![Ordsall Hall 2014 04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Ordsall_Hall_2014_04.jpg)
Baron Strange is a title which has been created four times in the
Peerage of England. Two creations, one in 1295 and another in 1326, had only one holder each, upon whose deaths they became extinct. Two of the creations, that of 1299 and that of 1628, are extant. The surname ''Le Strange'' was
Latinized as ''Extraneus'' (i.e. "Foreigner, Stranger"). The arms of Le Strange of
Knockin Castle
Knockin Castle is situated in the village of Knockin on Shropshire between Oswestry and Shrewsbury ().
This was a motte and bailey castle founded by Guy le Strange between 1154 and 1160 and it remained the principal holding of the le Strange ...
in Shropshire were: ''Gules, two lions passant argent''.
All four baronies of Strange were created by
writ
In common law, a writ (Anglo-Saxon ''gewrit'', Latin ''breve'') is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court. Warrants, prerogative writs, subpoenas, a ...
, which means that they can also pass through female lines.
Following the passing of the
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 (c. 48) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.
Backgro ...
,
Elizabeth Frances Philipps, 14th Baroness Strange (of the 1299 creation), became the first female to take her seat in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
by virtue of an hereditary peerage.
1295 creation
The first creation came in 1295 when Roger le Strange "of Salop." (i.e. Shropshire) was summoned to the
Model Parliament
The Model Parliament is the term, attributed to Frederic William Maitland, used for the 1295 Parliament of England of King Edward I.
History
This assembly included members of the clergy and the aristocracy, as well as representatives from the v ...
by writ addressed to ''Rogero Extraneo'', by which he is deemed to have become Lord Strange. He was a younger son of John le Strange III of
Knockin Castle
Knockin Castle is situated in the village of Knockin on Shropshire between Oswestry and Shrewsbury ().
This was a motte and bailey castle founded by Guy le Strange between 1154 and 1160 and it remained the principal holding of the le Strange ...
in Shropshire, Sheriff of Shropshire and Staffordshire in 1236. On his death in 1311 the title became extinct.
1299 creation
The second creation came in 1299 when John le Strange V was summoned to the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
by a writ directed to ''Johanni Lestraunge de Knokyn'', by which he is deemed to have become Lord Strange. This creation is referred to as ''Baron Strange de Knokyn'' or ''Baron Strange of Knokyn'' (''aliter'' Knokin or Knockin, etc.), named after his seat of
Knockin Castle
Knockin Castle is situated in the village of Knockin on Shropshire between Oswestry and Shrewsbury ().
This was a motte and bailey castle founded by Guy le Strange between 1154 and 1160 and it remained the principal holding of the le Strange ...
in Shropshire, which thus distinguishes it from the earlier 1295 barony, which was still extant on its creation. He was the eldest son and heir of John le Strange IV of Knockin, the eldest son of John le Strange III of Knockin, and was therefore the nephew of the baron of the 1295 creation. Hamon Le Strange, younger brother of the 2nd Baron, founded the family of Le Strange of
Hunstanton, Norfolk (which ancestral manor was given to him by the 2nd Baron in 1309), and bore his paternal arms differenced by a bendlet sable. (See
L'Estrange baronets
The L'Estrange Baronetcy, of Hunstanton in the County of Norfolk, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 1 June 1629 for Nicholas L'Estrange, son of Hamon le Strange. The fourth Baronet sat as Member of Parliament for Castl ...
of Hunstanton, created in 1629, which male line continued until 1762)). Joan le Strange, ''suo jure'' 9th Baroness, daughter and heiress of the 8th Baron who died without male issue, married
George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange
George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange, of Knockin, KG, KB (1460–1503) was an English nobleman and heir apparent of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby. He was also a notable soldier in his own right and held a number of senior offices of state.
Lif ...
, son of
Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby
Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, KG (1435 – 29 July 1504) was an English nobleman. He was the stepfather of King Henry VII of England. He was the eldest son of Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley and Joan Goushill.
A landed magnate of imm ...
, who was summoned to Parliament as Lord Strange in her right. Her son Thomas Stanley succeeded as both 2nd Earl of Derby and 10th Baron Strange.
