The Towneley or Townley family are an English (UK) family whose ancestry can be traced back to Anglo-Saxon England.

Towneley Hall Towneley Park is owned and managed by Burnley Borough Council and is the largest and most popular park in Burnley, Lancashire, England. The main entrance to the park is within a mile of the town centre and the park extends to the south east, cov ...

Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, Lancashire, Preston, at the confluence of the River C ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...

, was the

family seat A family seat or sometimes just called seat is the principal residence of the landed gentry and aristocracy. The residence usually denotes the social, economic, political, or historic connection of the family within a given area. Some families ...

until its sale, together with the surrounding park, to the corporation of Burnley in 1901. Towneley Hall is now a Grade I listed building and a large museum and art gallery within Towneley Park (UK). Early members of the branch of the family at Towneley Hall served as soldiers, some holding positions such as

High Sheriff of Lancashire The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales. The High Sheriff of Lanc ...

. However, they generally retained the Catholic faith meaning that from the mid-16th century they were fined and imprisoned for

recusancy Recusancy (from la, recusare, translation=to refuse) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign ...

and banned from public office until the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829. Other branches of the family were based at Hurstwood near Towneley, Royle on the opposite side of

and later Littleton in Surrey, Dutton close to Ribchester, Barnside near

Colne Colne () is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England. Located northeast of Nelson, north-east of Burnley, east of Preston and west of Leeds. The town should not be confused with the unrelated Colne Val ...

, and Carr Hall and Stonedge near

Barrowford Barrowford () is a large village and civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north of Nelson on the other side of the M65 motorway, and forms part of the Nelson conurbation. It also comprises the area ...

The Towneleys of Towneley Hall

Sometime between 1195 and 1211,

Roger de Lacy Roger de Lacy (died after 1106) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, a Marcher Lord on the Welsh border. Roger was a castle builder, particularly at Ludlow Castle. Lands and titles From Walter de Lacy (died 1085) he inherited Castle Frome, Herefor ...

made a grant of lands at 'Tunleia', ' Coldcotes' and 'Snodesworth' (Snodworth is south of

Langho Langho is a small rural village north of Blackburn in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It is part of the parish of Billington and Langho. The village is linked with Blackburn and Clitheroe by the A666 road and is served by Langho railw ...

) to Geoffrey, son of Robert the Dean of Whalley. By 1295 Nicholas de Towneley, thought to be a descendant of Geoffrey, had died and Towneley was shared between his three sisters Agnes, Cecily and Isabel. Cecily was married to John de la Legh, the son of Gilbert, the manager of the local de Lacy cattle farms. The de la Legh family were the largest tenant in

Cliviger Cliviger is a civil parish in the Borough of Burnley, in Lancashire, England. It is situated to the southeast of Burnley, and northwest of Todmorden. According to the 2011 census, the parish has a population of 2,238. Although the whole parish ...

at the time that it was a possession of

Kirkstall Abbey Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall, north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded ''c.'' 1152. It was disestablished during ...

, renting about 40% of the township. And Gilbert had purchased the manor of Hapton in 1303–04, only to have this blocked by

Henry de Lacy Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and Sc ...

, and he was forced to wait until 1328 to acquire it. The same year he also purchased Isabel's third of Towneley from her family, the Claytons. John and Cecily had two sons, Gilbert and Richard. While Gilbert would take control at Hapton and also purchase the neighbouring manor of Birtwistle in 1356, Richard would take Towneley.

Richard de Towneley (c.1313–1381)

Richard de Towneley, also known as Richard de la Legh, was born circa 1323. By 1345 he had married Ellen. In 1351, at the time of the plague known as

the Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

, Richard rented the manor of St Saviour ( Stydd) near Ribchester, probably living there for the rest of his life. The same year, along with his brother Gilbert, the

Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...

of Whalley and John de Altham, he held the franchise for providing a bailiff for

Blackburnshire Blackburn Hundred (also known as Blackburnshire) is a historic sub-division of the county of Lancashire, in northern England. Its chief town was Blackburn, in the southwest of the hundred. It covered an area similar to modern East Lancashire, in ...

. In 1353 he was one of two receivers for

appointed by the 1st Duke of Lancaster, also attending the Parliaments of 1361 and 1371 as a knight of

. He was

Escheator Escheat is a common law doctrine that transfers the real property of a person who has died without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in "limbo" without recognized ownership. It originally applied to a ...

of the County in 1371 and served as the

from 1374 to 1377. He died on 16 April 1381, survived by three sons, John, Robert and Henry.

