Lord Cholmondeley
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Marquess of Cholmondeley ( ) is a title in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great B ...
. It was created in 1815 for George Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley.


History

The Cholmondeley family descends from William le Belward (or de Belward), the feudal lord of the barony of Malpas in Cheshire who acquired the lordship of " Calmundelai" (as it was spelt in the
Domesday Book Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
) through his wife Beatrix, daughter of
Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester Hugh of Cyfeiliog, 5th Earl of Chester ( , ; 1147 – 30 June 1181), also written Hugh de Kevelioc or Hugh de Kevilioc, was an Anglo-Norman magnate who was active in England, Wales, Ireland and France during the reign of King Henry II of Englan ...
. Their eldest son David le Belward inherited the feudal barony of Malpas and was the ancestor of the
Egerton family The Egerton family (pronunciation: "''edge-er-ton''") is a British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Egerton family were made Dukes, Earls, knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Egerton family include th ...
. The second son, Robert le Belward, became feudal lord of the barony of Cholmondeley, which he passed to his son Sir Hugh de Cholmondeley (or "Chelmundeleih"), who adopted the new surname. His lineal descendant was Sir Hugh Cholmondeley (1513–1596), knighted by King
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
. His eldest son was
Robert Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Leinster Robert Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Leinster ( ; 26 June 1584 – 8 October 1659), was an English Royalist and supporter of Charles I during the English Civil War. Life Cholmondeley was born in Crouchend, Highgate, Middlesex, on 26 June 1584, the ...
, while his youngest son Thomas was the ancestor of the Barons Delamere. Another son, his namesake Hugh, was the father of Robert Cholmondeley. He succeeded to the estates of his uncle Lord Leinster and was created Viscount Cholmondeley, of Kells in the County of Meath, in the
Peerage of Ireland The peerage of Ireland consists of those Peerage, titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lordship of Ireland, Lord or Monarchy of Ireland, King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great B ...
in 1661. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Viscount. He was a supporter of
King William III William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 167 ...
and
Queen Mary II Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. She was also Princess of Orange following her marriage on 4 November 1677 ...
and also served as
Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of ...
and as
Treasurer of the Household The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief ...
. In 1689 he was created Baron Cholmondeley, of Nantwich in the County of Chester, in the
Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...
, with remainder to his younger brother George Cholmondeley. In 1706 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Malpas, in the County of Chester, and Earl of Cholmondeley, in the County of Chester, also in the Peerage of England and with the same special remainders. Lord Cholmondeley never married and was succeeded according to the special remainders (and according to the normal descent in the viscountcy of Cholmondeley) by his younger brother George, the second Earl. He was a prominent military commander and commanded the Horse Guards at the
Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ) took place in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and James's daughter), had acceded to the Crowns of England and Sc ...
in 1690. In 1715, ten years before he succeeded his elder brother, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland in his own right as Baron Newborough, of Newborough in the County of Wexford, and in 1716 he was made Baron Newburgh, in the Isle of Anglesey, in the
Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself repla ...
. On his death the titles passed to his son, the third Earl. He was a politician and held office as
Lord Privy Seal The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and abov ...
and
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. Excluding the prime minister, the chancellor is the highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the prime minister ...
. He was succeeded by his grandson, the fourth Earl. He was the son of
George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas ( ; 17 October 1724 – 15 March 1764) was a British soldier and Member of Parliament. Cholmondeley was the eldest son of George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley, and Lady Mary Walpole, daughter of Prim ...
. Lord Cholmondeley was also a prominent politician and served as
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a Government of the United Kingdom, UK Government post usually held by the Government Whip (politics), Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords. The present Captain is Margaret Whe ...
and as
Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is one of the three Great Officers of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Household of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarch. He is, by tradition, the first great officer of ...
. In 1815 he was created Earl of Rocksavage, in the County of Chester, and Marquess of Cholmondeley, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Marquess. He represented
Castle Rising Castle Rising is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Castle Rising is located along the course of the River Babingley, separating the village from the lost village of Babingley. The village is located north-east ...
in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
but in 1821 he was summoned to the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
through a
writ of acceleration A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his fathe ...
in his father's junior title of Baron Newburgh. Lord Cholmondeley was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Marquess. He sat as Member of Parliament for Castle Rising and
South Hampshire South Hampshire is a term used mainly to refer to the conurbation formed by the city of Portsmouth, city of Southampton and the non-metropolitan boroughs of Gosport, Fareham, Havant and Eastleigh in southern Hampshire, South East England. The ...
. As he outlived most of his children, including the elder son, the third Marquess was succeeded in his titles by his grandson. , the titles are held by his great-great-great-grandson, the seventh Marquess, who succeeded his father in 1990. The
courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but is rather used by custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some context ...
of the Marquess's heir is ''Earl of Rocksavage'', while Lord Rocksavage's eldest son is known as ''Viscount Malpas''. The family seats are
Houghton Hall Houghton Hall ( ) is a country house in the parish of Houghton in Norfolk, England. It is the residence of the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley. It was commissioned by the '' de facto'' first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, in 1722, ...
, Norfolk, and
Cholmondeley Castle Cholmondeley Castle is a English country house, country house in the civil parish of Cholmondeley, Cheshire, Cholmondeley, Cheshire, England. Together with its adjacent formal gardens, it is surrounded by parkland. The site of the house has be ...
, which is surrounded by a estate near
Malpas, Cheshire Malpas ( ) is a market town and a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies near the borders with Shropshire and Wales, and had a population of 1,673 at the 2011 U ...
.


