Baron Saye and Sele
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The title Baron Saye and Sele was created in the Peerage of England in 1447, when letters patent granted the title to James Fiennes for his services in the Hundred Years War. The patent creating the original earldom was lost, so it was assumed that the barony was created by writ, meaning that it could descend to heirs-general, and not only heirs-male. However, several authorities, including Burke's Peerage, agree that the assumption was erroneous, and that the original creation was by patent.
At the death of his son, the second baron, the title became dormant (unclaimed). The title remained dormant until Richard Fiennes, the seventh de jure baron claimed it in 1573. For years, he remained unsucsessful, until 1603, when James II granted letters patent to him. The patent confirmed that the barony created in 1447 belonged to Richard Fiennes, but on the condition that, for the purposes of precedence or seniority, it would be considered as having been created in 1603, and also provided that no future Baron Saye and Sele would assert the precedence of 1447. The patent, furthermore, allowed the title to pass to heirs-general, based on the erroneous assumption that the barony was created by writ.
The eighth baron was created Viscount Saye and Sele. At the death of the second Viscount, the barony fell into abeyance between several coheirs, while the viscountcy was inherited by another heir. By 1715, all of the coheirs died save one; the surviving coheir, Cecil Twisleton, assumed the title.
Barons Saye and Sele (1447)
- James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1395-1450)
- William Fiennes, 2nd Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1428-1471)
- Henry Fiennes, 3rd Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1460-1476)
- Richard Fiennes, 4th Baron Saye and Sele (1471-1501)
- Edward Fiennes, 5th Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1500-1528)
- Richard Fiennes, 6th Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1520-1573)
- Richard Fiennes, 7th Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1557-1613)
- William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele (1582-1662)
- James Fiennes, 2nd Viscount Saye and Sele (c. 1603-1674) (abeyant 1674)
- Cecil Twisleton, 10th Baron Saye and Sele (d. 1723) (became sole heir 1715)
- Fiennes Twistleton, 11th Baron Saye and Sele (1670-1730)
- John Twisleton, 12th Baron Saye and Sele (1698-1763)
- Thomas Twisleton, 13th Baron Saye and Sele (c. 1735-1788)
- Gregory William Eardley-Twisleton-Fiennes, 14th Baron Saye and Sele (1769-1844)
- William Thomas Eardley-Twisleton-Fiennes, 15th Baron Saye and Sele (1798-1847)
- Frederick Benjamin Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 16th Baron Saye and Sele (1799-1887)
- John Fiennes Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 17th Baron Saye and Sele (1830-1907)
- Geoffrey Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 18th Baron Saye and Sele (1858-1937)
- Geoffrey Rupert Cecil Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 19th Baron Saye and Sele (1884-1949)
- Ivo Murray Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 20th Baron Saye and Sele (1885-1968)
- Nathaniel Thomas Allen Fiennes, 21st Baron Saye and Sele (b. 1920)