Francis Greville, 1st Earl of Warwick, KT (10 October 1719 – 8 July 1773), styled as Lord Brooke from 1727 to 1746 and Earl Brooke from 1746, was a British peer and landowner. He inherited

Warwick Castle Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from a wooden fort, originally built by William I of England, William the Conqueror during 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a meander of the River Avon, Warwic ...

and the title of Baron Brooke from his father in 1727. His education included time as a gentleman commoner at

Winchester College Winchester College is an English Public school (United Kingdom), public school (a long-established fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) with some provision for day school, day attendees, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It wa ...

(around 1731). He was created

Earl Brooke Earl of Warwick is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which has been created four times in English history. The name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick. Overview The first creation came in 1088, and the title was held b ...

of Warwick Castle on July 7th, 1746 and became

Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire This is an incomplete list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. Since 1728, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Warwickshire. Lord Lieutenants of Warwickshire *Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick 1569� ...

in 1749. He became a

Knight of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier order. The ...

in 1743. In 1759, he petitioned George II for the title

Earl of Warwick Earl of Warwick is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom which has been created four times in English history. The name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick. Overview The first creation came in 1088, and the title was held b ...

when the last Earl of Warwick from the

Rich family The Rich family was a noble family of England that held the peerage titles of Baron Rich, Earl of Warwick, Baron Kensington, Earl of Holland and Baronet Rich during a period spanning the 16th–18th centuries. Family tree References Extern ...

died. Francis' petition was granted, and Warwick Castle was once again held by the Earls of Warwick.

Patronage

He was responsible for various renovations to the castle, including the construction of the State Dining Room and the private apartments. His early dalliances with the

Neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

style even caught the attention of the infamous

Horace Walpole Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (; 24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), better known as Horace Walpole, was an English Whig politician, writer, historian and antiquarian. He had Strawberry Hill House built in Twickenham, southwest London ...

, who referred to him once as "little Brooke".

Lancelot "Capability" Brown Lancelot "Capability" Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783) was an English gardener and landscape architect, a notable figure in the history of the English landscape garden style. Unlike other architects ...

was hired by the Earl to redesign the gardens and grounds surrounding the castle. He also owned

slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

Tobago Tobago, officially the Ward of Tobago, is an List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, island and Regions and municipalities of Trinidad and Tobago, ward within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located northeast of the larger islan ...

. Francis was a significant patron of artists, his account ledgers at Hoare's bank include references to artists such as

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists o ...

Allan Ramsay Allan Ramsay may refer to: *Allan Ramsay (poet) or Allan Ramsay the Elder (1686–1758), Scottish poet *Allan Ramsay (artist) Allan Ramsay (13 October 171310 August 1784) was a Scottish portrait Painting, painter. Life and career Ramsay w ...

Angelica Kauffmann Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered primarily as a history painter, ...

, Thomas Patch and

George Stubbs George Stubbs (25 August 1724 – 10 July 1806) was an English painter, best known for his paintings of horses. Self-trained, Stubbs learnt his skills independently from other great artists of the 18th century such as Joshua Reynolds and Thoma ...

. Between 1748 and 1752, Giovanni Canal was commissioned to paint five celebrated views of the castle. His son George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick further improved the castle and bought many of its present furnishings.

Family

He married Elizabeth Hamilton on 15 May 1742 at Park Place, Remenham, Berkshire, daughter of

Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Archibald Hamilton (1673 – 5 April 1754) was a Royal Navy officer, nobleman and Whigs (British political party), Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons from 1708 to 1747. In the 1690's, he was ...

and Lady Jane Hamilton, by whom he had eight children: * Lady Louisa Augusta Greville (1743–), married William Churchill in 1770 * Lady Frances Elizabeth Greville (11 May 1744 – 6 April 1825), married Sir Henry Harpur, 6th Baronet in 1762 * Lady Charlotte Mary Greville ( 1745 – 31 May 1763), married John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway in 1762 * George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) * Lady Isabella Greville, died young *

Charles Francis Greville Charles Francis Greville PC FRS FRSE FLS FSA (12 May 1749 – 23 April 1809) was a British antiquarian, collector and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1790. Early life Greville was the second son of Francis Greville ...

(1749–1809) *

Robert Fulke Greville Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. Robert Fulke Greville FRS (3 February 1751 – 27 April 1824) was a British Army officer, courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1807. Life He was the third son of Francis Greville ...

(1751–1824), married Louisa Murray (née Cathcart), Countess of Mansfield in 1796 * Lady Anne Greville (1760–1783) After a cooling of their marriage, and after Elizabeth's love affair with General Robert Clerk, the Earl and his wife entered into a formal separation in September 1765."Separation Indenture". Warwickshire County Record Office, Greville of Warwick Castle. WCRO CR1886 432.

References

* , - , - 1719 births 1773 deaths Earls in the Peerage of Great Britain

Francis Francis may refer to: People and characters *Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church (2013–2025) *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) * Francis, a character played by YouTuber Boogie2 ...

Knights of the Thistle Lord-lieutenants of Warwickshire 1 People educated at Winchester College English slave owners {{GB-earl-stub

Patronage

Family

See also

References