Lord Great Chamberlain

A part of the office of
Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal but above the Lord High Constable of England, Lord High Constable. The office of Lo ...
came into the Cholmondeley family through the marriage of the first Marquess of Cholmondeley to Lady Georgiana Charlotte Bertie, daughter of
Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven General Peregrine Bertie, 3rd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (171412 August 1778), styled Lord Willoughby de Eresby from 1715 to 1723 and Marquess of Lindsey from 1735 to 1742, was an English peer. Early life Bertie was born in 1714 and, begi ...
. The second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holders of the marquessate have all held this office. As Lord Great Chamberlain, the present Marquess was, during the reign of
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
, along with the
Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The premier non-royal peer, the Duke of Norfolk is additionally the premier duke and earl in the English peerage. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the t ...
(the
Earl Marshal Earl Marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the U ...
), one of only two
hereditary peer The hereditary peers form part of the peerage in the United Kingdom. As of April 2025, there are 800 hereditary peers: 30 dukes (including six royal dukes), 34 marquesses, 189 earls, 108 viscounts, and 439 barons (not counting subsidiary ...
s to retain automatic seats in the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
after the passage of the
House of Lords Act 1999 The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given royal assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...
.


Cholmondeley Room

Peers in the House of Lords can hold their 70th birthday parties in the Cholmondeley Room at the
Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...
. Among other uses, Baroness Elliot of Harwood organised a dinner in 1984 for all female Conservative members of Parliament and peers, and this event was held in this venue. The Cholmondeley Room and Terrace and the Attlee Room are available for private functions, sponsored by Members for personal use or for external organisations.House of Lords
Refreshment Department
/ref>


Viscounts Cholmondeley (1661)

*
Robert Cholmondeley, 1st Viscount Cholmondeley Robert Cholmondeley, 1st Viscount Cholmondeley (died 22 May 1681) was an English peer. Lord Cholmondeley was the son of Hugh Cholmondeley and Mary Bodvile. Sir Hugh Cholmondeley was his grandfather and Robert Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Leinster ...
(died 1681) * Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Viscount Cholmondeley (1662–1725) (created Earl of Cholmondeley in 1706)


Earls of Cholmondeley (1706), Viscount Malpas (1706), Baron Newborough (1715), Baron Newburgh (1716)

*
Hugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Cholmondeley Hugh Cholmondeley, 1st Earl of Cholmondeley, PC (1662 – 18 January 1725), styled The Honourable from birth until 1681 and then known as Viscount Cholmondeley to 1706, was an English peer and politician. Cholmondeley was the eldest son of Rob ...
(1662–1725) *
George Cholmondeley, 2nd Earl of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 2nd Earl of Cholmondeley, PC, FRS (1666 – 7 May 1733), styled The Honourable from birth until 1715 and then known as Lord Newborough to 1725, was an English soldier. Cholmondeley was the second son of Robert Cholmondele ...
(1666–1733) *
George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley ( ; 2 January 1703 – 10 June 1770), styled as Viscount Malpas from 1725 to 1733, was a Kingdom of Great Britain, British Whig (British political party), Whig politician and nobleman who sat in th ...
(1703–1770) **
George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas George Cholmondeley, Viscount Malpas ( ; 17 October 1724 – 15 March 1764) was a British soldier and Member of Parliament. Cholmondeley was the eldest son of George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley, and Lady Mary Walpole, daughter of Prim ...
(1724–1764) * George James Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley (1749–1827) (created Marquess of Cholmondeley in 1815)


Marquesses of Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage (1815)

*
George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley George James Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, ( ; 11 May 1749 – 10 April 1827), styled Viscount Malpas between 1764 and 1770 and known as the Earl of Cholmondeley between 1770 and 1815, was a British peer and politician. Backgrou ...
(1749–1827) * George Horatio Cholmondeley, 2nd Marquess of Cholmondeley (1792–1870) * William Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 3rd Marquess of Cholmondeley (1800–1884) ** Charles George Cholmondeley (1829–1869) * George Henry Hugh Cholmondeley, 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1858–1923), grandson of Third Marquess and son of Charles George Cholmondely *
George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley ( ; 19 May 1883 – 16 September 1968), styled Earl of Rocksavage from birth until 1923, was a British peer. He was the Lord Great Chamberlain of England in 1936 and also betwe ...
(1883–1968) * George Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1919–1990) *
David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, ( ; born 27 June 1960), styled Viscount Malpas from birth until 1968, and subsequently Earl of Rocksavage until 1990, is a British peer and filmmaker who acted as Lord Great Chamb ...
() The
heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...
is Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage, the elder of the present holder's twin sons (). His younger twin brother is Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley.


Family tree and line of succession

* ''George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1883–1968)'' ** ''Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley (1919–1990)'' *** David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley (b. 1960) ****(1). Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage () ****(2). Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley () **''Lord John George Cholmondeley (1920–1986)'' ***(3). Charles George Cholmondeley ()


See also

*
Earl of Leinster Earl of Leinster was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 3 March 1646 for Robert Cholmondeley. He had already been created a baronet, of Cholmondeley in the County of Chester, in the Baronetage of England on 29 June 1611, and Visc ...
*
Baron Delamere Baron Delamere, of Vale Royal in the County Palatine of Chester, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 17 July 1821 for Thomas Cholmondeley, a former Member of Parliament for Cheshire. This Vale Royal branch of th ...


Notes


References

* Lodge, Edmund. (1877)
''The Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire as at Present Existing.''
London: Hurst and Blackett. *


External links


Houghton Hall

Cholmondeley Castle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cholmondeley 1815 establishments in the United Kingdom Marquessates in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Cholmondeley Noble titles created in 1815