Baron Hastings

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Baron Hastings is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1295, and is still extant. The second creation was in the Peerage of England in 1299, and became extinct on the death of the first holder in c. 1314. The third creation was in the Peerage of England in 1461, and has been in abeyance since 1960.

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[edit] 1295 creation

John Hastings was summoned to the Model Parliament as Lord Hastings on 23 June 1295. He was the son of Henry de Hastings, who had been created Baron Hastings by Simon de Montfort in 1263. This title does not appear to have been recognised by the King, although his son John Hastings is sometime referred to as the second Baron Hastings. John Hasting’s grandson, the third Baron, was created Earl of Pembroke in 1339. The latter’s son, the second Earl, married as his second wife Anne Hastings, 2nd Baroness Manny. Their son, the third Earl and fifth Baron Hastings, succeeded his mother as third Baron Manny.

On his death in 1389 the earldom and barony of Manny became extinct, while the barony of Hastings became dormant. It then became the subject of a bitter-fought law suit, nominally over the right to the the Hastings arms but including the right to the family honours. The barony was claimed by Hugh Hastings (1377-1396) (later deemed the de jure 7th Baron Hastings; see below). He was the eldest son of Sir Hugh Hastings, grandson of Sir Hugh Hastings (c. 1307 - 1347), son of the second Baron by his second wife. Hugh claimed the title as “heir of the half blood”. However, the claim was contested by Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn, as “heir of the whole blood”. Lord Grey de Ruthyn claimed the Barony in right of his grandmother Elizabeth, daughter of the second Baron Hastings by his first wife. On Hugh Hasting’s early death in 1396 the claim passed to his younger brother Edward Hastings (1382-1438) (later deemed the de jure 8th Baron Hastings; see below). In 1410 a court decided in favour of Grey. Hastings immediately appealed, and at the coronation of Henry V in 1413, he claimed the right to carry the spurs before the King, which Lord Grey de Ruthyn had done undisputed in 1399 at the coronation of Henry V. Hastings was later ordered to pay the costs of the trial. When he refused, he was imprisoned in 1417. He remained imprisoned until 1433, but refused to buy his release by abandoning his claims. No final decision regarding the Barony was made at the time, but both families continued to claim the title. The Grey finally abandoned their claim in 1639.

Seaton Delaval Hall, the seat of the Astley family
Seaton Delaval Hall, the seat of the Astley family

After the title had been dormant for 452 years, in 1841 House of Lords decided that the rightful successor to the third Earl of Pembroke and fifth Baron Hastings was his kinsman John Hastings, de jure 6th Baron Hastings. He was the eldest son of Sir Hugh Hastings, younger son of the first Baron. His successor should have been his great-nephew, the aforementioned Hugh Hastings, de jure 7th Baron Hastings. The next holder should have been his younger brother, the aforementioned Edward Hastings, de jure 8th Baron Hastings. On the death of the latter’s great-great-great-grandson, the de jure 15th Baron, the peerage technically fell into abeyance between the Baron's sisters Anne and Elizabeth. The House of Lords decision meant that there were three co-heirs to the barony. The decision was in favour of Sir Jacob Astley, 6th Baronet, who was summoned to the House of Lords the same year as Lord Hastings. He was a descendant of the aforementioned Elizabeth, sister of the de jure 15th Baron. Lord Hastings had previously represented Norfolk West in the House of Commons.

As of 2007 the titles are held by his great-great-grandson, the twenty-second Baron and twelfth Baronet, who succeeded his father in 1956. He served in the Conservative administrations of Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home as a government whip from 1961 to 1962 and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Local Government from 1962 to 1964.

The Astley Baronetcy, of Hill Merton in the County of Warwick, had been created in the Baronetage of England on 25 June 1660 for the sixth Baronet’s great-great-great-grandfather Jacob Astley. He represented Norfolk in House of Commons for many years. His great-grandson, the fourth Baronet, and great-great-grandson, the fifth Baronet, also represented Norfolk. The latter was the father of the sixth Baronet, who succeeded as Baron Hastings in 1841.

The family seat is Seaton Delaval Hall.

[edit] 1299 creation

Edmund Hastings was the younger son of John Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings. On 29 December 1299 he was summoned to Parliament as Lord Hastings. However, this creation became extinct on his death sometime around 1314.

[edit] 1461 creation

Sir William Hastings was summoned to Parliament as Lord Hastings on 26 July 1461. His son, the second Baron, married Mary, daughter of Robert Hungerford, 3rd Baron Hungerford, who had been attainted in 1461. Mary managed to obtain a reversal of the attainders of the Barony of Hungerford, Barony of Botreaux and Barony of De Moleyns. Their son, the third Baron, inherited the Barony of Hastings from his father and the Baronies of Hungerford, Botreaux and De Moleyns from his mother. In 1513 he was created Earl of Huntingdon.

Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings
Francis Rawdon-Hastings,
1st Marquess of Hastings

On the death of the tenth Earl in 1789 the earldom became dormant, while the baronies of Hastings, Hungerford, Botreaux and De Moleyns passed on to his sister Elizabeth, the wife of John Rawdon, 1st Earl of Moira. Their son, the second Earl of Moira, inherited the four baronies on his mother's death in 1808. In 1816 he was created Marquess of Hastings. Lord Hastings married Flora Muir Campbell, 6th Countess of Loudoun. Their son, the second Marquess, also inherited the Earldom of Loudoun from his mother. He married Barbara, 20th Baroness Grey de Ruthyn. On the death in 1868 of their younger son, the fourth Marquess (who had also succeeded his mother as Baron Grey de Ruthyn), the marquessate became extinct.

The Scottish earldom of Loudoun passed on to his eldest sister, while the Baronies of Hastings, Hungerford, Botreaux, De Moleyns and Grey de Ruthyn fell into abeyance between his sisters. In 1871 the Baronies of Botreaux, Hungerford, Moleyns and Hastings were called out of abeyance in favour of Edith, Countess of Loudoun (but not the Barony of Grey de Ruthyn, which was called out of abeyance in 1885 in favour of a different heir). On the death of her son, the 11th Earl, in 1920, the earldom passed to his eldest niece Elizabeth, while the four Baronies fell into abeyance between Elizabeth and her younger sisters.

In 1921 the Baronies of Hastings and Botreaux were called out of abeyance in favour of Elizabeth (the Barony of Stanley was called out of abeyance in her favour at the same time). However, the barony of De Moleyns and the barony of Hungerford were called out of abeyance in favour of a different heir (see the Viscount St Davids). On Elizabeth's death in 1960 the baronies of Hastings, Stanley and Botreaux fell into abeyance between her daughters. As of 2007, they remain in abeyance.

[edit] "Baron Hastings" (1263)

[edit] Barons Hastings (1295)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's eldest son Hon. Deval Thomas Harold Astley Astley (b. 25 April 1960)

[edit] Astley Baronets, of Hill Morton (1660)

[edit] Baron Hastings (1299)

  • Edmund Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (c. 1265 –c. 1314)

[edit] Baron Hastings (1461)

The co-heirs are the descendants of the 20th baroness:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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