List of Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers

The following is a list of Lord Chancellors, Lord Keepers of the Great Seal and Commissioners entrusted with Parliament's Great Seal of England and Great Britain.

Lord Chancellors and Lord Keepers of England, 1068–1707

11th century

Herfast (1068–1070)
Saint Osmund, count of Sées and bishop of Salisbury (1070–1078)
Maurice, Archdeacon of Le Mans (1078–1085)
Gerard, Preceptor of Rouen (1085–1092), later Archbishop of York
Robert Bloet (1092–1093)
William Giffard (1093–1101)

12th century

Roger of Salisbury (1101–1102)
Waldric (1102–1107)
Ranulf (1107–1123)
Geoffrey Rufus (1123–1133)
Robert de Sigello (1133–1135) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
Roger le Poer (1135–1139)
Philip de Harcourt, Dean of Lincoln (1139–1140)
Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1140–1141)
William FitzGilbert (1141–1142)
William de Vere (1142)
Robert of Ghent, Dean of York (1142–1154)
Thomas Becket, Archdeacon of Canterbury (1155–1162)
Geoffrey Ridel, Archdeacon of Canterbury (1162–1173)
Ralph de Warneville, Treasurer of York (1173–1181)
Geoffrey, the Bastard, Plantagenet (1181–1189)
William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely (1189–1197)
Eustace, Dean of Salisbury (1197–1199) (Keeper of the Great Seal)

13th century

Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury (1199–1205)
Walter de Gray ?"Bishop of Lichfield"?, 1214-15 Bishop of Worcester, from 1215 Archbishop of York (1205–1214)
Richard Marsh (1214–1226), from 1217 Bishop of Durham
Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1226–1240)
Richard le Gras, Abbot of Evesham (1240–1242)
Ralph Neville, Bishop of Chichester (1242–1244)
Silvester de Everdon, Archdeacon of Chester (1244–1246) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
John Maunsell, Provost of Beverley (1246–1247) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
Sir John Lexington (1247–1248) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
John Maunsell (1248–1249) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
Sir John Lexington (1249–1250) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
William of Kilkenny (1250–1255) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
Henry Wingham (1255–1260), from 1259/1260 Bishop of London
Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1260–1261)
Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1261–1263)
Nicholas of Ely, Archdeacon of Ely (1263)
John Chishull, Archdeacon of London (1263–1264)
Thomas Cantilupe, Archdeacon of Stafford (1264–1265)
Ralph Sandwich (1265) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
Walter Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells (1265–1266)
Godfrey Giffard, Archdeacon of Wells (1266–1268)
John Chishull, Dean of St Paul's (1268–1269)
Richard Middleton, Archdeacon of Northumberland (1269–1272)
Walter de Merton, Archdeacon of Bath (1272–1274)
Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath (1274–1292)
John Langton, Canon of Lincoln (1292–1302)

14th century

William Greenfield, Dean of Chichester (1302–1305)
William Hamilton, Dean of York (1305–1307)
Ralph Baldock, Bishop of London (1307)
John Langton, Bishop of Chichester (1307–1310)
Walter Reynolds, Bishop of Worcester (1310–1314)
John Sandale, Canon of Lincoln (1314–1318)
John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1318–1320)
John Salmon, Bishop of Norwich (1320–1323)
Robert Baldock, Archdeacon of Middlesex (1323–1326)
William Ayermin, Bishop of Norwich (1326–1327)
John Hotham, Bishop of Ely (1327–1328)
Henry Burghersh, Bishop of Lincoln (1328–1330)
John de Stratford, Bishop of Winchester (1330–1334)
Richard Bury, Bishop of Durham (1334–1335)
John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1335–1337)
Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1337–1338)
Richard Bintworth, Bishop of London (1338–1339)
John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (1340)
Robert de Stratford, Bishop of Chichester (1340)
Sir Robert Bourchier (1340–1341)
Sir Robert Parning (1341–1343)
Sir Robert Sadington (1343–1345)
John de Ufford, Dean of Lincoln (1345–1349)
John Thoresby, Bishop of Worcester (1349–1356)
William Edington, Bishop of Winchester (1356–1363)
Simon Langham, Bishop of Ely (1363–1367)
William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1367–1371)
Sir Robert Thorpe (1371–1372)
Sir John Knyvet (1372–1377)
Adam Houghton, Bishop of St David's (1377–1378)
The Lord Scrope of Bolton (1378–1380)
Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury (1380–1381)
Hugh Segrave (1381) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
William Courtenay, Bishop of London (1381)
The Lord Scrope of Bolton (1381–1382)
Robert Braybrooke, Bishop of London (1382–1383)
The Lord de la Pole (later Earl of Suffolk) (1383–1386)
Thomas Arundel, Bishop of Ely (1386–1389)
William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester (1389–1391)
Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of York (1391–1396)
Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1396–1399)
Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1399)

