Charles Agar, 1st Earl of Normanton
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Charles Agar, 1st Earl of Normanton (22 December 1736 – 14 July 1809), was an Anglo-Irish
Protestant clergyman. He served as Archbishop of Dublin
from 1801 to 1809.
Agar was the third son of Henry Agar of Gowran
in County Kilkenny
and his wife Anne Ellis, daughter of the Most Reverend Welbore Ellis
, Bishop of Meath
. James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden
was his elder brother and Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip
his maternal uncle. Agar served as Dean
of Kilmore (1765–1768) and Bishop of Cloyne
(1768–1779). In 1779 he was admitted to the Irish Privy Council and appointed Archbishop of Cashel
, which was an archbishopric until 1838, an office he held until 1801, and was then Archbishop of Dublin
from 1801 to 1809. Agar is known to have held particularly marked Calvinistic positions.
In 1794 Agar was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
as Baron Somerton. In 1801 he was created Viscount Somerton and in 1806 he was even further honoured when he was made Earl of Normanton. These titles were also in the Peerage of Ireland. From 1800 to 1809 he sat in the House of Lords
as one of the 28 original Irish Representative Peers
.
Lord Normanton died in July 1809, aged 72, and was succeeded in his secular titles by his son Welbore Ellis Agar.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
Protestant clergyman. He served as Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
from 1801 to 1809.
Agar was the third son of Henry Agar of Gowran
Gowran
Gowran is a village and former town in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Gowran Park race course is located nearby. Gowran is located on the N9 national primary road where it is crossed by the R702 regional road.-History:...
in County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
and his wife Anne Ellis, daughter of the Most Reverend Welbore Ellis
Welbore Ellis (bishop)
Welbore Ellis was an English bishop of Kildare, bishop of Meath and Irish privy councillor.-Life:He was the fourth son of the Rev. John Ellis , rector of Waddesdon, and author of Vindiciæ Catholicæ; and brother to John Ellis and William Ellis. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ...
, Bishop of Meath
Bishop of Meath
The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
. James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden
James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden
James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden was an Irish peer and politician.He was the second son of Henry Agar, a former MP for Gowran, and Anne Ellis, and probably born at Gowran Castle...
was his elder brother and Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip
Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip
Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip PC FRS was a British statesman. He held a number of political offices, including briefly serving as Secretary for the Colonies in 1782 during the American War of Independence.-Background:...
his maternal uncle. Agar served as Dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of Kilmore (1765–1768) and Bishop of Cloyne
Bishop of Cloyne
The Bishop of Cloyne is an episcopal title which takes its name after the small town of Cloyne in County Cork, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it is a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics....
(1768–1779). In 1779 he was admitted to the Irish Privy Council and appointed Archbishop of Cashel
Archbishop of Cashel
The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....
, which was an archbishopric until 1838, an office he held until 1801, and was then Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
from 1801 to 1809. Agar is known to have held particularly marked Calvinistic positions.
In 1794 Agar was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
as Baron Somerton. In 1801 he was created Viscount Somerton and in 1806 he was even further honoured when he was made Earl of Normanton. These titles were also in the Peerage of Ireland. From 1800 to 1809 he sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as one of the 28 original Irish Representative Peers
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
.
Lord Normanton died in July 1809, aged 72, and was succeeded in his secular titles by his son Welbore Ellis Agar.