John Towneley (1350–1399)

Married Isabella de Rishton, probably in 1382. John's uncle Gilbert died without heir, so in addition to two-thirds of Towneley, plus land in Cliviger, in Worsthone, and in

Briercliffe Briercliffe (historically Briercliffe-with-Extwistle) is a civil parish in the borough of Burnley, in Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Burnley. The parish contains suburbs of Burnley (including Harle Syke and Haggate), and the ru ...

, he inherited Hapton and Birtwistle. By 1388 he had acquired the remaining third of Towneley from the descendants of Agnes.

Richard Towneley (1387–1455)

Married Alice. Man-at-arms at the battle of Agincourt.

John Towneley (1415–c. 1473)

Married three times, however only had children with his second wife Isabela Sherburne.

Sir Richard Towneley (1445–1482)

Son of John and Isabel. Married Joanna Southworth in 1472. Knighted at Hutton Field in 1482, during Richard Duke of Gloucester's (later

King Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Batt ...

) Scottish Campaign that captured

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...

. Died in 1482 of wounds suffered during the capture of

Berwick Castle Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. History The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...

Sir John Towneley (1473–1540)

Son of Sir Richard and Joanna. Married to Isabel Pilkington in 1480, his father died when John was only nine and he reached adulthood under the guardianship of her father Sir Charles Pilkington. His wife Isabel inherited

Gateford Gateford is an estate in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 1 mile north-west of Worksop Worksop ( ) is a market town in the Bassetlaw District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located east-south-east of Sheffield, close to Notti ...

in Nottinghamshire in 1485. He was knighted on 30 September 1497 by the Earl of Surrey, probably at Ayton when the peace treaty was signed with Scotland after the Perkin Warbeck skirmishes. He established Hapton Park, in 1514 and enlarged it to cover 1100 Lancashire acres (equivalent to ), which amounted to about half of Hapton township, making it the second largest in Lancashire after Knowsley. Was

in 1532.

Richard Towneley (1499–1555)

Son of Sir John and Isabel, married Grace (also known as Elizabeth) Foljambe in 1511. His son with Grace, also called Richard married Francis Wimbishe around 1536. Francis was the sister of Thomas Wymbishe and inherited his Nocton estate in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-we ...

on his death in 1553. Knighted in 1547, possibly at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh. Only one daughter, Mary, survived to adulthood.

John Towneley (c. 1528–1607)

Son of Sir John's second son Charles and Elizabeth Kaye. Half-brother through his mother to

Alexander Nowell Alexander Nowell (13 February 1602, aka Alexander Noel) was an Anglican priest and theologian. He served as Dean of St Paul's during much of Elizabeth I's reign, and is now remembered for his catechisms. Early life He was the eldest son of John ...

, and

Lawrence Nowell Laurence (or Lawrence) Nowell (1530 – c.1570) was an English antiquarian, cartographer and pioneering scholar of Anglo-Saxon language and literature. Life Laurence Nowell was born around 1530 in Whalley, Lancashire, the second son of Alexand ...

(amongst others). Often known as John Towneley of

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and W ...

because he was a Lawyer. Acquired Towneley by his marriage in 1557 to then 16-year-old Mary, his first cousin once removed, he being a grandchild and she a great-grandchild of Sir John. Fined and imprisoned several times between 1573 and 1594 for

and giving shelter to Catholic priests during the reign of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...

Richard Towneley (1566–1628)

Born at Towneley Hall,

. Son of John and Mary. Married Jane Ashton in 1594. Built a large extension on the north side of the hall that was finished about 1626.

Richard Towneley (1598–1635)

Son of Richard and Jane. Died unmarried.

