John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare

John Holles, 1st Earl of Clare (May 1564 – 4 October 1637) was an English nobleman.

He was the son of Denzel Holles of Irby upon Humber and Eleanor Sheffield (daughter of Edmund Sheffield, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick). His great-grandfather was William Hollyes, Lord Mayor of London.

Holles married Anne Stanhope (daughter of Sir Thomas Stanhope) on 23 May 1591 in Shelford, Nottinghamshire. Through his marriage to Anne, he inherited Thurland Hall in Nottingham which was also known as Clare Place. The family seat was at Haughton Hall in the parish of Bothamsall. Haughton Hall was demolished in the late eighteenth century.

He was comptroller of the household of Prince Henry until the prince's death on 6 November 1612.

He was created 1st Baron Haughton on 9 July 1616 and 1st Earl of Clare on 2 November 1624.

He was Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire from 1604 to 1611 and 1614 to 1616.

He is buried in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham.

Children

• John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare (1595–1666), married Elizabeth Vere.
• Robert Holles (b. 1597), married Ursula Cooper
• Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles (1599–1680)
• Francis (died without offspring)
• William (died without offspring)
• Eleanore Holles, married Oliver Fitzwilliam, 1st Earl of Tyrconnel, became Countess of Tyrconnel, buried in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham 11 April 1681
• Arabella Holles (died October 1631), married Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford

References