Baron Clinton

Arms of de Clinton, Barons Clinton: Argent, six crosses crosslet fitchée sable three two and one on a chief azure two mullets or pierced gules

Baron Clinton is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1298 for John de Clinton. The peerage was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. It is thus one of the most ancient English titles still in existence. The first Baron's great-great-great-grandson, the fifth Baron, fought on the Yorkist side in the Wars of the Roses. He was attainted in 1461 but late restored to his title. His great-great-grandson, the ninth Baron, was created Earl of Lincoln in 1572. The titles remained united until 1692 upon the death of his great-great-great-grandson, Edward de Clinton, fifth Earl of Lincoln and 13th Baron Clinton. The earldom was inherited by the late Earl's cousin, the sixth Earl (see the Earl of Lincoln for later history of this title) while the barony fell into abeyance between the issue of his two aunts, Lady Margaret Clinton (d.1688) and Lady Arabella Clinton, the daughters of Theophilus de Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln and 12th Baron Clinton.

Barony into first abeyance

The abeyance of 1692 was terminated in 1721 in favour of Hugh Fortescue (d.1751), fourteenth Baron Clinton, the grandson of Lady Margaret Clinton (d.1688), the eldest daughter of Theophilus de Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln and 12th Baron Clinton (d.1667). Lady Margaret had married Hugh Boscawen, and their daughter Bridget Boscawen (d.1708) married Hugh Fortescue (son of Arthur Fortescue by Barbara Elford) and had issue Sir Hugh Fortescue (d.1751). In 1746 he was created Baron Fortescue, of Castlehill in the County of Devon (with remainder to his half-brother Matthew Fortescue) and Earl Clinton, with remainder to the heirs male of his body. The Earl was childless and on his death the earldom of Clinton became extinct but his two baronies continued. He was succeeded in the barony of Fortescue (according to the special remainder) by his half-brother, the second Baron Fortescue (see Earl Fortescue for later history of this title). The barony of Clinton was inherited by his second cousin Margaret Rolle, 15th Baroness Clinton, the grand-daughter of Lady Arabella Clinton, the younger daughter of Theophilus de Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln and 12th Baron Clinton (d.1667). Margaret Rolle was the widow of Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford (d.1751) and the daughter of Samuel Rolle, the son of Robert Rolle (d.1660), MP, of Heanton Satchville, Devon, by his wife Lady Arabella Clinton. She was succeeded by her son, George Walpole, third Earl of Orford and sixteenth Baron Clinton (d.1791). He was childless and on his death in 1791 the earldom passed to his uncle, the fourth Earl of Orford (see the Earl of Orford for later history of this title), while the barony of Clinton became dormant.

Barony dormant

The barony which had been dormant since 1791 was successfully claimed in 1794 by the late Earl of Orford's cousin Robert George William Trefusis (1764-1797), who became the seventeenth Baron Clinton. He was fourth in descent from Bridget Rolle (1648-1721), the sister of Samuel Rolle and daughter of Robert Rolle (d.1660) by Lady Arabella Clinton, the younger daughter of the fourth Earl of Lincoln. Bridget Rolle had married Francis Trefusis of Trefusis in Cornwall, and had issue Samuel Trefusis (1677-1724), whose great-grandson was the 17th Baron Clinton. The latter's younger son, the nineteenth Baron, represented Callington in the House of Commons, in which role he was notable. He was succeeded by his son, Charles Henry Rolle Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton (1834–1904). He served as Under-Secretary of State for India from 1867 to 1868 in the Conservative administrations of the Earl of Derby and Benjamin Disraeli and was also Lord Lieutenant of Devonshire. In 1867 Baron Clinton assumed by Royal license the additional surnames of Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes, which were those of his father-in-law. His son, the twenty-second Baron, held minor office in the coalition government of David Lloyd George and served as Lord Warden of the Stannaries. On his death in 1957 the barony fell into abeyance between his two daughters Hon. Harriet Trefusis and Hon. Fenella Trefusis.