15th century

John Scarle, Archdeacon of Lincoln (1399–1401)
Edmund Stafford, Bishop of Exeter (1401–1403)
Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Lincoln (1403–1405)
Thomas Langley, Dean of York (1405–1407)
Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1407–1410)
Sir Thomas Beaufort (1410–1412)
Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury (1412–1413)
Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1413–1417)
Thomas Langley, Bishop of Durham (1417–1424)
Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (1424–1426)
John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1426–1432)
John Stafford, Bishop of Bath (later Archbishop of Canterbury) (1432–1450)
John Kemp, Archbishop of York (1450–1454)
The Earl of Salisbury (1454–1455)
Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury (1455–1456)
William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester (1456–1460)
George Neville, Bishop of Exeter (1460–1467)
Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1467–1470)
George Neville, Archbishop of York (1470–1471)
Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath (1471–1473)
Laurence Booth, Bishop of Durham (1473–1474)
John Alcock, Bishop of Rochester (1475)
Thomas Rotheram, Bishop of Lincoln (1475–1483)
John Russell, Bishop of Lincoln (1483–1485)
Thomas Rotheram, Archbishop of York (1485)
John Alcock, Bishop of Worcester (1485–1487)
John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1487–1500)

16th century

Henry Deane, Archbishop of Canterbury (1500–1502) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury (1502–1515) (Keeper of the Great Seal to 1504)
Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Archbishop of York (1515–1529)
Sir Thomas More (1529–1532)
Sir Thomas Audley (later Baron Audley of Walden) (1532–1544)
The Lord Wriothesley (1544–1547)
The Lord St John (1547) (Keeper of the Great Seal)
The Lord Rich (1547–1551)
Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely (1552–1553)
Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester (1553–1555)
Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York (1555–1558)
Sir Nicholas Bacon (1558–1579) (Lord Keeper)
Sir Thomas Bromley (1579–1587)
Sir Christopher Hatton (1587–1591)
In Commission (1591–1592)
- Commissioners of the Great Seal
- Commissioners to hear causes
  - Sir Gilbert Gerard and others
Sir John Puckering (1592–1596) (Lord Keeper)

Early 17th century

Sir Thomas Egerton, later 1st Baron Ellesmere and then 1st Viscount Brackley (May 6, 1596 – March 5, 1617) (Lord Keeper to July 19, 1603)
The Lord Verulam later Viscount St Alban (1617–1621) (Lord Keeper to 1618)
In Commission (1621)
- Commissioners to hear causes in the Court of Chancery
  - Sir Julius Caesar and others
- Commissioners to hear causes in the House of Lords
  - Sir James Ley and others
- Commissioners to use the Great Seal
John Williams, Bishop of Lincoln (1621–1625) (Lord Keeper)
Sir Thomas Coventry (later Baron Coventry) (1625–1640) (Lord Keeper)
The Lord Finch (1640–1641) (Lord Keeper)
The Lord Lyttleton of Mounslow (1641–1645) (Lord Keeper) (Took Great Seal to King, 1642)
Sir Richard Lane (1645–1650) (Lord Keeper) (Great Seal captured and destroyed by Parliament, 11 August 1646)

