Earl De La Warr (pronounced "De La Warr") [1] is a title created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1761.
In the United States, Thomas West, 3rd (or 12th) baron is often named in history books simply as Lord Delaware. He served as governor of the Jamestown Colony, and the Delaware Bay was named after him. The state of Delaware, Delaware River and Delaware Indians were so called after the bay, and thus ultimately derive their names from the barony. Many other US counties, townships and the like derive their names directly or indirectly from this connection; see Delaware (disambiguation).
The family seat is Buckhurst Park in Sussex.
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The Earl holds the subsidiary titles of Viscount Cantelupe (1761) in the Peerage of Great Britain, Baron De La Warr (1572) in the Peerage of England, and Baron Buckhurst (1864) in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The barony De La Warr is of the second creation; however, it bears the precedence of the first creation, 1299, and has done so since shortly after the death of William West, 1st Baron De La Warr.
The precise legal situation concerning the second creation is a bit murky. The modern rules attempt to regularize medieval practice, but there are many cases that cannot easily be made to fit, whether because a local custom was involved, or because an exception was made, or because the rules were still in flux. This is such a case.
William was heir male but not heir general. Because De La Warr was created by writ, descent is presumed to be to the heir (or heirs) general, wherefore it fell into abeyance between the daughters of Sir Owen West (and their heirs in turn). The second creation can be fairly viewed in at least three ways.
Another member of the West family was William Cornwallis-West. He was the grandson of the Hon. Frederick West, younger son of the second Earl. Cornwallis-West was the father of George Cornwallis-West and Daisy, Princess of Pless.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son William Herbrand Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst (b. 1979)