Baron le Despencer
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The title Baron le Despencer has been created several times by writ in the Peerage of England. The first creation ended with the forfeiture and execution of the second baron for treason. The second and fourth creations both ended in extinction when no heirs to the title remained.
The third creation was in favour of Sir Edward le Despencer. The second baron was created Earl of Gloucester in 1397, but in 1400 forfeit his titles for treason. Henry Beauchamp, who would have held the title but for the attainder, was created Duke of Warwick. Upon the death of his successor Anne, the attained barony fell into abeyance. In 1604, the Sovereign reversed the attainder and terminated the abeyance in favour of Mary Fane. Her successor in the barony was the first Earl of Westmorland, and the next six earls held the barony and the earldom together. At the death of the seventh earl, the barony again fell into abeyance. The abeyance was terminated for Sir Francis Dashwood, but at his death the barony again went into abeyance. Once again, the Sovereign had to terminate the abeyance, and the same was done in favour of Sir Thomas Stapleton, Baronet.
The eighteenth baron succeeded to the title of Viscount Falmouth, and the two titles have remained united since.
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Barons le Despencer, First Creation (1264)
- Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer (1265)
- Hugh le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer (d. 1326) (forfeit 1326)
Barons le Despencer, Second Creation (1338)
Barons le Despencer, Third Creation (1375)
- Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer (1336-1375)
- Thomas le Despencer, 1st Earl of Gloucester, 2nd Baron le Despencer (1373-1400) (forfeit 1400)
- Richard le Despencer, 3rd Baron le Despencer (d. 1414)
- Isabel Beauchamp, 4th Baroness le Despencer (d. 1440)
- Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick, 5th Baron le Despencer (1424-1445)
- Anne Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick, 6th Baroness le Despencer (d. 1449) (abeyant 1449)
- Mary Fane, 7th Baroness le Despencer (1554-1626) (attainder reversed and abeyance terminated 1604)
- Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland, 8th Baron le Despencer (1580-1629)
- Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland, 9th Baron le Despencer (1602-1666)
- Charles Fane, 3rd Earl of Westmorland, 10th Baron le Despencer (1635-1691)
- Vere Fane, 4th Earl of Westmorland, 11th Baron le Despencer (1645-1693)
- Vere Fane, 5th Earl of Westmorland, 12th Baron le Despencer (1678-1699)
- Thomas Fane, 6th Earl of Westmorland, 13th Baron le Despencer (1683-1736)
- John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmorland, 14th Baron le Despencer (1685-1762) (abeyant 1762)
- Francis Dashwood, 15th Baron le Despencer (1708-1781) (abeyance terminated 1763; abeyant 1781)
- Thomas Stapleton, 16th Baron le Despencer (1766-1831) (abeyance terminated 1788)
- Mary Frances Elizabeth Boscawen, 17th Baroness le Despencer (1822-1891)
- Evelyn Edward Thomas Boscawen, 7th Viscount Falmouth, 18th Baron le Despencer (1847-1918)
See Viscount Falmouth for further Barons le Despencer.