The titles remained united until the death of his great-grandson, the fifth Earl and 13th Baron, in 1594. The earldom was inherited by his younger brother, the sixth Earl, while the barony of Strange (as well as the baronies of Mohun of Dunster and Stanley, also held by the Earl) fell into
abeyance between the late Earl's three daughters Lady Anne, Lady Frances and Lady Elizabeth (however, the sixth Earl of Derby erroneously assumed the barony of Strange - see below). The barony of Strange remained in abeyance for the next 327 years.
However, the abeyance was terminated in 1921 in favour of
Elizabeth Frances Philipps, Viscountess St Davids, who became the fourteenth Baroness. She was the second wife of
John Philipps, 1st Viscount St Davids. The abeyance of the ancient baronies of
Hungerford
Hungerford is a historic market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, west of Newbury, east of Marlborough, northeast of Salisbury and 60 miles (97 km) west of London. The Kennet and Avon Canal passes through the town alongside the ...
and
de Moleyns was terminated at the same time in her favour. On 31 July 1963, the
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 (c. 48) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.
Backgro ...
came into effect, which, among other things, enabled women to sit and vote in the House of Lords by virtue of an hereditary peerage. Following the passage of the Act, Lady St Davids applied for a
writ of summons
A writ of summons is a formal document issued by the monarch that enables someone to sit in a Parliament under the United Kingdom's Westminster system. At the beginning of each new Parliament, each person who has established their right to attend ...
to the House of Lords in right of her Strange barony, which was subsequently issued to her, and she took her seat in the House on 19 November 1963 as the first female peer to do so under the provision of the
Peerage Act 1963
The Peerage Act 1963 (c. 48) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that permits women peeresses and all Scottish hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords and allows newly inherited hereditary peerages to be disclaimed.
Backgro ...
. On her death in 1974 the titles were inherited by her son, the fifteenth Baron Strange, who had already succeeded his father as second Viscount St Davids. As of 2013 the titles are held by the second Viscount's grandson, the fourth Viscount and seventeenth Baron Strange.
1326 creation
The third creation came in 1326 when Sir
Eubulus le Strange was summoned to Parliament as Lord Strange. However, the title became extinct on his death in 1335. His nephew Roger le Strange, 4th Baron Strange of Knockyn, was his heir.
1628 creation
In 1594
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby, KG (1561 – 29 September 1642) was an English nobleman and politician. Stanley inherited a prominent social position that was both dangerous and unstable, as his mother was heir to Queen Elizabeth I un ...
(1561-1642), following the death of his elder brother the 5th Earl of Derby, incorrectly assumed the title Baron Strange (created in 1299) (see above). In 1628 his son and heir apparent,
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, KG (31 January 160715 October 1651) was an English nobleman, politician, and supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. Before inheriting the title in 1642 he was known as Lord Strange. He was ...
, was summoned to the House of Lords through a
writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father ...
as ''Lord Strange''. When it was discovered that his father's assumption of the barony was erroneous, it was deemed that there were two baronies of Strange, one created in 1299 then in abeyance, and another created "accidentally" in 1628. James Stanley later succeeded his father as 7th Earl of Derby.
The titles remained united until the death of his grandson, the ninth Earl and third Baron, in 1702. The earldom was inherited by the late Earl's younger brother, the tenth Earl, while the barony fell into abeyance between the Earl's two daughters, Lady Henrietta and Lady Elizabeth. On Lady Elizabeth's death in 1714 the abeyance was terminated in favour of Henrietta, who became the fourth Baroness. She married, firstly, John Annesley, 4th Earl of Anglesey, and after his death, secondly,
John Ashburnham, 1st Earl of Ashburnham
John Ashburnham, 1st Earl of Ashburnham (13 March 1687 – 10 March 1737) was a British Army officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons briefly in 1710 when he unexpectedly succeeded to the peerage and sat in the House of Lords.
...
. Lady Strange was succeeded by her daughter from her second marriage, Henrietta Bridget, the fifth Baroness. However, she died unmarried at an early age and was succeeded by her aforementioned great-uncle, the tenth Earl of Derby, who became the sixth Baron Strange.
Lord Derby was childless and was succeeded in the barony by his first cousin once removed
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl (28 September 16908 January 1764), styled Marquess of Tullibardine between 1715 and 1746, was a Scottish peer, and Lord Privy Seal.
Life
Atholl was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and was the third son of John Murr ...
