Baron Ravensworth
Encyclopedia
Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham
and of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. It was created in 1821 for Sir Thomas Liddell, 6th Baronet
. The title of Baron Ravensworth had previously been created in the Peerage of Great Britain
in 1747 for the fourth Baronet, but this had become extinct in 1784. The second Baron of the second creation was made Earl of Ravensworth and Baron Eslington, but these titles also became extinct, in 1904. The Liddell family descends from Thomas Liddell, a wealthy merchant of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and supporter of Charles I
. In 1642 he was created a Baronet, of Ravensworth Castle, in the Baronetage of England. His grandson, the third Baronet, represented Durham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne
in the House of Commons
. In 1720 he acquired the estate of Eslington Park. His grandson, the fourth Baronet, sat as Member of Parliament
for Morpeth
. In 1747 he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham, in the Peerage of Great Britain. However, this title became extinct on his death while he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his nephew, the fifth Baronet.
The latter's son, the sixth Baronet, represented County Durham
in the House of Commons. In 1821 the barony of Ravensworth was revived when he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham and of Eslington Park
in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Baron, was Conservative
Member of Parliament for Northumberland
, North Durham
and Liverpool
. In 1874 he was created Baron Eslington, of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, and Earl of Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham. These titles were in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His eldest son, the second Earl, represented Northumberland South
in Parliament as a Conservative. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl. On his death in 1904 both the barony of Eslington and the earldom became extinct. However, he was succeeded in the barony of Ravensworth and baronetcy by his first cousin, the fifth Baron. He was the son of Reverend the Hon. Robert Liddell, fifth son of the first Baron. the titles are held by his great-grandson, the ninth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.
Three other members of the Liddell family may also be mentioned. Henry Liddell
, son of Henry Liddell, younger son of the fourth Baronet, was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. His daughter, Alice Liddell
, was the eponymous subject of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
. Guy Liddell
, grandson of the Hon. George Liddell, younger son of the first Baron of the second creation, was the wartime head of counter-espionage in Britain's MI5
.
The Liddell family previously lived at Ravensworth Castle in Gateshead
, Tyne and Wear
. This great stately home was almost completely demolished in the 1920s due to subsidence
, ironically caused by the family's own coal mines, the profits of which had paid for its construction. The castle's stables, which survive in a ruinous state, were featured in the Restoration (television) programme on the BBC
in 2003. The present seat of the family is Eslington Park
near Alnwick
in Northumberland
.
The heir apparent
is the present holder's eldest son, the Hon. Henry Arthur Thomas Liddell (b. 1987)
County Palatine of Durham
The County Palatine of Durham was an area in the North of England that was controlled by the Bishop of Durham.-Liberty of Durham:The territory was originally the Liberty of Durham under the control of the Bishop of Durham. The liberty was also known variously as the "Liberty of St Cuthbert's...
and of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. It was created in 1821 for Sir Thomas Liddell, 6th Baronet
Thomas Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth
Thomas Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth , known as Sir Thomas Liddell, 6th Baronet, from 1791 to 1821, was a British peer and Tory politician.-Life account:...
. The title of Baron Ravensworth had previously been created in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...
in 1747 for the fourth Baronet, but this had become extinct in 1784. The second Baron of the second creation was made Earl of Ravensworth and Baron Eslington, but these titles also became extinct, in 1904. The Liddell family descends from Thomas Liddell, a wealthy merchant of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and supporter of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. In 1642 he was created a Baronet, of Ravensworth Castle, in the Baronetage of England. His grandson, the third Baronet, represented Durham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne was a borough constituency in the county of Northumberland of the House of Commons of England to 1706 then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. In 1720 he acquired the estate of Eslington Park. His grandson, the fourth Baronet, sat as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Morpeth
Morpeth (UK Parliament constituency)
Morpeth was a borough constituency centred on the town of Morpeth in Northumberland represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and then the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. In 1747 he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham, in the Peerage of Great Britain. However, this title became extinct on his death while he was succeeded in the baronetcy by his nephew, the fifth Baronet.
The latter's son, the sixth Baronet, represented County Durham
County Durham (UK Parliament constituency)
Durham or County Durham was a county constituency in northern England, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1675 until 1832.- History :...
in the House of Commons. In 1821 the barony of Ravensworth was revived when he was created Baron Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham and of Eslington Park
Eslington Park
Eslington Park is privately-owned 18th-century mansion house west of Whittingham, Northumberland, and the family seat of Lord Ravensworth. It is a Grade II* listed building.There was a tower house at Eslington in 1415 in the ownership of Thomas Hesilrige...
in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the second Baron, was Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament for Northumberland
Northumberland (UK Parliament constituency)
Northumberland, was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.The constituency was split into two...
