Viscount Massereene is a title in thePeerage of Ireland. It was created in 1660, along with the subsidiary title ofBaron Loughneagh. From 1665 to 1816 theSkeffington Baronetcy of Fisherwick was attached to the viscountcy and from 1756 to 1816 the Viscounts also held the title ofEarl of Massereene. Since 1843 the peerages are united with titles ofViscount Ferrard, of Oriel andBaron Oriel, both in the Peerage of Ireland, andBaron Oriel, in thePeerage of the United Kingdom. The Viscount also holds the subsidiary titles ofBaron Loughneagh (1660) andBaron Oriel (1790) in the Peerage of Ireland andBaron Oriel (1821) in thePeerage of the United Kingdom. AsBaron Oriel, he sat in theHouse of Lords until 1999.
The family seat wasChilham Castle, nearCanterbury,Kent.
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John Clotworthy was a prominent Anglo-Irish politician during theCivil War. In 1660 he was createdBaron Loughneagh (afterLough Neagh) andViscount Massereene in the Peerage of Ireland,[1] with remainder to his son-in-lawSir John Skeffington, 4th Baronet, of Fisherwick, the husband of his daughter the Hon. Mary Clotworthy, and in default thereof to his heirs general.[2] This makes the peerages unique in being the only extant Irish peerages that can descend through heirs general rather than heirs male only. Lord Massereene was succeeded according to the special remainder by his son-in-law, the second Viscount. In 1756 his great-grandson, the fifth Viscount, was createdEarl of Massereene in Peerage of Ireland. However, the earldom and baronetcy became extinct in 1816 on the death of his grandson, the fourth Earl. The barony of Loughneugh and viscountcy of Massereene were inherited according to the special remainder (which allowed them to be passed on through the female line) by his daughter Harriet, the ninth Viscountess. She was the wife of Thomas Henry Foster, 2nd Viscount Ferrard (see below). Lord Ferrard and Lady Massereene were both succeeded by their son, the tenth Viscount Massereene and third Viscount Ferrard. In 1817 he assumed by Royal licence the surname of Skeffington in lieu of Foster. His son, the eleventh and fourth Viscount, notably served asLord Lieutenant of County Louth. His son, the twelfth and fifth Viscount, wasLord Lieutenant of Antrim and a member of theSenate of Northern Ireland. As of 2017[update] the titles are held by the latter's grandson, the fourteenth and seventh Viscount, who succeeded his father in 1992. Both he and his father have been presidents of theConservative Monday Club.
John Foster served as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer and as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and also representedCounty Louth in theBritish House of Commons. In 1821 he was createdBaron Oriel, of Ferrard in the County of Louth, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His wifeMargaretta Amelia Foster was createdBaroness Oriel, of Collon, in 1790, andViscountess Ferrard, of Oriel in 1797, both in the Peerage of Ireland. Both Lord Oriel and Lady Ferrard were succeeded by their son, the second Viscount. He was the husband of Harriet Skeffington, 9th Viscountess Massereene. Both he and his wife were succeeded by their son, the tenth Viscount Massereene and third Viscount Ferrard. The titles remain united. For later history of the peerages, see above.
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William Skeffington wasHigh Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1601 and 1623. On 8 May 1627 he was created aBaronet, of Fisherwick in the County of Stafford, in theBaronetage of England. The second Baronet wasMember of Parliament forNewcastle-under-Lyme and served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1637. The fourth Baronet married Hon. Mary Clotworthy, daughter ofJohn Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene. In 1665 he succeeded his father-in-law as second Viscount Massereene according to a special remainder in the letters patent. The titles remained united until the extinction of the baronetcy in 1816. For later history of the titles, see above.
Theheir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon. James Algernon Foster Clotworthy Skeffington (born 2014).
See above for further succession.
See above for further succession.
See above for further succession.
