 1550 when he was created Viscount Hereford in the Peerage of England.
He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Viscount. the son of the Hon. Sir Richard Devereux, second son of the first Viscount. He was a prominent soldier during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
. Lord Hereford was a Field Marshal of the forces sent to quell the Northern Rebellion
of 1569 and led an expedition to occupy Ulster
in 1573. In 1570 he succeeded his first cousin twice removed as eighth Baron Bourchier in right of his great-grandmother Cecily Bourchier. In 1572 the earldom of Essex held by the Bourchier family (which had become extinct in 1540) was revived when he was created Earl of Essex in the Peerage of England. On his death the titles passed to his son Robert, the second Earl. He was the famous courtier and soldier and favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. However, Lord Essex later defied the Queen and tried to raise a rebellion in London
. He was condemned to death for high treason
and beheaded in the Tower of London on 25 February 1601. His titles were forfeited. However, his son Robert was restored in blood in 1603 and became the third Earl. He later fought as a Parliamentarian in the Civil War
, leading the Parliamentary forces against Charles I at the Battle of Edgehill, the first major battle of the Civil War. He died on 14 September 1646 and was buried in Westminster Abbey on the 19 October, both Houses of Parliament attending the funeral. On Lord Essex's death the earldom of Essex became extinct while the barony of Ferrers of Chartley and barony of Bourchier fell into abeyance.
He was succeeded in the viscountcy of Hereford by his first cousin twice removed Sir Walter Devereux, 2nd Baronet, of Castle Bromwich, who became the fifth Viscount Hereford. He was the son of Sir Edward Devereux, 1st Baronet, of Castle Bromwich, fourth son of the first Viscount (see below for earlier history of the baronetcy). Lord Hereford had earlier represented Worcester
, Tamworth
and Lichfield
in the House of Commons
. The titles descended from father to son until the death of his grandson, the seventh Viscount, in 1683. The late Viscount died at the age of only nine and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eighth Viscount. He died childless at an early age and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, the ninth Viscount. He was the great-grandson of Sir George Devereux, brother of the fifth Viscount and had served as Member of Parliament
for Montgomery
prior to his succession in 1700. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire 1711-14. His son, the tenth Viscount, represented Montgomery in Parliament for over twenty years until his succession in 1740.
He died without male issue and was succeeded by his kinsman, the eleventh Viscount. He was a descendant in the fourth generation of the aforementioned Sir George Devereux, brother of the fifth Viscount. Lord Hereford was succeeded by his eldest son, the twelfth Viscount. He was childless and on his death in 1783 the titles passed to his younger brother, the thirteenth Viscount who moved the principal Welsh seat of the viscountcy from Montgomeryshire
to Pencoyd in Brecknockshire
. He was succeeded by his son, the fourteenth Viscount. He was a Tory
politician and served under the Duke of Wellington
as Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners from 1828 to 1830 and under Sir Robert Peel as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1834 to 1835. The 15th Viscount, the Reverend Robert, was an Hon. Canon of Durham. From 1924 the 17th Viscount resided at Hampton Court, Herefordshire
.
As of 2010 the titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the nineteenth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 2004 (the titles having descended from father to son, except for the eighteenth Viscount who succeeded his grandfather).
The Devereux Baronetcy, of Castle Bromwich in the County of Warwick, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1611 for the Hon. Edward Devereux, of Castle Bromwich Hall
, fourth son of the first Viscount Hereford. He had earlier represented Tamworth in the House of Commons. His son, the second Baronet, succeeded his first cousin twice removed the third Earl of Essex as fifth Viscount Hereford in 1646. See above for further history of the baronetcy.
The viscountcy of Hereford is the senior viscountcy in the Peerage of England
. The Viscount Hereford is also the only one of the three English Viscounts who does not hold a higher title. The family surname is pronounced "Deverooks".
The heir presumptive
is the present holder's brother the Hon. Edward Mark de Breteuil Devereux (b. 1977).
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 1550 for Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley
Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount Hereford
Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, created 1st Viscount Hereford was an English Peer.-Family:...
. The Devereux family is of Norman descent and came to 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
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066, and settled in Lyonshall and Bodenham, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
. Sir Walter Devereux (d. 1485), married Anne Ferrers, 7th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley (d.1469) (see the Baron Ferrers of Chartley
Baron Ferrers of Chartley
The title Baron Ferrers of Chartley was created on February 6, 1299 for John de Ferrers, son of Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby. The daughter of the 6th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Anne, married Walter Devereux who was summoned to parliament as Lord Ferrers in her right. Their descendants...
for earlier history of this title). He was summoned to Parliament as Lord Ferrers of Chartley in her right. Devereux was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
in 1485. Their son, the eighth Baron, married Cicely, daughter of William Bourchier, Viscount Bourchier, son of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex and 5th Baron Bourchier
Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 5th Baron Bourchier, 1st Viscount Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , was the eldest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester...