Civil War and Interregnum – Commissioners entrusted with Parliament's Great Seal ^[1]

New Parliamentary Great Seal in Commission (Nov 1643 to Oct 1646)
- The Earl of Kent
- The Earl of Bolingbroke, died July 1646 and replaced by The Earl of Salisbury
- Oliver St John
- John Wilde
- Samuel Browne
- Edmund Prideaux
Great Seal in Commission (1646–1648)
- The Earl of Salisbury
- The Earl of Manchester
- William Lenthall (as Speaker of the House of Commons)
Great Seal in Commission (1648–1649)
Great Seal in Commission (1649–1654)
Great Seal in Commission (1654–1656)
Great Seal in Commission (1656–1659)
- Nathaniel Fiennes
- John Lisle
Great Seal in Commission (January 1659 – June 1659)
Great Seal in Commission (June 1659 – 1660)
Great Seal in Commission (1660–1660)

Charles II

Sir Edward Herbert (1653–1654) (Lord Keeper)
Sir Edward Hyde (later Lord Hyde and Earl of Clarendon (1658–1667)
Sir Orlando Bridgeman (1667–1672) (Lord Keeper)
The Earl of Shaftesbury (1672–1673)
Sir Heneage Finch (later Lord Finch and Earl of Nottingham) (1673–1682) (Lord Keeper to 1675)
Sir Francis North (later Lord Guilford) (1682–1685) (Lord Keeper)

James II and beyond

Image	Name	Term (From – To)
	The Lord Jeffreys	1685–1688
	In Commission: Sir John Maynard Sir Anthony Keck Sir William Rawlinson	1689-1690
	In Commission: Sir John Trevor Sir William Rawlinson Sir George Hutchins	1690-1693
	Sir John Somers (later Lord Somers) (Lord Keeper to 1697)	1693–1700
	In Commission: Sir John Holt Sir Robert Tracy Sir Edward Ward Sir John Trevor	1700
	Sir Nathan Wright (Lord Keeper)	1700–1705
	William Cowper (later Lord Cowper) (Lord Keeper)	1705–1707

