Earl of Winchilsea

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Earl of Winchilsea is a title in the peerage of England, created in 1628, and combined with the Earldom of Nottingham in 1682. It is held by the Finch (later Finch-Hatton) family. Other titles associated with the family include Baron FitzHerbert, Baron Daventry, Baron Guernsey, Viscount Maidstone and Earl of Aylesford. The title is sometimes written Winchelsea, after the modern spelling of the town (and Cinque Port) in East Sussex. The family motto is Nil conscire sibi (L:Conscious of no evil).

1 Predecessors
2 Creation
3 Union with Nottingham
4 19th century
5 Earls of Winchilsea (1628)
6 Earls of Nottingham (1681)
7 Earls of Winchilsea and Nottingham (1726)
8 Trivia
9 References
10 External links

[edit] Predecessors

The family is believed to be descended from Henry FitzHerbert, chamberlain to King Henry I. The name change came in the 1350s after marriage to an heiress member of the Finch family.

Sir William Finch was knighted in 1513. His son Sir Thomas Finch (d. 1563), was also knighted for his share in suppressing Sir Thomas Wyatt's insurrection against Queen Mary. His eldest son Sir Moyle Finch, Bt. (c.1550–1614), was created 1st Baronet Finch of Eastwell, Kent, in 1611, and married Elizabeth Heneage (c.1553–1634), the daughter of Sir Thomas Heneage (1533–1595), Vice Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I, in 1572. Sir Thomas was also the father of Sir Henry Finch (1558–1625), whose son John Finch, Baron Finch of Fordwich (1584–1660), was a noted lawyer

[edit] Creation

After Sir Moyle's death Elizabeth and her sons made considerable efforts to have the family's status elevated. On 8 July 1623 Elizabeth was created a peeress as Viscountess Maidstone. She was further elevated to Countess of Winchilsea on 12 July 1628; the titles devolving upon her male heirs.

Thomas, the eldest son of Sir Moyle, succeeded his mother as 2nd Earl of Winchilsea, while Sir Heneage Finch, the fourth son (d. 1631), served as the Speaker of the House of Commons. His son, also Heneage (1621–1682), was a noted lawyer, who served as Attorney-General and Lord Chancellor, and was created Baron Finch of Daventry in 1674, and Earl of Nottingham in 1681 just a year before his death. (This title had existed several times before, but had become extinct.) His eldest son Daniel Finch (1647–1730) succeeded him as the 2nd Earl of Nottingham, whilst his fourth son Heneage Finch (1649–1719) was created Baron Guernsey in 1703 and Earl of Aylesford in 1714.

Thomas's son, Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea (c.1635–1689), outlived his own son William Finch, Viscount Maidstone (c.1656–1672) and was succeeded by his grandson Charles (1672–1712). Charles had already been created Baron FitzHerbert of Eastwell on 26 June 1660, though this title became extinct on the death of the 6th Earl in 1729. When Charles died without issue, he was succeeded by his uncle Heneage (1673–1726) as the 5th Earl of Winchilsea. He was the husband of the poet Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of Winchilsea (1661–1720). They had no children, so on Heneage's death the title passed to his half-brother John Finch, the 6th Earl, (1683–1729) (the son of the 3rd Earl's fourth wife.)

[edit] Union with Nottingham

John died unmarried, and consequently the Earldoms of Winchilsea and Nottingham were united under his cousin Daniel Finch, as the 7th Earl of Winchilsea and the 2nd Earl of Nottingham (1647–1730), who served as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1682. His eldest son Daniel, succeeded to both titles in 1730 as the 8th and 3rd Earl, but died without issue in 1769. The titles passed to his nephew George Finch (1752–1826), the son of William (1731–1766).

The 9th Earl was a keen cricketer (a right-hand bat) and member (some would say founder) of the Marylebone Cricket Club. In 1786, together with Charles Lennox, later the 4th Duke of Richmond, he offered Thomas Lord a guarantee against any losses Lord might suffer on starting a new cricket ground. This led to Lord opening his first cricket ground in 1787. Although Lord's cricket ground has since moved twice, Lennox and Winchilsea's guarantee was the genesis of the best-known cricket ground in the world, known as the Home of Cricket.

[edit] 19th century

George, the 9th Earl, died in 1826 without issue, and his cousin George William Finch-Hatton succeeded to the title, the additional surname having been assumed in 1764 by his father under the terms of the will of an aunt, a daughter of Christopher, Viscount Hatton (1632–1706), whose father was related to the famous Sir Christopher Hatton. The 10th Earl of Winchilsea is famous for his duel with the Duke of Wellington, who was Prime Minister at the time. The duel, which was over the issue of Catholic emancipation and related to insulting remarks made by the Earl, took place at Battersea Fields on 21 March 1829. Both men deliberately aimed wide and Wilchilsea apologised. He died in 1858 and was succeeded by his son George James Finch-Hatton, as 11th Earl of Winchilsea, 6th Earl of Nottingham.

The 11th Earl died on 9 June 1887 outliving his son George William Heneage Finch-Hatton, Viscount Maidstone (1852–1879), and the title passed to his half-brother Murray Edward Gordon Finch-Hatton (1851–1898). When he died leaving only daughters his brother Henry Stormont Finch-Hatton (1852–1927) succeeded him as 13th Earl of Winchilsea. Henry's youngest son was Denys Finch Hatton. He in turn was succeeded by his eldest son Guy Montagu George Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea, 9th Earl of Nottingham (1885–1939), and the title has passed in unbroken line from father to son ever since. The family seat is on Quarry Street, Guildford, just outside of Guildford Castle.

[edit] Earls of Winchilsea (1628)

Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea, Viscountess Maidstone (1556–1634)
Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea (d. 1639)
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchilsea, Baron FitzHerbert (c. 1635–1689)
Charles Finch, 4th Earl of Winchilsea, 2nd Baron FitzHerbert (1672–1712)
Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Winchilsea, 3rd Baron FitzHerbert (1657–1726)
John Finch, 6th Earl of Winchilsea, 4th Baron FitzHerbert (1682–1729)

[edit] Earls of Nottingham (1681)

Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham (1621–1682)

[edit] Earls of Winchilsea and Nottingham (1726)

Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea, 2nd Earl of Nottingham (1647–1730)
Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea, 3rd Earl of Nottingham (1689–1769)
George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, 4th Earl of Nottingham (1752–1826)
George William Finch-Hatton, 10th Earl of Winchilsea, 5th Earl of Nottingham (1791–1858)
George James Finch-Hatton, 11th Earl of Winchilsea, 6th Earl of Nottingham (1815–1887)
Murray Edward Gordon Finch-Hatton, 12th Earl of Winchilsea, 7th Earl of Nottingham (1851–1898)
Henry Stormont Finch-Hatton, 13th Earl of Winchilsea, 8th Earl of Nottingham (1852–1927)
Guy Montagu George Finch-Hatton, 14th Earl of Winchilsea, 9th Earl of Nottingham (1885–1939)
Christopher Guy Heneage Finch-Hatton, 15th Earl of Winchilsea, 10th Earl of Nottingham (1911–1950)
Christopher Denys Stormont Finch-Hatton, 16th Earl of Winchilsea, 11th Earl of Nottingham (1936–1999)
Daniel James Hatfield Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea, 12th Earl of Nottingham (born 1967)

The current heir is Tobias Joshua Stormont Finch-Hatton, Viscount Maidstone (born 1998)

[edit] Trivia

Denys Finch Hatton [1], the younger brother of the 14th Earl, moved to East Africa and became a noted pilot and hunter, and a close friend of Karen Blixen. In the film Out of Africa he was played by Robert Redford.