Charles Towneley (1600–1644)

Born at Towneley Hall. Son of Richard and Jane. Catholic. Attended St. Omer's College and Louvain in Belgium and the

English College in Rome The Venerable English College (), commonly referred to as the English College, is a Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for England and Wales. It was founded in 1579 by William Allen on the model of the English College, ...

between 1614 and 1624. Married Mary Trappes in 1628. Inherited the estate in 1635 upon the death of his brother Richard. Killed leading a small

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment for

the Royalists ''The Royalists'' (French: ''Les Chouans'') is a 1947 French historical drama film directed by Henri Calef and starring Paul Amiot, Roland Armontel and Roger Bontemps. It is an adaptation of Honoré de Balzac's 1829 novel '' Les Chouans''. ...

at the

Battle of Marston Moor The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1639 – 1653. The combined forces of the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester and the Scottish Covenanters und ...

during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

Richard Towneley (1629–1707)

Recovered the Lancashire estates from the Parliamentary

Sequestration Committee In 1643, near the start of the English Civil War, Parliament set up two committees the Sequestration Committee which confiscated the estates of the Royalists who fought against Parliament, and the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents which a ...

. The first person to make regular measurements of rainfall in England. Inventor of the

Deadbeat escapement In horology, the anchor escapement is a type of escapement used in pendulum clocks. The escapement is a mechanism in a mechanical clock that maintains the swing of the pendulum by giving it a small push each swing, and allows the clock's wheels ...

Charles Towneley (1658–1712)

Son of Richard and Margaret. Married Ursula Fermor in 1685. Implicated with his father in the plot to secure the return to the English throne of

King James II James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

in 1690 that resulted in the

Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ga, Cath na Bóinne ) was a battle in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and J ...

Richard Towneley (1689–1735)

Son of Charles and Ursula. Married Mary Widdrington, the sister of William Widdrington, 4th Baron Widdrington in 1713. Arrested for treason in 1715, after the Battle of Preston, he was later acquitted after an expensive trial. He died on 18 August 1735. Two of his brothers,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

and Francis joined the French army before aiding the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...

. Francis Towneley was the Colonel that raised the

Manchester Regiment The Manchester Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1958. The regiment was created during the 1881 Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th ...

, later being captured after the

Siege of Carlisle (December 1745) The siege of Carlisle (December 1745) took place from 21 to 30 December during the Jacobite rising of 1745, when a Jacobite garrison surrendered to government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland. The town had been captured by the Jacobite ...

and executed in 1746. The children's book '' How The Hangman Lost His Heart'', although a work of fiction, is inspired by his story. John returned to France before Culloden and was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Saint Louis. Another brother, George avoided the conflict, instead marrying Mary Hodgson, the heiress of Leighton Hall near

Carnforth Carnforth is a market town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England, situated at the north-east end of Morecambe Bay. The parish of Carnforth had a population of 5,560 in the 2011 census, an increase from the 5,350 reco ...

William Towneley (1714–1742)

The Son of Richard and Mary, he was born at Towneley on 30 May 1714. He Married Cecilia Standish, granddaughter of the 6th Duke of Norfolk in 1736. He died at Bath, Somerset on 2 February 1742. After his death at the age of 27, his widow left Towneley Hall at the time of Jacobite rising and did not return.

Charles Townley (1737–1805)

Son of William and Cecilia. Collector of the Towneley Marbles (including the Townley Venus, Townley Vase and Townley Discobolus). After his death Towneley passed to his brother Edward Standish, however when he died in 1807 it passed back to their uncle John.

John Towneley (1731–1813)

Son of Richard and Mary. Book collector. Married Barbara Dicconson in 1756. His collection included the Towneley Cycle. In 1786, his uncle George left him the Leighton estate, which he had greatly improved. In 1792 he inherited the Widdrington's Stella estates through his mother. Trustee of British Museum. Elected as a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the

Royal Society of London The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

in 1797. Sold the Leighton estate in 1805.

Peregrine Edward Towneley (1762–1846)

Born on 10 October 1762 at Corney House, Chiswick. Son of John and Barbara. Married Charlotte Drummond in 1794. Elected as a

of the

in 1812. In 1814 he sold his father's book collection to fund improvements to the Hall, for which he employed the services of the architect

Jeffry Wyattville Sir Jeffry Wyatville (3 August 1766 – 18 February 1840) was an English architect and garden designer. Born Jeffry Wyatt into an established dynasty of architects, in 1824 he was allowed by King George IV to change his surname to Wyatvill ...

. Around 1817, he donated land and £1000 to build the town's first catholic chapel since the

catholic emancipation Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restricti ...

