Baron Grey de Wilton

Baron Grey de Wilton was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 23 June 1295 when Reginald de Grey was summoned to the Model Parliament as Lord Grey de Wilton. This branch of the Grey family of aristocrats was based at the Wilton Castle on the Welsh border in Herefordshire. The castle itself passed from the family when the thirteenth Baron was forced to sell it to raise his ransom after being captured in France. Sir Thomas Grey, the fifteenth Baron was attainted in 1603, forfeiting his titles and honours, after being convicted of treason for his alleged involvement in the Bye Plot against King James I. Grey never married. As the attainder against him was not reversed prior to his death and as he was the last male line descendant of the 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, the title became definitively extinct.^[1]

Sir Thomas Grey's sister, Bridget, married Sir Roland Egerton. In 1784 a descendent, Sir Thomas Egerton, 7th Baronet Edgerton, was created Baron Grey of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the Peerage of Great Britain, with remainder to the heirs male of his body. In 1801 he was also made Viscount Grey of Wilton and Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County Hereford, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The latter titles were created with remainder to the second and the younger sons successively of his daughter Lady Eleanor, wife of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster. On Lord Wilton's death in 1804 the Barony of Grey de Wilton became extinct as he had no sons while the Egerton Baronetcy was passed on to a distant relative (see Grey Egerton Baronets). He was succeeded in the Viscountcy and Earldom according to the special remainder by his grandson, the second Earl. These titles are still extant.

The Greys of Wilton as well as the other old noble families bearing the name Grey/Gray are descended from the Norman knight Anchetil de Greye.

Ancestors

• Henry de Grey was granted the manor of Thurrock, Essex in 1195 and had six sons
• Sir John de Grey, father of the 1st baron Grey de Wilton

Barons Grey de Wilton (1295)

• Reginald de Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton (d. 1308)
• John Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton (1268–1323)
• Henry Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Wilton (1282–1342)
• Reginald Grey, 4th Baron Grey de Wilton (1312–1370)
• Henry Grey, 5th Baron Grey de Wilton (1342–1396) married Elizabeth Talbot and had a daughter, Margaret Grey, who married Sir John Darcy, 5th Lord Darcy of Knayth, 4th Lord Meinell ^[2]
• Richard Grey, 6th Baron Grey de Wilton (1393–1442)
• Reginald Grey, 7th Baron Grey de Wilton (1421–1493)
• John Grey, 8th Baron Grey de Wilton (d. 1498)
• Edmund Grey, 9th Baron Grey de Wilton (d. 1511)
• George Grey, 10th Baron Grey de Wilton (d. 1515) succeeded his father Edmund but died before reaching majority.
• Thomas Grey, 11th Baron Grey de Wilton (1497–1518) succeeded his brother George but died before reaching majority.
• Richard Grey, 12th Baron Grey de Wilton (1507–1520) succeeded his brother Thomas but died before reaching majority.
• William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton (d. 1562) succeeded his brother Richard
• Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton (1536–1593)
• Thomas Grey, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton (1575–1614) Title attained 1603; extinct 1614.^[3]

Barons Grey de Wilton (1784)

• see the Earl of Wilton

References