Barony into second abeyance

The abeyance of 1957 was terminated in 1965 in favour of Gerald Neville Mark Fane Trefusis, the twenty-third Baron Clinton and present holder of the title. He is the only son of Captain Charles Nevile Fane (who was killed in the Second World War), eldest son of the aforementioned Hon. Harriet Trefusis (d.1958) and her husband Major Henry Neville Fane (1883-1947), grandson of Rev. Arthur Fane (1809-1872), Prebendary of Salisbury, Rector of Fulbeck, Lincolnshire, 2nd son of General Sir Henry Fane (d.1840), GCB, of Fulbeck Hall, commander-in-chief of the army of the East India Company, grandson of Thomas Fane, 8th Earl of Westmorland. Baron Clinton had already in 1958 assumed by deed poll the additional surname of Trefusis. The family seat is Heanton Satchville, Huish, near Merton, Devon, built in 1782 by Sir James Innis, Duke of Roxburgh, burned down in 1935 and rebuilt. Before 1782 the principal residence within Heanton Satchville manor, formerly the seat of the Yeo and Rolle families, was nearer to Petrockstowe than the present house. Before the 14th c. the manor was held by the Bohun family, Earls of Hereford and had been given together with Powderham as the dowry of Lady Margaret Bohun on her marriage (contracted 1314) to Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon (d.1377).

Barons Clinton (1298)

• John de Clinton, 1st Baron Clinton (d. 1315)
• John de Clinton, 2nd Baron Clinton (d. c. 1335)
• John de Clinton, 3rd Baron Clinton (d. 1398)
• William de Clinton, 4th Baron Clinton (1378–1431)
• John de Clinton, 5th Baron Clinton (1410–1464)
• John Clinton, 6th Baron Clinton (1431–1488)
• John Clinton, 7th Baron Clinton (1471–1514)
• Thomas Clinton, 8th Baron Clinton (1490–1517)
• Edward Clinton, 9th Baron Clinton (1512–1585) (created Earl of Lincoln in 1572)

Earls of Lincoln (1572)

• Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln, 9th Baron Clinton (1512–1585)
• Henry Clinton, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, 10th Baron Clinton (1541–1616)
• Thomas Clinton, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, 11th Baron Clinton (1568–1619)
• Theophilus Clinton, 4th Earl of Lincoln, 12th Baron Clinton (1600–1667)
• Edward Clinton, 5th Earl of Lincoln, 13th Baron Clinton (d. 1692) (abeyant)

Barons Clinton (1298; Reverted)

• Hugh Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton (1696–1751) (abeyance terminated 1721; created Baron Fortescue and Earl Clinton in 1749)

Barons Fortescue and Earls Clinton (1749)

• Hugh Fortescue, 1st Earl of Clinton, 14th Baron Clinton (1696–1751) (abeyant 1751)

Barons Clinton (1298; Reverted)

• Margaret Shirley, 15th Baroness Clinton (1709–1781) (abeyance terminated 1760)
• George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford, 16th Baron Clinton (1730–1791) (dormant on his death)
• Robert George William Trefusis, 17th Baron Clinton (1764–1797) (claimed title 1794)
• Robert Cotton St John Trefusis, 18th Baron Clinton (1787–1832)
• Charles Rodolph Trefusis, 19th Baron Clinton (1791–1866)
• Charles Henry Rolle Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 20th Baron Clinton (1834–1904)
• Charles John Robert Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton (1863–1957) (abeyant)
• Gerald Neville Mark Fane-Trefusis, 22nd Baron Clinton (b. 1934) (abeyance terminated 1965)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son the Hon. Charles Patrick Rolle Fane-Trefusis (b. 1962)

The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son Edward Charles Rolle Fane-Trefusis (b. 1994)

See also

• Earl of Lincoln (1572 creation)
• Earl Fortescue
• Earl of Orford

Sources

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk