Throckmorton Baronets
Encyclopedia
There have been two Baronetcies created for different branches of the Throckmorton family, 6th. cousins, both descended from Sir John Throckmorton(d.1445), Under-Treasurer of England temp. King Henry VI
(1422-1461). Both titles, which were in the Baronetage of England, are now extinct. The Throckmortons, originally of Throckmorton
near Pershore
, Worcestershire
,
trace their history back to the 12th century. In 1409 Sir John de Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England, married Eleanor Spinney (or Spiney or Spinetti or de la Spine), daughter and heiress of Guy Spinney of Coughton, Warwickshire, where the senior branch of the family, which bore the junior baronetcy, became established. The Coughton estate included in 1968 a dower house named "Spiney House, Coughton", named after that family. Both branches were mostly determined Roman Catholics and members of the senior line were involved in or connected with pre-reformation plots and conspiracies including the Throckmorton Plot
of 1583 and the Gunpowder Plot
of 1605.
The senior Throckmorton Baronetcy, of Tortworth in the County of Gloucester, was created in the Baronetage of England on 29 June 1611 for William Throckmorton(d.1628), of Coss Court, Tortworth
, Gloucestershire
, 6th in descent from John Throckmorton, younger son of Sir John Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England. The third Baronet sat as Member of Parliament
for Gloucestershire
and Wotton Basset
. The title became extinct on the death of the fourth Baronet in 1682.
The junior Throckmorton Baronetcy, of Coughton in the County of Warwick, was created in the Baronetage of England on 1 September 1642 for Robert Throckmorton(d.1650), of Coughton Court
, near Alcester
, Warwickshire
, 6th. in descent from Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton, eldest son of Sir John Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England. Elizabeth Throckmorton was the wife of Sir Walter Raleigh. Although Royalist sympathisers during the Civil War
the family was one of very few recusant families to survive the turbulent 16th and 17th centuries with their estates intact. The sixth Baronet assumed the additional surname of Courtenay in 1792 on inheriting the Courtenay estates of Molland
, Devon
, through his mother. However, none of his successors have used this surname. The eighth Baronet was Member of Parliament for Berkshire
. The title became extinct on the death of the twelfth Baronet in 1994. However, the Throckmorton family is still resident at Coughton Court as tenants of the National Trust
.
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
(1422-1461). Both titles, which were in the Baronetage of England, are now extinct. The Throckmortons, originally of Throckmorton
Throckmorton, Worcestershire
Throckmorton is a small village and civil parish in the administrative district of Wychavon, in the county of Worcestershire, England.The village lies 5.2 miles northeast of Pershore , five miles north-west of Evesham and 12 miles southeast of the city of Worcester...
near Pershore
Pershore
Pershore is a market town in Worcestershire, England, on the banks of the River Avon. Pershore is in the Wychavon district and is part of the West Worcestershire parliamentary constituency. At the 2001 census the population was 7,304...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
,
trace their history back to the 12th century. In 1409 Sir John de Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England, married Eleanor Spinney (or Spiney or Spinetti or de la Spine), daughter and heiress of Guy Spinney of Coughton, Warwickshire, where the senior branch of the family, which bore the junior baronetcy, became established. The Coughton estate included in 1968 a dower house named "Spiney House, Coughton", named after that family. Both branches were mostly determined Roman Catholics and members of the senior line were involved in or connected with pre-reformation plots and conspiracies including the Throckmorton Plot
Throckmorton Plot
The Throckmorton Plot was an attempt by English Roman Catholics in 1583 to murder Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with her second cousin Mary, Queen of Scots...
of 1583 and the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
of 1605.
The senior Throckmorton Baronetcy, of Tortworth in the County of Gloucester, was created in the Baronetage of England on 29 June 1611 for William Throckmorton(d.1628), of Coss Court, Tortworth
Tortworth
Tortworth is a hamlet, and civil parish, near Thornbury in South Gloucestershire, England. It has a population of 150, and is noted for a huge and ancient chestnut tree, believed to be over 1000 years old. The tree, in St...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, 6th in descent from John Throckmorton, younger son of Sir John Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England. The third 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 Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire (UK Parliament constituency)
The constituency of Gloucestershire was a UK Parliamentary constituency. After it was abolished under the 1832 Electoral Reform Act, two new constituencies, West Gloucestershire and East Gloucestershire, were created....
and Wotton Basset
Wootton Bassett (UK Parliament constituency)
Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1447 until 1832, when the rotten borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
. The title became extinct on the death of the fourth Baronet in 1682.