) (see the Baron Bourchier
Baron Bourchier
The title Baron Bourchier is an abeyant peerage which was created in the Peerage of England in 1342 for Sir Robert Bourchier, who had been Lord High Chancellor from 1340–41....
for more information on the Bourchier family). He was succeeded by his son, the ninth Baron who served with distinction in the French Wars of King 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...
and was honoured in 1550 when he was created Viscount Hereford in the Peerage of England.
He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Viscount. the son of the Hon. Sir Richard Devereux, second son of the first Viscount. He was a prominent soldier during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Lord Hereford was a Field Marshal of the forces sent to quell the Northern Rebellion
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...
of 1569 and led an expedition to occupy Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in 1573. In 1570 he succeeded his first cousin twice removed as eighth Baron Bourchier in right of his great-grandmother Cecily Bourchier. In 1572 the earldom of Essex held by the Bourchier family (which had become extinct in 1540) was revived when he was created Earl of Essex in the Peerage of England. On his death the titles passed to his son Robert, the second Earl. He was the famous courtier and soldier and favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. However, Lord Essex later defied the Queen and tried to raise a rebellion in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was condemned to death for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
and beheaded in the Tower of London on 25 February 1601. His titles were forfeited. However, his son Robert was restored in blood in 1603 and became the third Earl. He later fought as a Parliamentarian in the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, leading the Parliamentary forces against Charles I at the Battle of Edgehill, the first major battle of the Civil War. He died on 14 September 1646 and was buried in Westminster Abbey on the 19 October, both Houses of Parliament attending the funeral. On Lord Essex's death the earldom of Essex became extinct while the barony of Ferrers of Chartley and barony of Bourchier fell into abeyance.
He was succeeded in the viscountcy of Hereford by his first cousin twice removed Sir Walter Devereux, 2nd Baronet, of Castle Bromwich, who became the fifth Viscount Hereford. He was the son of Sir Edward Devereux, 1st Baronet, of Castle Bromwich, fourth son of the first Viscount (see below for earlier history of the baronetcy). Lord Hereford had earlier represented Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885 it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
, Tamworth
Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tamworth is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
and Lichfield
Lichfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. The titles descended from father to son until the death of his grandson, the seventh Viscount, in 1683. The late Viscount died at the age of only nine and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eighth Viscount. He died childless at an early age and was succeeded by his second cousin once removed, the ninth Viscount. He was the great-grandson of Sir George Devereux, brother of the fifth Viscount and had served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Montgomery
Montgomery (UK Parliament constituency)
Montgomery was a constituency represented until 1707 in the House of Commons of England and later in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
prior to his succession in 1700. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire 1711-14. His son, the tenth Viscount, represented Montgomery in Parliament for over twenty years until his succession in 1740.
He died without male issue and was succeeded by his kinsman, the eleventh Viscount. He was a descendant in the fourth generation of the aforementioned Sir George Devereux, brother of the fifth Viscount. Lord Hereford was succeeded by his eldest son, the twelfth Viscount. He was childless and on his death in 1783 the titles passed to his younger brother, the thirteenth Viscount who moved the principal Welsh seat of the viscountcy from Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
to Pencoyd in Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
. He was succeeded by his son, the fourteenth Viscount. He was a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
politician and served under the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
as Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners from 1828 to 1830 and under Sir Robert Peel as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1834 to 1835. The 15th Viscount, the Reverend Robert, was an Hon. Canon of Durham. From 1924 the 17th Viscount resided at Hampton Court, Herefordshire
Hampton Court, Herefordshire
Hampton Court is a castellated country house in the English county of Herefordshire. The house is located in the village of Hope under Dinmore, near Leominster.- History :...
.
As of 2010 the titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the nineteenth Viscount, who succeeded his father in 2004 (the titles having descended from father to son, except for the eighteenth Viscount who succeeded his grandfather).
The Devereux Baronetcy, of Castle Bromwich in the County of Warwick, was created in the Baronetage of England in 1611 for the Hon. Edward Devereux, of Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean Mansion in the village of Castle Bromwich, which is situated in the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
, fourth son of the first Viscount Hereford. He had earlier represented Tamworth in the House of Commons. His son, the second Baronet, succeeded his first cousin twice removed the third Earl of Essex as fifth Viscount Hereford in 1646. See above for further history of the baronetcy.
The viscountcy of Hereford is the senior viscountcy 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....
. The Viscount Hereford is also the only one of the three English Viscounts who does not hold a higher title. The family surname is pronounced "Deverooks".