, who became the seventh Baron Strange as well. He was the grandson of Lady Amelia Anne Sophia Stanley, daughter of
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, KG (31 January 160715 October 1651) was an English nobleman, politician, and supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. Before inheriting the title in 1642 he was known as Lord Strange. He was ...
. On his death the dukedom and barony separated. He was succeeded in the dukedom by his nephew
John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl
John Murray, 3rd Duke of Atholl KT, PC (6 May 1729 – 5 November 1774), known as John Murray until 1764, was a Scottish peer and Tory politician. Background
He was born 6 May 1729.
Murray was the eldest son of Lord George Murray, fifth son ...
, while the barony passed to his daughter Charlotte, the eighth Baroness. She married her first cousin, the third Duke of Atholl. They were both succeeded by their son, the fourth Duke and ninth Baron. In 1786 he was created ''Earl Strange'' and ''Baron Murray of Stanley'' in the
Peerage of Great Britain. The dukedom and barony remained united until the death of his great-great-grandson, the ninth Duke and fourteenth Baron, in 1957 (see the
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, named for Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of ...
for more detailed information on the holders during this period and for later history of the title).
The barony of Strange fell into abeyance between the representatives of the three daughters of the fourth Duke of Atholl, Lady Charlotte, Lady Amelia Sophia and Lady Elizabeth. The abeyance was terminated by the Queen in 1965 in favour of John Drummond of Megginch, who became the fifteenth Baron. He was the great-grandson of Lady Charlotte and her second husband Admiral Sir Adam Drummond of Megginch. However, on his death in 1982 the peerage once again fell into abeyance, this time between his three daughters. It was called out of abeyance in 1986 in favour of the eldest daughter, Cherry, who became the sixteenth Baroness. She was the wife of Captain
Humphrey ap Evans (1922–2009), who along with his wife assumed the name of Drummond of Megginch by decree of the
Lord Lyon in 1965. Lady Strange was one of the ninety
hereditary peers that were allowed to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 (c. 34) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. The Act was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. For centuries, the House of Lords ...
. On her death in 2005 the title was inherited by her eldest son, the seventeenth and () present holder of the title.
The family seat was
Megginch Castle
Megginch Castle is a 15th-century castle in Perth and Kinross, in central Scotland. It was the family home of Cherry, 16th Baroness Strange. It is now lived in by Lady Strange's daughter, Catherine Drummond-Herdman, her husband and four childre ...
, near
Errol,
Perthshire.
Barons Strange, First Creation (1295)
*Roger le Strange, 1st Baron Strange (d. 1311)
Barons Strange (de/of Knockin), Second Creation (1299)
![Blason guerande](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Blason_guerande.svg)
*John le Strange V, 1st Baron Strange (c. 1254–1309)
*John le Strange VI, 2nd Baron Strange (c. 1282–1311)
*John le Strange, 3rd Baron Strange (c. 1297–1323)
*Roger le Strange, 4th Baron Strange (1301–1349), son of the 2nd Baron
*Roger le Strange, 5th Baron Strange (c. 1327–1382)
[Douglas Richardson, ''Plantagenet Ancestry'', p. 692-693.]
*John le Strange, 6th Baron Strange (c. 1350–1397)
*Richard le Strange, 7th Baron Strange (1381–1449), who married Elizabeth Cobham, sister of
Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester
*John le Strange, 8th Baron Strange (c. 1440–1477), who married Jacquetta Woodville, the sister of
Elizabeth Woodville,
queen consort of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
*Joan le Strange, 9th Baroness Strange (c. 1460–1514)
**
George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange
George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange, of Knockin, KG, KB (1460–1503) was an English nobleman and heir apparent of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby. He was also a notable soldier in his own right and held a number of senior offices of state.
Lif ...
(''jure uxoris'') (1460–1503)
![Arms of Stanley](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Arms_of_Stanley.svg)
*
Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby, 10th Baron Strange (d. 1521)
*
Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, 11th Baron Strange (c. 1508–1572)
*
Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby, 12th Baron Strange (1531–1593)
*
Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby, 13th Baron Strange (1559–1594) (abeyant 1594)
*
Elizabeth Frances Philipps, 14th Baroness Strange (1884–1974) (abeyance terminated 1921)
*
Jestyn Reginald Austen Plantagenet Philipps, 2nd Viscount St Davids, 15th Baron Strange (1917–1991)
*
Colwyn Jestyn John Philipps, 3rd Viscount St Davids, 16th Baron Strange (1939–2009)
*
Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, 4th Viscount St Davids, 17th Baron Strange (b. 1966)
Barons Strange, Third Creation (1326)
*
Eubulus le Strange, 1st Baron Strange (died 1335)
Barons Strange, Fourth Creation (1628)
This barony was created by clerical error in 1628, confusing Lord Derby with the claimant of the older Barony Strange of Knockin (created in 1299). See
Baronies created by error for details.
