James Hamilton, 8th Earl of Abercorn
Encyclopedia
James Hamilton, 8th Earl of Abercorn PC (Ire)
(London
, 22 October 1712 – 9 October 1789, Boroughbridge
), was a Scottish and Irish nobleman, the eldest son of James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn
and Anne Plumer. He was styled Lord Paisley from 1734 until his accession in 1744. On 22 March 1736 he was summoned to the Irish House of Lords by writ of acceleration
as Baron Mountcastle.
He repurchased some of the family's ancestral lands in Scotland
, which had been dissipated during their long tenure in Ireland
, including the feudal barony of Duddingston
in Edinburgh, and Paisley Abbey
. In 1760 he commissioned Sir William Chambers to design the classical Duddingston House
. He was responsible for beginning the development of the new town of Paisley
in 1779, across the River Cart
from the old town.
In 1756, he was sworn a Privy Counsellor
of Ireland. From 1761 to 1784, he was a Tory
representative peer
for Scotland. Horace Walpole
noted that Abercorn was exceptionally laconic.
On 24 August 1786, he was created Viscount Hamilton, in the Peerage of Great Britain
. Upon his death without issue three years later, this title devolved by special remainder, with his other titles, upon his nephew John
.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 22 October 1712 – 9 October 1789, Boroughbridge
Boroughbridge
Boroughbridge is a small town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of York. Until its bypass was built, it was on the main A1 road from London to Edinburgh...
), was a Scottish and Irish nobleman, the eldest son of James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn
James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn FRS PC was a Scottish and Irish nobleman, the son of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn and Elizabeth Reading. He was styled Lord Paisley from 1701 until his accession in 1734...
and Anne Plumer. He was styled Lord Paisley from 1734 until his accession in 1744. On 22 March 1736 he was summoned to the Irish House of Lords by writ of acceleration
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
as Baron Mountcastle.
He repurchased some of the family's ancestral lands in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, which had been dissipated during their long tenure in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, including the feudal barony of Duddingston
Duddingston
Duddingston is a former village in the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Holyrood Park.-Origins and etymology:The estate wherein Duddingston Village now lies was first recorded in lands granted to the Abbot of Kelso Abbey by David I of Scotland between 1136–47, and is described as stretching...
in Edinburgh, and Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
. In 1760 he commissioned Sir William Chambers to design the classical Duddingston House
Duddingston House
Duddingston House is an 18th-century mansion in Edinburgh, Scotland, located west of the village of Duddingston. It was built in the 1760s for James Hamilton, 8th Earl of Abercorn, and was designed by Sir William Chambers...
. He was responsible for beginning the development of the new town of Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
in 1779, across the River Cart
River Cart
The River Cart is a tributary of the River Clyde, Scotland, which it joins from the west roughly midway between the towns of Erskine and Renfrew....
from the old town.
In 1756, he was sworn a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
of Ireland. From 1761 to 1784, he was a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
representative peer
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...
for Scotland. Horace Walpole
Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford was an English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, south-west London where he revived the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors,...
noted that Abercorn was exceptionally laconic.
On 24 August 1786, he was created Viscount Hamilton, 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...
. Upon his death without issue three years later, this title devolved by special remainder, with his other titles, upon his nephew John
John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn
John James Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn KG, PC was an Irish peer and politician.-Background:He was the son of Captain Hon. John Hamilton and grandson of James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn. He was educated at Harrow and Pembroke College, Cambridge...
.