Earl of Wilton
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Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Hereford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Sir Thomas Egerton, 7th Baronet, along with the courtesy title of Viscount Grey de Wilton. Both titles were created with remainder to the second and all younger sons successively of his daughter Lady Eleanor, wife of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster. Egerton had already in 1784 been created Baron Grey de Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County Hereford, in the Peerage of Great Britain, with remainder to the heirs male of his body. Lord Wilton, who had earlier represented Lancashire in Parliament, was a descendant of Sir Roland Egerton, 1st Baronet, who married Bridget, sister and co-heir of Thomas Grey, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton, who was attainted in 1603 with his title forfeited. On the Earl's death in 1814 the Barony of Grey de Wilton became extinct as he had no male heirs, while the Baronetcy was passed on to his kinsman, the eighth Baronet (see Grey Egerton Baronets for additional information on this title).
He was succeeded in the Viscountcy and Earldom according to the special remainder by his grandson, the second Earl. He was the second son of Lady Eleanor and the first Marquess of Westminster, the younger brother of Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster and the elder brother of Lord Robert Grosvenor, who was created Baron Ebury in 1857. The second Earl notably served as Lord Steward of the Household in 1835 in the Tory administration of Sir Robert Peel. His eldest son, the third Earl, represented Weymouth and Bath in Parliament as a Conservative. In 1875, seven years before he succeeded his father, he was himself raised to the peerage Baron Grey de Radcliffe, in the County Palatine of Lancaster. However, Lord Wilton was childless and on his death in 1885 the Barony became extinct. He was succeeded in the other titles by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. On the death in 1999 of his great-grandson, the seventh Earl, the line of the second Earl failed. He was succeeded according to the special remainder by his kinsman the sixth Baron Ebury, a great-great-grandson of the aforementioned Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury, who became the eighth Earl of Wilton.
[edit] Earls of Wilton (1801)
- Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton (1749-1814)
- Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton (1799-1882)
- Arthur Edward Holland Grey Egerton, 3rd Earl of Wilton (1833-1885)
- Seymour John Grey Egerton, 4th Earl of Wilton (1839-1898)
- Arthur George Egerton, 5th Earl of Wilton (1863-1915)
- Seymour Edward Frederick Egerton, 6th Earl of Wilton (1896-1927)
- Seymour William Arthur John Egerton, 7th Earl of Wilton (1921-1999)
- Francis Egerton Grosvenor, 8th Earl of Wilton (b. 1934)
The Heir Apparent is the present holder's only son Julian Francis Martin Grosvenor, Viscount Grey de Wilton (b. 1959)
Heirs Presumptive to the Earldom of Wilton and to the Marquessate of Westminster and its subsidiary titles:
- the Earl's brother, Hon. Robert Victor Grosvenor (b. 1936), who is married but has no sons.
- his half-nephew, Alexander Egerton Grosvenor (b. 22 January 1968), only son of the late Hon. William Wellesley Grosvenor (12 September 1942 - 28 September 2002) by his first wife.
- Hon. Richard Alexander Grosvenor (b. 1946, uncle of the above.
- Bendor Robert Gerard Grosvenor (b. 1977), son of the above.
These heirs are all sons or descendants of Robert Egerton Grosvenor, 5th Baron Ebury (1914-1957), himself son of the 4th Baron, himself son of the 2nd Baron, himself son of the 1st Baron, a younger son of the the 1st Marquess of Westminster.