. The site was on the Todmorden Road in the Burnley Wood area of

Habergham Eaves Habergham Eaves is a civil parish in the borough of Burnley, in Lancashire, England. The parish consists of a rural area south of Burnley, and suburban areas on the outskirts of the town, including a large industrial estate in the north-west co ...

which was later incorporated into the township of

close to the present day St. Mary's Church. Following the

Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 The Catholic Relief Act 1829, also known as the Catholic Emancipation Act 1829, was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1829. It was the culmination of the process of Catholic emancipation throughout the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

, he became

in 1831. Purchased the

Lordship of Bowland The Lordship of Bowland is a feudal barony associated with the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, England. The lordship fell into disuse between 1885 and 2008, during which time it was widely believed to have lapsed; it was revived in 2008. In 1 ...

in 1835. His daughter Frances went on to marry Thomas Stonor (later made the 3rd Baron Camoys), one their children was the Catholic archbishop Edmund Stonor.

Colonel Charles Towneley (1803–1876)

Son of Peregrine and Charlotte. He married Lady Caroline Molyneux, the daughter of

William Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton William Philip Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton (18 September 1772 – 20 November 1838), also known as Lord Dashalong, was a sportsman, gambler and a friend of the Prince Regent. Personal life Born in 1772, Lord Sefton was the only son of Charles ...

in 1836 and had three daughters: Alice, the second wife of

Thomas O'Hagan, 1st Baron O'Hagan Thomas O'Hagan, 1st Baron O'Hagan, KP, PC (Ire), QC (29 May 18121 February 1885), was an Irish lawyer and judge. He served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1868 to 1874 and again from 1880 to 1881. Background and education O'Hagan was bor ...

, Emily, who married Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox, and Caroline, who married

Montagu Bertie, 7th Earl of Abingdon Montagu Arthur Bertie, 7th Earl of Abingdon (13 May 1836 – 10 March 1928) was an English peer. Early life Montagu Arthur Bertie was born on 13 May 1836 at Hanover Square, Mayfair. He was the eldest of nine children born to Montagu Bertie, 6 ...

. Elected as a

of the

in 1842. Held the

from 1846 to 1876. Elected as an MP for Sligo Borough (now in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

) in 1848 and 1852, however, unseated on petition both times.

in 1857. His horse

Kettledrum Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...

won the 1861 Epsom Derby, He (and possibly others) used the winnings to build St Hubert's catholic church in

Dunsop Bridge Dunsop Bridge is a village in the Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England, north-west of Clitheroe, south-east of Lancaster and west of Skipton. It is in the civil parish of Bowland Forest High. Historically, the village is part of the ...

. Towneley was commissioned on 16 March 1853 to raise the 5th Royal Lancashire Militia with the rank of

Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...

Commandant, with his brother John as one of the majors.''Hart's'', various dates. He retired from the command on 23 March 1863 (when his brother was promoted to succeed him) and was appointed Honorary Colonel of the regiment.''Army List'', various dates. JP. DL. FSA.

John Towneley (1806–1878)

Son of Peregrine and Charlotte, brother of Charles, married Lucy Tichborne, the daughter of Henry Joseph Tichborne, (the 8th Baronet) and Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Burke, Marble Hill, Galway Ireland in 1840. Was MP for Beverly from 1841 to 1852. He followed his brother as Lt-Col (1863) and then Hon Col (1876) of the 5th Royal Lancashire Militia. Held the

from 1876 to 1878. Inherited the estate two years before he died, and his only son, Richard, died the year before. John had four daughters, Therese who married John Delacour, Evelyn, Mary, and Mabel. It was necessary to divide the estate between Charles' and John's daughters. Charles' eldest daughter Caroline was already dead and her share went to her husband

. His middle daughter Emily, the wife of Lord Alexander Gordon-Lennox inherited the properties in

Worsthorne Worsthorne is a rural village on the eastern outskirts of Burnley in Lancashire, England. It is in the civil parish of Worsthorne-with-Hurstwood and the borough of Burnley. At the 2011 census the village had a population of 1,028. The vil ...

and

. The portion that included Towneley Hall and its park went to his youngest, Alice, the wife of

Baron O'Hagan Baron O'Hagan, of Tullahogue in the County of Tyrone, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 14 June 1870 for Sir Thomas O'Hagan, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland. His younger son, the third Baron, served as a Lor ...

