William Brereton, 1st Baron Brereton
Encyclopedia
William Brereton, 1st Baron Brereton (1550 – 1 October 1631) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1597 and 1622. He was created a peer in the Peerage of Ireland
in 1624 as Baron Brereton
.
Brereton was the son of Sir William Brereton of Brereton, Cheshire
and was baptised on 6 February 1550. He was about nine when his father died in 1559 and he succeeded to the extensive family estates. He was educated at Oxford University and was awarded BA in 1568. He was admitted at Lincoln's Inn
in 1569. From 1573 he was JP for Cheshire and was High Sheriff of Cheshire
from 1581 to 1582. In 1586 he built a mansion at Brereton
which was similar to Rocksavage
, the house of his father-in-law Sir John Savage. He was knighted in 1588. He was commissioner for musters in 1595 and in 1596.
In 1597, Brereton was elected Member of Parliament
for Cheshire
. He was elected MP for Cheshire again in 1614 and in 1621. He had an estate near Old Leighlin
, for which he and his heirs were absentee landlord
s. He was created Baron Brereton
of Leighlin in the County of Carlow
on 11 May 1624.
Brereton died at the age of about 80 and was buried at Brereton.
Brereton married Margaret Savage, daughter of Sir John Savage of Rocksavage, Cheshire. They had four sons and four daughters.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1597 and 1622. He was created a peer in 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,...
in 1624 as Baron Brereton
Baron Brereton
Baron Brereton, of Leighlin in the County of Carlow, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 11 May 1624 for Sir William Brereton, of Brereton, Cheshire. Brereton had an estate near Old Leighlin, for which he and his heirs were absentee landlords. The family seat was Brereton Hall...
.
Brereton, Cheshire
Brereton is a civil parish, containing the hamlet of Brereton Green in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It also contains the hamlets of Brereton Heath and Smethwick Green. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire civil parish...
and was baptised on 6 February 1550. He was about nine when his father died in 1559 and he succeeded to the extensive family estates. He was educated at Oxford University and was awarded BA in 1568. He was admitted at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1569. From 1573 he was JP for Cheshire and was High Sheriff of Cheshire
High Sheriff of Cheshire
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 have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
from 1581 to 1582. In 1586 he built a mansion at Brereton
Brereton Hall
Brereton Hall is a country house to the north of the village of Brereton Green, adjacent to St Oswald's Church, in the civil parish of Brereton, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:...
which was similar to Rocksavage
Rocksavage
Rocksavage or Rock Savage was an Elizabethan mansion, now in ruins, at in Clifton , Cheshire, England. Built for Sir John Savage, MP in 1565–8, Rocksavage was one of the great Elizabethan houses of the county; in 1674, it was the second largest house in Cheshire. James I visited in 1617...
, the house of his father-in-law Sir John Savage. He was knighted in 1588. He was commissioner for musters in 1595 and in 1596.
In 1597, Brereton was elected 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 Cheshire
Cheshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Cheshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentiary constituency for the county of Cheshire. It was a 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.As a county...
. He was elected MP for Cheshire again in 1614 and in 1621. He had an estate near Old Leighlin
Old Leighlin
Old Leighlin is a small town in County Carlow, Ireland, 3.5 km west of Leighlinbridge. The site was at one time one of the foremost monastic houses in Leinster, with 1500 monks in residence...
, for which he and his heirs were absentee landlord
Absentee landlord
Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a profit-earning property, but does not live within the property's local economic region. This practice is problematic for that region because absentee landlords drain local wealth into their home country, particularly that...
s. He was created Baron Brereton
Baron Brereton
Baron Brereton, of Leighlin in the County of Carlow, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 11 May 1624 for Sir William Brereton, of Brereton, Cheshire. Brereton had an estate near Old Leighlin, for which he and his heirs were absentee landlords. The family seat was Brereton Hall...
of Leighlin in the County of Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow 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 town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
on 11 May 1624.
Brereton died at the age of about 80 and was buried at Brereton.
Brereton married Margaret Savage, daughter of Sir John Savage of Rocksavage, Cheshire. They had four sons and four daughters.