*
James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, 1st Baron Strange (1607–1651)
*
Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby, 2nd Baron Strange (1628–1672)
*
William Richard George Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby, 3rd Baron Strange (1655–1702) (abeyant 1702)
*
Henrietta Stanley, 4th Baroness Strange
Henrietta Maria Stanley, 4th Baroness Strange (1687 – 26 June 1718) was an England, English peerage, peer.
Henrietta was born in 1687, the daughter of the William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby, 9th Earl of Derby. He died in 1709 and one of ...
(d. 1718) (became sole heir 1714)
*Henrietta Ashburnham, 5th Baroness Strange (d. 1732)
*
James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby, 6th Baron Strange (1664–1736)
*
James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl, 7th Baron Strange (1690–1764)
*
Charlotte Murray, 8th Baroness Strange, Duchess consort of Atholl (c. 1731–1805)
*
John Murray, 4th Duke of Atholl, 9th Baron Strange (1755–1830)
*
John Murray, 5th Duke of Atholl, 10th Baron Strange (1778–1846)
*
George Augustus Frederick John Murray, 6th Duke of Atholl, 11th Baron Strange (1814–1864)
*
John James Hugh Henry Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl, 12th Baron Strange (1840–1917)
*
John George Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl, 13th Baron Strange (1871–1942)
*
James Thomas Stewart-Murray, 9th Duke of Atholl, 14th Baron Strange (1879–1957) (abeyant 1957)
*
John Drummond, 15th Baron Strange
John Drummond, 10th of Megginch, 15th Baron Strange (6 May 1900 – 13 April 1982), was Chief of the Baronial House and Branch of Drummond of Concraig and Lennoch within the clan Drummond and Baron of Megginch.
Educated at Eton College, he becam ...
(1900–1982) (abeyance terminated 1965; abeyant 1982)
*
(Jean) Cherry Drummond of Megginch, 16th Baroness Strange (1928–2005) (abeyance terminated 1986)
*
Adam Humphrey Drummond of Megginch, 17th Baron Strange (b. 1953)
The
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
is the present holder's son Hon. John Adam Humphrey Drummond (b. 1992).
The style ''Lord Strange'' was used as a
courtesy title by the Earls of Derby until
James Stanley, Lord Strange
James Smith-Stanley, Lord Strange (1716–1771) was commonly known by that title, though neither he nor his father had any claim to it. He was the eldest son of Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby, whose predecessor's heirs had used that courtesy ...
(1716–1771),
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. The position is the second highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the Prime Minister, and senior to the Minist ...
; he was the son of
Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby
Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby (27 September 1689 – 22 February 1776), known as Sir Edward Stanley, 5th Baronet, from 1714 to 1736, was a British nobleman, peer, and politician.
Derby was the son of Sir Thomas Stanley, 4th Baronet, and ...
, who (unlike his 6th cousin, the 10th Earl) did not hold the barony of Strange (it having passed to the Murray family). Nowadays the
Earls of Derby
Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...
use the courtesy title of ''Lord Stanley'' for
heirs apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
.
See also
*
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...
*
Viscount St Davids
Viscount St Davids, of Lydstep Haven in the County of Pembroke, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1918 for John Philipps, 1st Baron St Davids. The Philipps family descends from Sir John Philipps (died 27 March ...
*
Duke of Atholl
Duke of Atholl, named for Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of ...
*
Baron Strange de Blackmere
Notes
References
*
*
External links
Captain Humphrey Drummond of Megginch- Daily Telegraph obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strange
Baronies in the Peerage of England
Extinct baronies in the Peerage of England
Baronies created by error
Baronies by writ
Stanley family
1295 establishments in England
Noble titles created in 1295
Noble titles created in 1299
Noble titles created in 1325
Noble titles created in 1628
Peerages created for eldest sons of peers
Le Strange family