The junior Throckmorton Baronetcy, of Coughton in the County of Warwick, was created in the Baronetage of England on 1 September 1642 for Robert Throckmorton(d.1650), of Coughton Court
Coughton Court
Coughton Court is an English Tudor country house, situated on the main road between Studley and Alcester in Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
, near Alcester
Alcester
Alcester is an old market town of Roman origin at the junction of the River Alne and River Arrow in Warwickshire, England. It is situated approximately west of Stratford-upon-Avon, and 8 miles south of Redditch, close to the Worcestershire border...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 6th. in descent from Thomas Throckmorton of Coughton, eldest son of Sir John Throckmorton, Under-Treasurer of England. Elizabeth Throckmorton was the wife of Sir Walter Raleigh. Although Royalist sympathisers during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the family was one of very few recusant families to survive the turbulent 16th and 17th centuries with their estates intact. The sixth Baronet assumed the additional surname of Courtenay in 1792 on inheriting the Courtenay estates of Molland
Molland
Molland is a civil parish and small village located on the southern slopes of Exmoor in North Devon, England.The former manor of Molland, largely co-terminous with the parish boundary, continues in existence as a large private estate under the ownership of Mrs Clare McLaren-Throckmorton, of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, through his mother. However, none of his successors have used this surname. The eighth Baronet was Member of Parliament for Berkshire
Berkshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Berkshire was a parliamentary constituency in England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...
. The title became extinct on the death of the twelfth Baronet in 1994. However, the Throckmorton family is still resident at Coughton Court as tenants of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Throckmorton Baronets, of Tortworth (1611)
- Sir William Throckmorton, 1st Baronet (c. 1579-1628)
- Sir Baynham Throckmorton, 2nd Baronet (c. 1606-1664)
- Sir Baynham Throckmorton, 3rd Baronet (c. 1628-c. 1681)
- Sir William Throckmorton, 4th Baronet (1658-1682)
Throckmorton Baronets, of Coughton (1642)
- Sir Robert Throckmorton, 1st Baronet (d 1650)
- Sir Francis Throckmorton, 2nd Baronet (1641-1680)
- Sir Robert Throckmorton 3rd Baronet (1662-1720)
- Sir Robert Throckmorton, 4th Baronet (1702-1791)
- Sir John Courtenay Throckmorton, 5th Baronet (1754-1819)
- Sir George Courtenay Throckmorton, 6th Baronet (1754-1826)
- Sir Charles Throckmorton, 7th Baronet (1757-1840)
- Sir Robert George Throckmorton, 8th BaronetSir Robert Throckmorton, 8th BaronetSir Robert George Throckmorton, 8th Baronet was an English Whig and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1831 to 1835....
(1800-1862) - Sir Nicholas William George Throckmorton, 9th Baronet (1838-1919)
- Sir Richard Charles Acton Throckmorton, 10th Baronet (1839-1927)
- Sir Robert George Maxwell Throckmorton, 11th Baronet (1908-1989)
- Sir Anthony John Benedict Throckmorton, 12th Baronet (1916-1994)
- Sir Andrew Stacy Throckmorton, 13th Baronet (b. 1944)
Other notable family members
- Francis ThrockmortonFrancis ThrockmortonSir Francis Throckmorton was a conspirator against Queen Elizabeth I of England.He was the son of Sir John Throckmorton and a nephew of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, one of Elizabeth's diplomats. Sir John had held the post of Chief Justice of Chester but was removed in 1579, a year before his death...
(1554-1584) - Nicholas ThrockmortonNicholas ThrockmortonSir Nicholas Throckmorton was an English diplomat and politician, who was an ambassador to France and played a key role in the relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.-Early years:...
(1515-1571) - John ThrockmortonJohn ThrockmortonSir John Throckmorton was a lawyer and member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Mary I. He was also a witness to Queen Mary's will.-Biography:...
(1524-1580) - Herbert John Anthony Anthony Throckmorton (1871-1941), third son of the tenth Baronet and father of the twelfth Baronet, was a CaptainCaptain (naval)Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Sources
- Gunpowder Plot Society website
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.