, North Durham
North Durham (UK Parliament constituency)
North Durham is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
and Liverpool
Liverpool (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool was a Borough constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
. In 1874 he was created Baron Eslington, of Eslington Park in the County of Northumberland, and Earl of Ravensworth, of Ravensworth Castle in the County Palatine of Durham. These titles were in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His eldest son, the second Earl, represented Northumberland South
South Northumberland (UK Parliament constituency)
South Northumberland was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in Parliament as a Conservative. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl. On his death in 1904 both the barony of Eslington and the earldom became extinct. However, he was succeeded in the barony of Ravensworth and baronetcy by his first cousin, the fifth Baron. He was the son of Reverend the Hon. Robert Liddell, fifth son of the first Baron. the titles are held by his great-grandson, the ninth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2004.
Three other members of the Liddell family may also be mentioned. Henry Liddell
Henry Liddell
Henry George Liddell was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, dean of Christ Church, Oxford, headmaster of Westminster School , author of A History of Rome , and co-author of the monumental work A Greek-English Lexicon, which is still used by students of Greek...
, son of Henry Liddell, younger son of the fourth Baronet, was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. His daughter, Alice Liddell
Alice Liddell
Alice Pleasance Liddell , known for most of her adult life by her married name, Alice Hargreaves, inspired the children's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, whose protagonist Alice is said to be named after her.-Biography:...
, was the eponymous subject of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
by Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
. Guy Liddell
Guy Liddell
Guy Maynard Liddell, CB, CBE, MC was a British intelligence officer during World War II.-Early life & career:...
, grandson of the Hon. George Liddell, younger son of the first Baron of the second creation, was the wartime head of counter-espionage in Britain's MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
.
The Liddell family previously lived at Ravensworth Castle in Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
. This great stately home was almost completely demolished in the 1920s due to subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
, ironically caused by the family's own coal mines, the profits of which had paid for its construction. The castle's stables, which survive in a ruinous state, were featured in the Restoration (television) programme on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 2003. The present seat of the family is Eslington Park
Eslington Park
Eslington Park is privately-owned 18th-century mansion house west of Whittingham, Northumberland, and the family seat of Lord Ravensworth. It is a Grade II* listed building.There was a tower house at Eslington in 1415 in the ownership of Thomas Hesilrige...
near Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
Liddell Baronets, of Ravensworth Castle (1642)
- Sir Thomas Liddell, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Liddell, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Liddell, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629 and in 1640.Liddell was the son of Thomas Liddell of Ravensworth Castle. He was Sheriff of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1609 and mayor of Newcastle in 1625...
(d. 1650) - Sir Thomas Liddell, 2nd Baronet (d. 1697)
- Sir Henry Liddell, 3rd Baronet (c. 1644–1723)
- Sir Henry Liddell, 4th BaronetHenry Liddell, 1st Baron RavensworthHenry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth succeeded to the Baronetcy of Ravensworth Castle, and to the family estates and mining interests, at the age of fifteen, on the death of his grandfather in 1723...
(1708–1784) (created Baron Ravensworth in 1747)
Barons Ravensworth, First Creation (1747)
- Henry Liddell, 1st Baron RavensworthHenry Liddell, 1st Baron RavensworthHenry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth succeeded to the Baronetcy of Ravensworth Castle, and to the family estates and mining interests, at the age of fifteen, on the death of his grandfather in 1723...
(1708–1784)
Liddell Baronets, of Ravensworth Castle (1642; Reverted)
- Sir Henry George Liddell, 5th Baronet (1749–1791) High Sheriff of NorthumberlandHigh Sheriff of NorthumberlandThis is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
1785 - Sir Thomas Henry Liddell, 6th Baronet (1775–1855) (created Baron Ravensworth in 1821)
Barons Ravensworth, Second Creation (1821)
- Thomas Henry Liddell, 1st Baron Ravensworth (1775–1855)
- Henry Thomas Liddell, 2nd Baron Ravensworth (1797–1878) (created Earl of Ravensworth in 1874)
Earls of Ravensworth (1874)
- Henry Thomas Liddell, 1st Earl of Ravensworth, 2nd Baron Ravensworth (1797–1878)
- Henry George Liddell, 2nd Earl of Ravensworth, 3rd Baron Ravensworth (1821–1903)
- Atholl Charles John Liddell, 3rd Earl of Ravensworth, 4th Baron Ravensworth (1833–1904)
Barons Ravensworth (1821; Reverted)
- Arthur Thomas Liddell, 5th Baron Ravensworth (1837–1919)
- Gerald Wellesley Liddell, 6th Baron Ravensworth (1869–1932)
- Robert Arthur Liddell, 7th Baron Ravensworth (1902–1950)
- Arthur Waller Liddell, 8th Baron Ravensworth (1924–2004)
- Thomas Arthur Hamish Liddell, 9th Baron Ravensworth (b. 1954)
The heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
is the present holder's eldest son, the Hon. Henry Arthur Thomas Liddell (b. 1987)