Arms: Barry of ten Argent and Azure, six Escutcheons, three, two, and one, Sable, each charged with a Lion rampant Argent. Crest: On a Chapeau Gules, turned up Ermine, a Garb Or, supported by two Lions, the dexter Argent, and the sinister Azure. Supporters: On either side a Lion Ermine.
The title is chiefly associated with the Cecil family, descended from the courtier Sir
Richard Cecil of the parish of
Stamford Baron St Martin in
Northamptonshire. His only son,
Sir William Cecil, was a prominent statesman and served as Secretary of State,
Lord High Treasurer and
Lord Privy Seal. In 1571 he was created Baron Burghley, in the County of Northampton, in the Peerage of England. His son from his second marriage to Mildred Cooke,
Sir Robert Cecil, was created
Earl of Salisbury in 1605 and is the ancestor of the
Marquesses of Salisbury. Lord Burghley was succeeded by his son from his first marriage to Mary Cheke,
Thomas, the second Baron. He represented
Stamford,
Lincolnshire and
Northamptonshire in the
House of Commons, served as
Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire and as President of the Council of the North and was also a distinguished soldier. In 1605 Thomas Cecil was created Earl of Exeter in the Peerage of England (on the same day his half-brother was created Earl of Salisbury).
Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son
William Cecil, the second Earl. He served as
Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. Lord Exeter married as his first wife
Elizabeth, 16th Baroness de Ros. Their son
William succeeded his mother in the barony at the age of one. However, he died childless during his father's lifetime (when the barony was inherited by his cousin
Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland). Lord Exeter had no other sons and was succeeded by his nephew, the
third Earl. He was the son of Sir Richard Cecil, second son of the first Earl. He represented
Peterborough in the
Short Parliament. His son, the
fourth Earl, was Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. He was succeeded by his son, the
fifth Earl. He sat as Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire.
His son, the
sixth Earl, represented
Rutland in Parliament and served as
Lord Lieutenant of Rutland. His second son, the
eighth Earl (who succeeded his elder brother), briefly represented Stamford in the House of Commons. His eldest son, the
ninth Earl, was Member of Parliament for Rutland and also Lord Lieutenant of that county. He was childless and was succeeded by his nephew, the
tenth Earl. He was the son of Thomas Chambers Cecil, second son of the eighth Earl.
Creation as Marquess
Lord Exeter represented Stamford in Parliament for sixteen years. In 1801 he was created Marquess of Exeter in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.[1]
Another member of the Cecil family was the naval commander
Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon (a title which became extinct on his death in 1638). He was the third son of the first Earl of Exeter. Also,
Lord William Cecil, third son of the third Marquess, married Mary, 2nd Baroness Amherst of Hackney. Their grandson William succeeded in the barony in 1919. Another member of this branch of the family is
Vice-AdmiralSir Nigel Cecil. The champion racehorse trainer Sir
Henry Cecil was the son of Henry Cecil, a younger brother of the third Baron.
Lord John Joicey-Cecil, fourth son of the third Marquess, was Conservative Member of Parliament for Stamford.
The marquessate of Exeter is the senior marquessate in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Marquesses also hold the title of hereditary
Grand Almoner and Lord Paramount of
Peterborough.
The ancestral home of the Marquesses of Exeter is
Burghley House, near
Stamford, Lincolnshire; it is now run by a trust founded by the family. Former properties include
Cecil House in London and
Exeter House, Derby. The traditional burial place of the Cecils of Burghley House and the Marquesses of Exeter is the Burghley Chapel in
St Martin's Church, Stamford.
The
heir apparent is the present holder's son Anthony John Cecil, Lord Burghley (b. 1970).
The heir apparent's
heir presumptive is his fourth cousin (Hugh) William Amherst Cecil,
5th Baron Amherst of Hackney (b. 1968), who is descended from the third son of the third Marquess.
His heir is his only son Jack William Cecil (b. 2001)
Edward Courtenay (
d. 1509) Created 1485 1st Earl of Devon Forfeit at his death by his son's attainder 1504
William Courtenay (
d. 1485)
Thomas Courtenay (1432–1461) 7th Baron Courtenay 6th/14th Earl of Devon
John Courtenay (1435–1471) Attaider of 1461 reversed Title restored 1470 7th/15th Earl of Devon Title in Abeyance 1471–1485 Attainder of 1461 re-invoked 1485, title forfeit
William Courtenay (
d. 1511) Attainted 1504 Restored and Created 1511 1st Earl of Devon
William Courtenay (
d. 1512)
Earldom of Devon and Barony of Courtenay forfeit, 1461
^Mosley, Charles, ed. (1999). "Amherst of Hackney". Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. Vol. 1 (106th ed.). Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd. pp. 67–68.
ISBN2-940085-02-1.
^Morris, Susan; Bosberry-Scott, Wendy; Belfield, Gervase, eds. (2019). "Amherst of Hackney, Baron". Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 1 (150th ed.). London: Debrett's Ltd. pp. 330–334.
ISBN978-1-999767-0-5-1.