Marquess of Londonderry, of the County of Londonderry ( ), is a title in the Peerage of Ireland.

History

The title was created in 1816 for Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Londonderry. He had earlier represented County Down in the Irish House of Commons. Stewart had already been created Baron Londonderry in 1789, Viscount Castlereagh, of Castlereagh in the County of Down, in 1795 and Earl of Londonderry, of the County of Londonderry, in 1796. These titles are also in the Peerage of Ireland. He was the son of Alexander Stewart, who had married Mary Cowan, sister and heiress of Robert Cowan, who gained great wealth as Governor of Bombay from 1729 to 1737. Alexander was from Ballylawn, a

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...

at the south-west corner of Inishowen in the north of

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrcon ...

, a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the west of Ulster in the northern part of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. However, much of the Stewart family's wealth was based on the estates which came into the family through this marriage. The 1st Marquess was one of the few people to become a Marquess without inheriting any titles prior to the creation. He sat in the British House of Lords as one of the twenty-eight original Irish Representative Peers from 1800 to 1821. He was succeeded by his son from his first marriage to Lady Sarah Seymour. The 2nd Marquess, better known as Lord Castlereagh (he went by the courtesy title of Viscount Castlereagh from 1796 to 1821), was a noted statesman and diplomat. Castlereagh is best remembered for his tenure as Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1822 and played an important role at the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon ...

of 1814 to 1815. He committed suicide in 1822, one year after succeeding his father in the marquessate. The 2nd Marquess did not follow his father as a Representative Peer into the House of Lords, this permitted him to continue fulfilling his roles in the House of Commons. Castlereagh was succeeded by his half-brother, the 3rd Marquess. He was the only son from the 1st Marquess's second marriage to Lady Frances Pratt, daughter of Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden. He was a General in the Army and like his elder half-brother a prominent politician and diplomat. Lord Londonderry served as Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies from 1807 to 1809, fought in the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

and was Ambassador to Austria from 1814 to 1823. In 1814 he was created Baron Stewart, of Stewart's Court and Ballylawn in County Donegal, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In 1819 Londonderry married as his second wife Frances Anne Vane-Tempest (died 1865), daughter and wealthy heiress of Sir Henry Vane-Tempest, 2nd

Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14t ...

, through which marriage substantial estates in

County Durham County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly �About North East E ...

came into the Stewart family. He assumed the additional surname of Vane on his marriage and in 1823 he was created Viscount Seaham, of Seaham in the County Palatine of Durham, and Earl Vane, with remainder to the male issue of his second marriage. These titles are in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Lord Londonderry was succeeded in the viscountcy of Seaham and earldom of Vane according to the special remainder by his eldest son from his second marriage while he was succeeded in the Irish titles and the barony of Stewart by his son from his first marriage to Lady Catherine Bligh, the 4th Marquess. He died childless in 1872 and was succeeded by his half-brother, the 5th Marquess, who had already succeeded his father as second Earl Vane in 1854. He represented

Durham North Durham North may refer to: * Durham North (Ontario provincial electoral district) * Durham North (UK Parliament constituency) * Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham Co ...

in the House of Commons and served as

Lord-Lieutenant of County Durham This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Durham. * Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland 1552–? *Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon 2 August 1586 – 1595 *''vacant'' *Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset 4 February ...

. In 1851 the 5th Marquess assumed by Royal licence the additional surname of Tempest. On his death, the titles passed to his eldest son, the 6th Marquess. He was a Conservative politician and held office in the administrations of Lord Salisbury and Arthur Balfour as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, as Postmaster General, as

President of the Board of Education The secretary of state for education, also referred to as the education secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department for Education. ...

, as Lord Privy Seal and as Lord President of the Council. In 1885 he assumed by Royal licence the additional and principal surname of Stewart. He was succeeded by his son, the 7th Marquess, who was also a Conservative politician. He had a career in both Irish and British politics but is best known for his role as Secretary of State for Air from 1931 to 1935. Lord Londonderry subsequently gained notoriety for his informal diplomatic contacts with senior members of the German government. He made six visits to Nazi Germany between January 1936 and September 1938 meeting

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and the ...

on a number of occasions and sympathising with some of his viewpoints. His wife Edith Vane-Tempest-Stewart, Marchioness of Londonderry, was an influential society hostess remembered for her close friendship with Ramsay MacDonald. Lord Londonderry was succeeded by his son, the 8th Marquess. He represented County Down in the House of Commons as a Conservative from 1931 to 1945. The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

to the marquessate is styled ''Viscount Castlereagh'', although the Marquess is also the Earl Vane, and the heir apparent's heir apparent, when such exists, is styled ''Lord Stewart" Between 1823 and 1854 and between 1872 and 1999, the Marquesses of Londonderry sat in the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

as ''The Earl Vane''. Between 1822 and 1823 and between 1854 and 1872, they sat as ''The Lord Stewart''.

Residences

The principal family seats were

Mount Stewart Mount Stewart is a 19th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the Irish s ...

, near Newtownards, County Down,

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

, and the Wynyard Park estate in

. Other properties included

Seaham Hall Seaham Hall is an English country house, now run as a spa hotel, in County Durham. History Seaham Hall was built in the 1790s by Sir Ralph Milbanke, 6th Baronet. In 1815 the poet Lord Byron married Anne Isabella Milbanke at Seaham Hall. The f ...

in County Durham, as well as

Londonderry House Londonderry House was an aristocratic townhouse situated on Park Lane in the Mayfair district of London, England. The mansion served as the London residence of the Marquesses of Londonderry. It remained their home until 1962. In that year Londond ...