Lady Alice O'Hagan (1846–1921)

Alice found it difficult to maintain Towneley Hall. In 1901, she sold the Hall and 62 acres of parkland to the Burnley Corporation. Alice married

KP (29 May 1812 – 1 February 1885). Born in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

, the son of a trader. He was called to the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

in 1836. Between 1838 and 1841 he was the editor of the Newry Examiner. In 1840 he moved to

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, becoming an Irish

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...

in 1849. His appointment as

Solicitor-General for Ireland The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. On ra ...

in 1860 and

Attorney-General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

in the following year, lost him the support of the

Nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...

party, but he was returned to

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

(MP) for

Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in Count ...

in 1863. In 1865 he was appointed a judge of common pleas, and in 1868 became Lord Chancellor of Ireland, the first

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

to hold the chancellorship since the reign of James II. In 1870 he was created

, of Tullahogue in the

County A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

of Tyrone, and held office until the resignation of the ministry in 1874. In 1880 he again became Lord Chancellor on Gladstone's return to office, but resigned in 1881, when he became

Vice Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

of the

Royal University of Ireland The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the ''University Education (Ireland) Act 1879'' as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on 27 Apri ...

. Thomas Towneley O'Hagan, 2nd Baron O'Hagan (5 December 1878 – 13 December 1900). From 1899, he served in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

during the Boer War as a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

, but died abruptly of an unknown illness (thought to have been

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

) just over a week after his 22nd birthday. Maurice Towneley-O'Hagan, 3rd Baron O'Hagan (20 February 1882 – 18 December 1961). The second son of

. He succeeded in the barony on the death of his elder brother in 1900, when he was still eighteen. He served as a government whip 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 ...

, from 1907 to 1910 in the

Liberal Government Liberal government may refer to: Australia In Australian politics, a Liberal government may refer to the following governments administered by the Liberal Party of Australia: * Menzies Government (1949–66), several Australian ministries under S ...

. In 1909, he assumed by Royal licence his maternal grandfather's surname of Towneley in addition to that of O'Hagan. During World War I he was a Major in the Essex Royal Horse Artillery, for which he raised a regiment in 1914. He was invalided out of the army in 1918. He switched to supporting the Conservatives in the mid-1920s. Between 1950 and 1961, O'Hagan was a Deputy Speaker and

Deputy Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of the

. Lord O'Hagan married firstly the Hon. Frances Constance Maddalena, daughter of

Edward Strachey, 1st Baron Strachie Edward Strachey, 1st Baron Strachie, PC (30 October 1858 – 25 July 1936), known as Sir Edward Strachey, Bt, between 1901 and 1911, was a British Liberal politician. He was a member of the Liberal administrations of Sir Henry Campbell-Banne ...

, in 1911. She died in 1931. He married secondly Evelyn Violet, daughter of Harry Thornton Ross, in 1937. O'Hagan died in December 1961, his son the Hon. Thomas Anthony Edward Towneley Strachey having predeceased him in 1955, he was succeeded in the barony by his grandson Charles.

Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan (born 6 September 1945), is a British Conservative party politician. Early years and background O'Hagan was born a godson of Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II. The grandson of Maurice To ...

(born 6 September 1945). He served as a Page to

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

between 1957 and 1961 when he inherited the family title. He first took his seat in the

on 5 December 1967. A relative of the Strachey Baronets, he is the great-great-grandson of

. He was an Independent MEP for

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

from 1972–1975. In the first direct elections to the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

, he was returned for Devon as a Conservative, and remained an MEP until his retirement when his constituency was abolished in 1994. During his time as an MEP he also served as a whip and a frontbench spokesman for the Conservative government in the House of Lords. In 2008, after years of ill health, he offered to sell some of his subsidiary titles to pay for medical bills. In 2009, it was reported that Lord O'Hagan had claimed the

. Previously thought lost or in the possession of the Crown having disappeared from the historical record in the late nineteenth century, it transpired that the title had been retained by an extinct family trust. Lord O'Hagan has been married three times – firstly to Princess Tamara Imeretinsky (1967–84), secondly to Mary Roose-Francis (1985–95), and thirdly to Elizabeth Smith (1995–present). He has two daughters—one from each of his first two marriages (Nina, born 1968; and Antonia, born 1986)—and his heir apparent is his younger brother the Hon. Richard Towneley Strachey.