Viscounts Hereford (1550)
- Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount HerefordWalter Devereux, 1st Viscount HerefordWalter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, created 1st Viscount Hereford was an English Peer.-Family:...
(1489–1558)- Hon. Sir Richard Devereux (d. 1547)
- Walter Devereux, 2nd Viscount HerefordWalter Devereux, 1st Earl of EssexWalter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantation of Ulster, where he ordered the massacre of Rathlin Island...
(1539–1576) (created Earl of Essex in 1572)
Earls of Essex (1572)
- Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Viscount HerefordWalter Devereux, 1st Earl of EssexWalter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantation of Ulster, where he ordered the massacre of Rathlin Island...
(1539–1576) - Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, 3rd Viscount HerefordRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of EssexRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
(1566–1601) - Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, 4th Viscount Hereford Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of EssexRobert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
(1591–1646)- Robert Devereux, Viscount Hereford (1632–c. 1638)
Viscounts Hereford; Reverted (1550)
- Walter Devereux, 5th Viscount HerefordWalter Devereux, 5th Viscount HerefordSir Walter Devereux was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1624 and became the 5th Viscount Hereford, a peer in the peerage of England....
(1578–1658) - Leicester Devereux, 6th Viscount HerefordLeicester Devereux, 6th Viscount HerefordLeicester Devereux, 6th Viscount Hereford was a British Peer. He was the second son of Walter Devereux, 5th Viscount Hereford ....
(1617–1676) - Leicester Devereux, 7th Viscount HerefordLeicester Devereux, 7th Viscount HerefordLeicester Devereux, 7th Viscount Hereford was a British Peer. He was the eldest son of Leicester Devereux, 6th Viscount Hereford and succeeded to the title as an infant. He died young and was succeeded by his younger brother Edward. Edward died at the age of 25 in 1700 and the viscountcy passed...
(1674–1683) - Edward Devereux, 8th Viscount Hereford (1675–1700)
- Price Devereux, 9th Viscount HerefordPrice Devereux, 9th Viscount HerefordPrice Devereux, 9th Viscount Hereford was a British Peer. He was the grandson of Sir George Devereux, younger brother of Walter Devereux, 5th Viscount Hereford and succeeded to the title in 1700 when Edward Devereux, 8th Viscount Hereford died without an heir.He was Member of Parliament for...
(1664–1740) - Price Devereux, 10th Viscount HerefordPrice Devereux, 10th Viscount HerefordPrice Devereux, 10th Viscount Hereford was a British Peer. He was the son of Price Devereux, 9th Viscount Hereford....
(1694–1748) - Edward Devereux, 11th Viscount HerefordEdward Devereux, 11th Viscount HerefordEdward Devereux, 11th Viscount Hereford was a British peer.-Family and ancestry:He was a son of Arthur Devereux of Nantcribba, Montgomeryshire...
(d. 1760) - Edward Devereux, 12th Viscount Hereford (1740–1783)
- George Devereux, 13th Viscount HerefordGeorge Devereux, 13th Viscount HerefordGeorge Devereux, 13th Viscount Hereford was a British Peer.He was the second son of Edward Devereux, 11th Viscount Hereford and his wife Catherine Mytton. His maternal grandparents were Richard Mytton of Pontyscowryd and Garth, High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire and Dorothy Wynn.On 15 December 1768,...
(1744–1804 - Henry Devereux, 14th Viscount HerefordHenry Devereux, 14th Viscount HerefordHenry Fleming Lea Devereux, 14th Viscount Hereford PC was a British Tory politician. He served as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms between 1827 and 1830 and again between 1834 and 1835....
(1777–1843)- Hon. Henry Cornewall Devereux (1807–1839)
- Robert Devereux, 15th Viscount Hereford (d. 1855)
- Robert Devereux, 16th Viscount Hereford (1843–1930)
- Robert Charles Devereux, 17th Viscount Hereford (1865–1952)
- Hon. Robert Godfrey de Bohun Devereux (1894–1934)
- Robert Milo Leicester Devereux, 18th Viscount Hereford (1932–2004)
- (Charles) Robin De Bohun Devereux, 19th Viscount HerefordRobin Devereux, 19th Viscount HerefordSir Charles Robin De Bohun Devereux, 19th Viscount Hereford and 16th Baronet is an English peer and Premier Viscount of England....
(b. 1975)
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. Edward Mark de Breteuil Devereux (b. 1977).
Devereux Baronets, of Castle Bromwich (1611)
- Sir Edward Devereux, 1st Baronet (c. 1550–1622)
- Sir Walter Devereux, 2nd BaronetWalter Devereux, 5th Viscount HerefordSir Walter Devereux was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1624 and became the 5th Viscount Hereford, a peer in the peerage of England....
(1578–1658) (succeeded as Viscount Hereford in 1646)