William Widdrington, 4th Baron Widdrington (167819 April 1743), was an English Roman Catholic peer and supporter of the Stuart claim to

the Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

Background

Widdrington was the son of William Widdrington, 3rd Baron Widdrington, by the Honourable Alethea Fairfax, daughter of

Charles Fairfax, 5th Viscount Fairfax of Emley Charles Fairfax, 5th Viscount Fairfax of Emley (died 6 July 1711), was an English peer. Fairfax was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 2nd Viscount Fairfax of Emley, by Alathea Howard, daughter of Sir Philip Howard, son of Lord William Howard. He succeed ...

, and succeeded to his father's title and estates in 1695. His family was staunchly

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 ...

and was educated at a Jesuit college in Paris. He became a supporter of the Stuart claim to the Crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Political activity

Widdrington took part in the

Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( gd, Bliadhna Sheumais ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the exiled Stuarts. At Braemar, Aberdeenshire ...

, and with two of his brothers was taken prisoner after the Battle of Preston. Along with

Henry Oxburgh Henry Oxburgh (died 1716) was an Irish soldier and Jacobite who was one of the leaders of the Jacobite rising of 1715 in England. Captured by forces loyal to the Hanoverian Dynasty following the Battle of Preston, he was executed at Tyburn for ...

he counselled the commander of the English rising Thomas Forster and seek what terms he could from the army commander Charles Wills. He was convicted of

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

and condemned to death, but was reprieved after an intervention by his wife, Catherine Graham. Although his title and estates were forfeited, he was not executed but was allowed to retire to Bath.

Family

Widdrington married Jane Tempest in 1700 and resided at Stella Hall,

Blaydon-on-Tyne Blaydon is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, and historically in County Durham. Blaydon, and neighbouring Winlaton, which Blaydon is now contiguous with, form the postal town of Blaydon-on-Tyne. The Blaydo ...

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

. His wife Jane died in 1714, and in 1718 he married Catherine Graham, the daughter of

Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston PC (24 September 1648 – 22 December 1695) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1675 and 1689. He became a Jacobite conspirator, but his reputation ...

. In 1739, Catherine and her sister Mary inherited the estate at

Nunnington Hall Nunnington Hall is a country house situated in the English county of North Yorkshire. The river Rye, which gives its name to the local area, Ryedale, runs past the house, flowing away from the village of Nunnington. A stone bridge over the ...

, Yorkshire, from their nephew Charles, third and last Viscount Preston, who died without issue. After Widdrington's death on 19 April 1743, he was interred in his wife's family vault at Nunnington Parish Church.Memorial Tablet in Nunnington Church. A memorial tablet was erected, commemorating his life and virtues; it refers to his part in the Jacobite rising by speaking obliquely of 'the affair at Preston'. When his son Henry Francis Widdrington, who claimed the barony, died in September 1774, this branch of the family appears to have become extinct. His brother Peregrine and sister-in-law Maria, Duchess of Norfolk, were both staunch Jacobites as well.

Notes

References

Northumbrian Jacobites
1678 births 1743 deaths Barons Widdrington English Jacobites People of the Jacobite rising of 1715 {{England-baron-stub