The Skeffington Baronetcy

ARMS OF THE EARL OF MASSEREENE

THE VISCOUNTS MASSEREENE WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY ANTRIM, WITH 45,000 ACRES IN 1668. THEIR SEAT WAS ANTRIM CASTLE.

The very ancient family of Skeffington derived its name from the village of Skeffington, Leicestershire.

SIR WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, knight, was appointed by HENRY VIII, in 1529, His Majesty's Commissioner to Ireland, where he arrived in August of that year.

Sir William had instructions to find out means to restrain the "exactions" of the soldiers; to call a Parliament; and to provide that the possessions of the clergy might be subject to bear their part of the public expense.

Sir William was, subsequently, a very illustrious political personage in Ireland and died, as Lord Deputy, in December, 1535. His great-grandson,

JOHN SKEFFINGTON ESQ, of Fisherwick, married Alice, 7th daughter of Sir Thomas Cave Bt, of Stamford, Northamptonshire, and had a son and successor,

SIR WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, 1st Baronet, Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1621 and 1623, in the reign of ELIZABETH I and JAMES I, was created a baronet, of Fisherwick, Staffordshire, in 1627.

SIR JOHN SKEFFINGTON, 2nd Baronet (1590-1651) was MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme and served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1637.

He married Cicily, sister and co-heir of Sir John Skeffington, of Skeffington, and had a son,

SIR WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, 3rd Baronet (d 1652); died unmarried shortly after his father and was succeeded by his uncle,

SIR RICHARD SKEFFINGTON, 4th Baronet, who married Anne, youngest daughter of Sir John Newdigate, knight, of Arbury, Warwickshire, and had issue,

SIR JOHN SKEFFINGTON, 5th Baronet (d 1695), who married the Hon Mary Clotworthy, daughter of John, 1st Viscount Massereene.

In 1665 he succeeded his father-in-law as 2nd Viscount Massereene, according to a special remainder in the letters patent.

SIR CLOTWORTHY SKEFFINGTON, 6th Baronet and 3rd Viscount Massereene (1660-1714), married and was succeeded by his son,

SIR CLOTWORTHY SKEFFINGTON, 7th Baronet and 4th Viscount Massereene (d 1739); married in 1713 Lady Katherine Chichester, eldest daughter of Arthur, 3rd Earl of Donegall, and had issue,

SIR CLOTWORTHY SKEFFINGTON, 8th Baronet and 5th Viscount Massereene (1715-57), who was created 1st Earl of Massereene in 1756.

Sir Chichester Skeffington (d 1816),11th Baronet, was 4th and last Earl of Massereene.

He married Lady Harriet Jocelyn, eldest daughter of Robert, 1st Earl of Roden, by whom he had issue an only daughter, Harriet.

The baronetcy and earldom became extinct in 1816.

First published in May, 2011.