Lord High Chancellors and Lord Keepers of Great Britain, 1707–2005

Image	Name	Term (From – To)
	The Lord Cowper	1707–1710^[2]
	In Commission: Sir Thomas Trevor Robert Tracy John Scrope	1710
	Sir Simon Harcourt (later Lord Harcourt) (Lord Keeper to 1713)	1710–1714
	The Lord Cowper	1714–1718
	In Commission: Sir Robert Tracy Sir John Pratt Sir James Montague	1718
	The Lord Parker (later Earl of Macclesfield)	1718–1725
	In Commission: Sir Joseph Jekyll Sir Jeffrey Gilbert Sir Robert Raymond	1725
	The Lord King	1725–1733
	The Lord Talbot of Hensol	1733–1737
	The Lord Hardwicke (later Earl of Hardwicke)	1737–1756
	In Commission: Sir John Willes Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe Sir John Eardley Wilmot	1756–1757
	Sir Robert Henley later Lord Henley and Earl of Northington (Lord Keeper to 1761)	1757–1766
	The Lord Camden	1766–1770
	Charles Yorke^[3]	1770
	In Commission: Sir Sidney Stafford Smythe Henry Bathurst (later Lord Apsley) Sir Richard Aston	1770–1771
	The Lord Apsley (later Earl Bathurst)	1771–1778
	The Lord Thurlow	1778–1783
	In Commission: The Lord Loughborough Sir William Henry Ashurst Sir Beaumont Hotham	1783
	The Lord Thurlow	1783–1792
	In Commission: Sir James Eyre Sir William Henry Ashurst Sir John Wilson	1792–1793
	The Lord Loughborough	1793–1801
	The Lord Eldon	1801–1806
	The Lord Erskine	1806–1807
	The Lord Eldon (later Earl of Eldon)	1807–1827
	The Lord Lyndhurst	1827–1830
	The Lord Brougham and Vaux	1830–1834
	The Lord Lyndhurst	1834–1835
	In Commission: Sir Charles Christopher Pepys (later Lord Cottenham) Sir Lancelot Shadwell Sir John Bernard Bosanquet	1835–1836
	The Lord Cottenham	1836–1841
	The Lord Lyndhurst	1841–1846
	The Lord Cottenham	1846–1850
	In Commission: The Lord Langdale Sir Lancelot Shadwell Sir Robert Monsey Rolfe (later Lord Cranworth)	1850
	The Lord Truro	1850–1852
	The Lord St Leonards	1852
	The Lord Cranworth	1852–1858
	The Lord Chelmsford	1858–1859
	The Lord Campbell	1859–1861
	The Lord Westbury	1861–1865
	The Lord Cranworth	1865–1866
	The Lord Chelmsford	1866–1868
	The Lord Cairns	1868
	The Lord Hatherley	1868–1872
	The Lord Selborne	1872–1874
	The Lord Cairns (later Earl Cairns)	1874–1880
	The Lord Selborne (later Earl of Selborne)	1880–1885
	The Lord Halsbury	1885–1886
	The Lord Herschell	1886
	The Lord Halsbury	1886–1892
	The Lord Herschell	1892–1895
	The Lord Halsbury (later Earl of Halsbury)	1895–1905
	The Lord Loreburn (later Earl Loreburn)	1905–1912
	The Viscount Haldane	1912–1915
	The Lord Buckmaster	1915–1916
	The Lord Finlay	1916–1919
	The Lord Birkenhead (later Earl of Birkenhead)	1919–1922
	The Viscount Cave	1922–1924
	The Viscount Haldane	1924
	The Viscount Cave	1924–1928
	The Lord Hailsham (later Viscount Hailsham)	1928–1929
	The Lord Sankey (later Viscount Sankey)	1929–1935
	The Viscount Hailsham	1935–1938
	The Lord Maugham	1938–1939
	The Viscount Caldecote	1939–1940
	The Viscount Simon	1940–1945
	The Lord Jowitt (later Viscount Jowitt)	1945–1951
	The Lord Simonds	1951–1954
	The Viscount Kilmuir	1954–1962
	The Lord Dilhorne	1962–1964
	The Lord Gardiner	1964–1970
	The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone	1970–1974
	The Lord Elwyn-Jones	1974–1979
	The Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone	1979–1987
	The Lord Havers	1987
	The Lord Mackay of Clashfern	1987–1997
	The Lord Irvine of Lairg	1997–2003
	The Lord Falconer of Thoroton	2003–2007

Notes:

¹: Yorke, who had been associated with the opposition, was persuaded to accept appointment as Lord Chancellor and was to have been created Baron Morden. However on meeting with his erstwhile opposition colleagues he became ashamed of his action. He refused to sign the patent conferring the peerage on himself and then committed suicide.

After the Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Image	Name	Term (From – To)
	Jack Straw	2007–2010
	Kenneth Clarke	2010–2012
	Chris Grayling	2012–2015
	Michael Gove	2015–present

References

↑ Cook and Wroughton, English Historical Facts, 1603–1688, PP 8–9
↑ Geoffrey Treasure, ‘Cowper, William, first Earl Cowper (1665–1723)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2009 accessed 27 March 2009
↑ Yorke, who had been associated with the opposition, was persuaded to accept appointment as Lord Chancellor and was to have been created Baron Morden. However on meeting with his erstwhile opposition colleagues he became ashamed of his action. He refused to sign the patent conferring the peerage on himself and then committed suicide.

John Haydn and Horace Ockerby, The Book of Dignities, third edition, W.H. Allen and Co. Ltd, London 1894, reprinted Firecrest Publishing Limited, Bath 1969, p. 352–358
John Lord Campbell (1845) Lives of the Lords Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England. 5th ed. (1868) London: Murray, vol. 10

External links

Department for Constitutional Affairs' list

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