Sir Simon Peter Edmund Cosmo William Towneley (1921–2022)

Great-grandson of Caroline Towneley through his mother's ( Priscilla Reyntiens) mother (Lady Alice Josephine Bertie), and brother of Peregrine Worsthorne. Assumed the surname and arms of Towneley by Royal Licence.

in 1971.

Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of thes ...

from 1976 to 1996. Made a KCVO in 1994. His late wife Mary was a keen horse rider and instrumental in the development of the

Pennine Bridleway The Pennine Bridleway is a National Trail in Northern England. It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horse riders and cyclists as well as walkers. The trail is around long, extending from Derbyshire to Cumbria ...

, as a result, the part of the route is named after her. She was made an

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2000. One of their daughters is the author K M Grant.

Other Branches of the Family

Townley of Dutton

Dutton Hall () is close to Ribchester in

. Possibly descended from Robert Towneley, the 2nd son of Richard de Towneley and Ellen. However, the evidence also suggests a later source for this branch of the family. Richard Townley (died around 1670) is believed to have built Dutton Hall. Richard Townley (1689–1762) married Jane Greaves. Steward to Alexander Butterworth of Belfield Hall in Rochdale (formerly in Lancashire now in

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county and combined authority area in North West England, with a population of 2.8 million; comprising ten metropolitan boroughs: Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tam ...

). Inherited the Belfield Estate in 1728. Also Inherited the Greaves family's Fulbourn Estate in

Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the ...

and

Beaupré Hall Beaupré Hall was a large 16th-century house mainly of brick, which was built by the Beaupres in Outwell, Norfolk, England and enlarged by their successors the Bells. Like many of Britain's country houses it was demolished in the mid-20th cent ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

in 1751. Colonel Richard Townley (1726–1801), eldest son of Richard and Jane. Married Anne Western in 1750. Patron and friend of the author John Collier AKA Tim Bobbin. Richard Greaves Townley (1751–1823), eldest son of Richard and Anne. Married Margaret Gale in 1785. His daughter Margaret married Charles Mitford, their son was the politician William Townley Mitford. Richard Greaves Townley (1786–1855), eldest son of Richard and Margaret. Married Cecil Watson in 1821. Was MP for

from 1831 to 1841 and from 1847 to 1852. He sold the Belfield Estate in 1851. One of his sons was the Jockey and Cricketer, Captain Thomas Manners Townley (1825–1895), who came second in the 1860

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap st ...

. Charles Watson Townley (1824–1893), second son of Richard and Cecil. Married Georgiana Dallison in 1874. Was

Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire. The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representative in the counties of the United Kingdom. Lord Lieutenants are supported by an appointe ...

1874 from 1893. One of his sons was Sir Walter Townley (1863–1945) who married Lady Susan Keppel in 1896, the daughter of

William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle Lieutenant-colonel William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle, , MP, ADC (15 April 1832 - 28 August 1894), styled Viscount Bury between 1851 and 1891, was a British soldier and politician. He served in the British Army before entering Parliame ...

. He entered a career in the diplomatic service. He held Ambassadorial positions to Romania 1911–12, Iran 1912–1916 and the Netherlands 1917–1919. Another son was the agriculturist and politician

Max Townley Maximilian Gowran Townley (22 June 1864 – 12 December 1942) was a British land agent, agriculturist and politician. He served one term in Parliament as a Conservative, and later campaigned for policies to support agriculture. At the end of his ...

. Rev. Charles Francis Townley (1856–1930), eldest son of Carles and Georgiana. Married Alice Rosalinde Murray Pratt in 1885. Charles Evelyn Townley (1887–1983), eldest son of Charles and Alice. Married Marjorie Templer. Richard Templer Townley (1921–present), eldest son of Charles and Marjorie.

Towneley of Barnside

Barnside () is east of

. This branch of the family also owned Carr Hall () (demolished in the 1950s) on the southwestern edge of

. Believed to be descended from Lawrence Towneley (1447-1530), the 2nd son of John Towneley and Isabel Sherburne. Brother of Sir Richard. Henry Towneley (c. 1541–?) married Anne Catterall (c. 1539–?), daughter of Thomas Catherall in 1559. It has been suggested that this is the Anne Towneley whose death is mentioned in the

Pendle witch trials The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area surrounding Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged ...

. Lawrence Towneley donated a font to the Anglican St Bartholomew's Church in Colne in 1590.

