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in: Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland, Howth, 1767 establishments in the British Empire,
and 2 more

House of Howth

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Howth Castle

House of Howth is a Irish Noble House of the St Lawrence Family located at Castle Howth in County Dublin, numbering 15 barons and 4 earls with distinquished career as lawmakers and soldiers. Since 1180 the St. Lawrence family have been the Lords of Howth. Howth Castle has stood on its present site for over seven hundred years, the original one, a timber structure, having been sited on Tower Hill, overlooking Balscadden Bay. The title line died out in 1909 when their were no more male heirs, but the castle estate remains with the St Lawrence family female heirs to this date.

History of Howth[]

Since 1180 the St. Lawrence family have been the Lords of Howth. Howth Castle has stood on its present site for over seven hundred years, the original one, a timber structure, having been sited on Tower Hill, overlooking Balscadden Bay. The current building is not the original castle, which was on the high slopes by the village and the sea. The great English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens restyled a 14th-century castle built here, overlooking Ireland's Eye and the north Dublin coastline.

Pirate Legend[]

A popular legend about the Castle concerns an incident that apparently occurred in 1576. During a trip from Dublin, the pirate Gráinne O'Malley attempted to pay a courtesy visit to the 8th Baron Howth. However, she was informed that the family was at dinner and the castle gates were closed against her. In retaliation, she abducted the grandson and heir, the 10th Baron. He was eventually released when a promise was given to keep the gates open to unexpected visitors, and to set an extra place at every meal. At Howth Castle today, this agreement is still honoured by the descendants of the Baron.

Early Family St Lawrence[]

  1. Robert St Lawrence (1250-)
  2. Adam St Lawrence (1270-)
  3. Adam St Lawrence (1305-1334)
  4. Nicholas St Lawrence (1354-1404)
  5. Stephen St Lawrence (1380-1435) - father of 2nd Baron

Barons of Howth[]

  1. Christopher St Lawrence, 1st Baron Howth (died 1430)
  2. Christopher St Lawrence (1409-1462), 2nd Baron Howth - md Ann Plunkett
  3. Robert St Lawrence (1440-1485), 3rd Baron Howth - served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. While all the barons are descended form his first wife Alice White (c1440-), he later remarried to Joan Beaufort (1433-1518), ggd of King Edward III of the English royal family.
    1. Thomas St. Lawrence (c1480-), (son of Robert #3) who became Attorney General for Ireland
  4. Nicholas St Lawrence (1460-1526), 4th Baron Howth (son of Robert #3) - served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. A distinguished soldier who fought at the Battle of Knockdoe;
    1. William Dungan (1606-1636) - gggson ( TDungan, MForster, MNetterville, ASL) an irish perfumer whose widowed wife (Frances Latham (1609-1677), Mother of Governors) and children immigrated to America with a great and noteworth posterity there (see Lewis Latham (1584-1655)/List of Notable Descendants).
  5. Christopher St Lawrence (1482-1542), 5th Baron Howth (son of Nicholas #4) - md his step-sister Anne Bermingham (1485-1542)
  6. Edward St Lawrence (1508-1549), 6th Baron Howth (son of Christopher #5)
  7. Richard St Lawrence (1514-1558), 7th Baron Howth (son of Christopher #5)
  8. Christpher St Lawrence (1515-1589), 8th Baron Howth (son of Christopher #5)
  9. Nicholas St Lawrence, 9th Baron Howth (1555–1606) - an open Roman Catholic, and led the opposition to the Penal Laws in the early 17th century.
  10. Christopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron Howth (died 1619) - abducted by pirates (see legend above)
  11. Nicholas St Lawrence, 11th Baron Howth (1597–1643)
  12. William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth (died 1671)
  13. Thomas St Lawrence, 13th Baron Howth (1659–1727)
  14. William St Lawrence, 14th Baron Howth (1688–1748)
  15. Thomas St Lawrence, 15th Baron Howth (1730–1801; created Earl of Howth in 1767)

Earls of Howth[]

  1. Thomas St Lawrence, 1st Earl of Howth (1730–1801) - created in 1767 for Thomas St Lawrence, 15th Baron Howth, who was elevated to Viscount St Lawrence at the same time,
  2. William St Lawrence, 2nd Earl of Howth (1752–1822)
  3. Thomas St Lawrence, 3rd Earl of Howth (1803–1874)
  4. William Ulick Tristram St Lawrence, 4th Earl of Howth (1827–1909)

References[]

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