The Fitton Baronetcy, of

Gawsworth Gawsworth is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 1,705. It is one of the eight ancient parishes of Mac ...

in the

County of Chester Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shropshire to the south; to the west ...

, was a title in the

Baronetage of England Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

. It was created on 2 October 1617 by James I for Sir Edward Fitton, of

Gawsworth Hall Gawsworth Old Hall is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Gawsworth, Cheshire, England. It is a timber-framed house in the Cheshire black-and-white style. The present house was built between 1480 and 1600, replacing an earlie ...

, Gawsworth, Cheshire, 1572-1619.George Edward Cokayne ''Complete Baronetage, Volume 1'' 1900
/ref> The Fitton family were settled in Gawsworth from about the 13th century. The first Baronet's ancestors included Sir Edward Fitton (1500–1553),

High Sheriff of Cheshire This is a list of Sheriffs (and after 1 April 1974, High Sheriffs) of Cheshire. The High Sheriff, Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the The Crown, Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law officer, law enforcement officer in th ...

in 1544 and Sir Edward Fitton (1527–1579), Treasurer of Ireland and

President of Connaught President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsidente ...

. His father Sir Edward Fitton (1548–1606) was an unsuccessful colonist of

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

. His sister,

Mary Fitton Mary Fitton (or Fytton) (baptised 25 June 1578 – 1647) was an Elizabethan gentlewoman who became a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth. She is noted for her scandalous affairs with William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Vice-Admiral Sir Richar ...

, was

Maid of Honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

. The second Baronet, High Sheriff in 1633, was an officer in the service of Charles II and was briefly Governor of Bristol following that city's fall during the

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

. The baronetcy became extinct on his death in 1643. He left his estate by his will of 1641 to his Irish cousin William Fitton of Awne (Awrice),

County Limerick County Limerick () is a western Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Reg ...

, (grandson of

Sir Edward Fitton Sir Edward Fitton the Elder (31 March 1527 – 3 July 1579), was Lord President of Connaught and Thomond and Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. Biography Fitton was the eldest son of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth (d. 1548) and Mary Harbottle, daughter ...

, Treasurer of Ireland) to the exclusion of his seven sisters and their husbands. The will was disputed and lengthy legal proceedings followed involving

Alexander Fitton Sir Alexander Fitton (c.1630–1698), sometimes known by his Jacobitism, Jacobite title Baron Fitton of Gawsworth, was an Irish barrister and judge, who became Lord Chancellor of Ireland under James II of England, despite having spent many years ...

Lord Chancellor of Ireland The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland, commonly known as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was the highest ranking judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 until the end of 1800, it was also the hi ...

(son of William) and Charles Gerard, 1st

Baron Gerard There have been three baronies created for the Gerard family who lived historically at Bryn, Greater Manchester, Bryn, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire, in the 13th century. The third and current barony was created in 1876 ...

, son of Penelope Fitton, eldest daughter of the first Baronet. Settlement of the lawsuit in 1663 passed the estate to Gerard, who was later created

Earl of Macclesfield Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard. He had already been created Baron Gerard, of Bran ...

Fitton baronets, of Gawsworth (1617)

*Sir Edward Fitton, 1st Baronet (1572–1619) *Sir Edward Fitton, 2nd Baronet (1603–1643)

References

{{s-end Extinct baronetcies in the Baronetage of England