Townley of Royle and Littleton

Royle () is on the northern edge of

on the

River Calder, Lancashire The River Calder is a major tributary of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England and is around in length. Course Starting in Cliviger, its source is very close to that of the West Yorkshire river with the same name, and that of the River Ir ...

. Littleton refers to Astlam (Astleham) Manor (formerly in

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

, today in Surrey), now submerged beneath the Queen Mary Reservoir next to the site of

Shepperton Studios Shepperton Studios is a film studio located in Shepperton, Surrey, England, with a history dating back to 1931. It is now part of the Pinewood Studios Group. During its early existence, the studio was branded as Sound City (not to be confused ...

. Believed to be descended from Nicholas Towneley (born after 1446), the 3rd son of John Towneley and Isabel Sherburne. Brother of Sir Richard. Richard Towneley (1482–1541), married Margaret Clarke. Nicholas Towneley (1505–1546), eldest son of Richard and Margaret. Entered Gray's Inn in 1522. Married Anne Vaughan. Edmund Townley (c. 1532–1598), eldest son of Nicholas and Margaret. Married Katherine Curzon. Nicholas Towneley (c. 1574–1645), eldest son of Edmund and Katherine. Married Isabell Woodroffe. Was

in 1631. Francis Townley (c. 1576–1636), son of Edmund and Katherine. Married Catherine Foster. Inherited land in Littleton through his mother around 1600. Nicholas Townley (1612–1687), eldest son of Francis and Catherine. Entered Gray's Inn in 1623. Married Joanne White. He was known as Nicholas Townley of Littleton. Unsuccessfully attempted to regain the Royle estate in the

Court of Chancery The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid a slow pace of change and possible harshness (or "inequity") of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equ ...

in 1646. Sold Astlam around 1660 and moved into London. One of his sons

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...

went to America in 1683. He married his 2nd wife, Elizabeth Carteret (née. Smith), widow of the 1st governor of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

Sir Philip Carteret in 1685. Their descendants include

Jonathan Townley Crane Jonathan Townley Crane (June 18, 1819 – February 16, 1880) was an American clergyman, author and abolitionist. He was born in Connecticut Farms, in Union Township, New Jersey, and is most widely known as the father of writer Stephen Crane. E ...

Stephen Crane Stephen Crane (November 1, 1871 – June 5, 1900) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism an ...

and A. C. Townley. Nicholas Townley (1642–1685), married Jane Gildredge. He was known as Nicholas Townley of East Bourne.

Charles Townley Charles Townley FRS (1 October 1737 – 3 January 1805) was a wealthy English country gentleman, antiquary and collector, a member of the Towneley family. He travelled on three Grand Tours to Italy, buying antique sculpture, vases, coins, manu ...

and

James Townley Rev. James Townley (6 May 1714 – 15 July 1778) was an English dramatist, the second son of Charles Townley, a merchant. Early life, education and marriage Townley was born in 1714 probably at Tower Hill, London, the second son of Charles Town ...

are believed to be the great-grandsons of Nicholas and Joanne, through their father's father (both also called Charles).

Townley of Hurstwood

Hurstwood () is 2 miles from

. This branch was started by Bernard Towneley (c1532-1602),

illegitimate Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...

son of John Towneley, the brother of Sir John. He married Agnes Ormeroyd. He built Hurstwood Hall in 1579. John Towneley (c. 1560–?) married Eleanor Haydock in 1583. John Townley (1584–?) married Eleanor Grymshaw. John Towneley (1631–1664) married Katherine Rishton. John Towneley (c. 1651–1704)

Towneley of Stone Edge

Stone Edge () is near

. The Stone Edge (or Stonehedge) branch of the family was established by a Lawrence Towneley (1543-1598), the great-grandson of the Lawrence Townley (1447-1530) which established the Barnside branch (above). The Barnside branch is junior only to the main branch, and the Stone Edge branch is junior only to those two branches. Descendants include:

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

hartleyfamily.org.uk
Accessed 2010 and Robert E. Lee.

References

Sources

* * * * H.G. Hart, ''The New Annual Army List, and Militia List'' (various dates from 1840) * * * *

External links

''A genealogical and heraldic history of the commoners of Great Britain and Ireland enjoying territorial possessions or high official rank vol 2'' at Internet Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Towneley (Family) English families History of Lancashire People from Burnley English gentry families