Park Lane Park Lane is a dual carriageway road in the City of Westminster in Central London. It is part of the London Inner Ring Road and runs from Hyde Park Corner in the south to Marble Arch in the north. It separates Hyde Park to the west from ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

(where the Londonderry Hotel was later located), and

Plas Machynlleth Plas Machynlleth is the former Welsh residence of the Marquesses of Londonderry. It is situated in the market town of Machynlleth in Powys (formerly Montgomeryshire), Wales. It was brought into the family following the 1846 marriage of the then ...

in mid-Wales.

Marquesses of Londonderry (1816)

Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry PC (Ire) (1739–1821), was a County Down landowner, Irish Volunteer, and member of the parliament who, exceptionally for an Ulster Scot and Presbyterian, rose within the ranks of Ireland's "Angli ...

(1739–1821) * Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry (1769–1822) * Charles William Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (1778–1854) * Frederick William Robert Stewart, 4th Marquess of Londonderry (1805–1872) * George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry (1821–1884) Shield of arms of Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCVO, CB, PC, JP, DL

Shield of arms of Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCVO, CB, PC, JP, DL

* Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (1852–1915) *

Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, (13 May 1878 – 10 February 1949), styled Lord Stewart until 1884 and Viscount Castlereagh between 1884 and 1915, was a British peer and politician. He is best remember ...

(1878–1949) * Edward Charles Stewart Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955) * Alexander Charles Robert "Alistair" Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry (1937–2012)"The Marquess of Londonderry"
''Daily Telegraph'', 20 June 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012. *

Frederick Aubrey Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 10th Marquess of Londonderry Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederic ...

(born 1972) The 4th Marquess did not inherit the Seaham viscountcy and Vane earldom as he was not issue by the 3rd Marquess' second wife. The remainder only applies to the male issue of the 3rd Marquess' second marriage. The

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

is his brother Lord Reginald Alexander Vane-Tempest-Stewart (born 1977).
The heir presumptive's heir apparent is his son Robin Gabriel Vane-Tempest-Stewart (born 2004).

Line of Succession

'' Robert Stewart, 1st Marquess of Londonderry, 1st Earl of Londonderry, 1st Viscount Castlereagh, 1st Baron Londonderry (1739–1821)

Viscount Powerscourt Viscount Powerscourt ( ) is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland, each time for members of the Wingfield family. It was created first in 1618 for the Chief Governor of Ireland, Richard Wingfield. However, this cre ...

took his room]'' ** Coronet of a British Marquess

'' Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, 2nd Earl of Londonderry, 2nd Viscount Castlereagh, 2nd Baron Londonderry (1769–1822)'' ** Coronet of a British Marquess

'' Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, 1st Earl Vane, 1st Viscount Seaham, 1st Baron Stewart (1778–1854)'' *** Coronet of a British Marquess

'' George Henry Robert Charles William Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry, 2nd Earl Vane, 2nd Viscount Seaham, 3rd Baron Stewart (1821–1884)'' **** Coronet of a British Marquess

'' Charles Stewart Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry (1852–1915)'' ***** Coronet of a British Marquess

(1878–1949)'' ****** Coronet of a British Marquess

'' Edward Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955)'' ******* Coronet of a British Marquess

Alexander Charles Robert Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry Alexander Charles Robert "Alastair" Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 9th Marquess of Londonderry (7 September 1937 – 20 June 2012) was a British nobleman. Biography The son of Robin Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 8th Marquess of Londonderry (1902–1955) and his w ...

(1937–2012)'' ******** Coronet of a British Marquess

Frederick Aubrey Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 10th Marquess of Londonderry (born 1972) ******** (1) ''Lord'' Reginald Alexander Vane-Tempest-Stewart (b. 1977) ********* (2) Robin Gabriel Vane-Tempest-Stewart (b. 2004) *** '' Lt-Col Lord Adolphus Frederick Charles William Vane-Tempest (1825–1864)'' **** ''Major Francis Adolphus Vane-Tempest (1863–1932)'' ***** ''Francis Charles Joseph Vane-Tempest (1911–1994)'' ****** ''Richard Conyers Vane-Tempest (1941–2012)'' ******* (3) Michael Vane-Tempest ****** (4) Peregrine Francis Edmund Vane-Tempest (b. 1947) *** ''Lord Ernest McDonnell Vane-Tempest (1836–1885)'' **** ''Charles Henry Vane-Tempest (1871–1899)'' ***** ''Ernest Charles William Vane-Tempest (1894–1957)'' ****** ''Charles Stewart McDonnell Vane-Tempest (1921–2008)'' ******* (5) Charles Stewart Martin St. George Vane-Tempest (b. 1950) ******** (6) Christopher James Stewart St. George Vane-Tempest (b. 1978) ******** (7) James Alexander Stewart Vane-Tempest (b. 1981) ********* (8) George Frederick Stewart Vane-Tempest (b. 2012) ********* (9) Harry John Stewart Vane-Tempest (b. 2014) ******* (10) Charles Erkki William Vane-Tempest (b. 1958) ******* (11) Donald John Ernest Vane-Tempest (b. 1961) ******** (12) Thomas Christopher Vane-Tempest (b. 1986) ******* (13) Harold Michael St. George Vane-Tempest (b. 1962) ****** (14) Robert Leak ( Vane Tempest Stewart ) .(1960)

Notes

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, *

External links

European Heraldry page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Londonderry Marquessates in the Peerage of Ireland Vane-Tempest-Stewart family Noble titles created in 1816