Marquess of Downshire
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Marquess of Downshire is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough, a former Secretary of State.
Hills had already been created Earl of Hillsborough and Viscount Kilwarlin of County Down in the Peerage of Ireland in 1751 with remainder, in default of male issue of his own, to his uncle Arthur Hill, 1st Viscount Dungannon. He was further created Lord Harwich, Baron of Harwich, in the County of Essex, in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1756 with a seat in the House of Lords. In 1772 he was further enobled as Earl of Hillsborough and Viscount Fairford in the County of Glocester in the Peerage of Great Britain.
Downshire was the the eldest son of Trevor Hill, who had been created Viscount Hillsborough and Baron Hill of Kilwarlin of County Down, in the Peerage of Ireland in 1717, with remainder, in default of male issue of his own, to the male issue of his father, Michael Hill. Trevor Hill was the brother of the aforementioned Arthur Hill, 1st Viscount Dungannon.
Among many other estates, the Marquess owned Hillsborough Castle and Easthampstead Park near Bracknell. The Marquesses are also Hereditary Constables of Hillsborough Fort.
Prior to the passage of the House of Lords Act 1999 the Marquess sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Hillsborough.
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[edit] Viscounts Hillsborough (1717)
- Trevor Hill, 1st Viscount Hillsborough (1693-1742)
- Wills Hill, 2nd Viscount Hillsborough (1718-1793) (created Marquess of Downshire in 1789)
[edit] Marquesses of Downshire (1789)
- Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire (1718-1793)
- Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquess of Downshire (1753-1801)
- Arthur Blundell Sandys Trumbull Hill, 3rd Marquess of Downshire (1788-1845)
- Arthur Wills Blundell Sandys Trumbull Windsor Hill, 4th Marquess of Downshire (1812-1868)
- Arthur Wills Blundell Trumbull Sandys Roden Hill, 5th Marquess of Downshire (1844-1874)
- Arthur Wills John Wellington Trumbull Blundell Hill, 6th Marquess of Downshire (1871-1918)
- Arthur Wills Percy Wellington Blundell Trumbull Hill, 7th Marquess of Downshire (1894-1989)
- Arthur Robin Ian Hill, 8th Marquess of Downshire (1929-2003)
- Arthur Francis Nicholas Wills Hill, 9th Marquess of Downshire (b. 1959)
Heir apparent: Edmund Robin Arthur Hill, Earl of Hillsborough (b. 1996)
[edit] External references
- Collection of Downshire estate papers held in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
- Article on the life of the 8th Marquess
