Earl Cawdor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earldom Cawdor |
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Arms: Quarterly 1st Or a Hart’s Head caboshed Sable, attired Gules (Cawder); 2nd Gyronny of eight Or and Sable (Campbell); 3rd Argent a Lymphad, sails furled Sable, flagged Gules (Lorne); 4th parted per fess Azure and Gules, a cross Or (Lort). Ordinary of Arms, second matriculation 1722. Crest: A Swan proper, crowned Or. Supporters: dexter: A Lion guardant Gules. Sinister: A Hart proper.
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| Creation date | 5 October 1827 |
| Monarch | King George IV |
| Peerage | Peerage of the United Kingdom |
| First holder | John Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor |
| Present holder | Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor |
| Heir apparent | James Campbell, Viscount Emlyn |
| Remainder to | The 1st Earl's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Emlyn Baron Cawdor |
| Status | Extant |
| Seat(s) | Cawdor Castle |
| Motto | Over the crest: CANDIDUS CANTABIT MORIENS (The pure of heart shall sing when dying) Under the shield: BE MINDFUL |
The title of Earl Cawdor is a special rank in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1827 for John Campbell, who was already the 2nd Baron Cawdor. This means he was given a higher noble title by the King. The title is named after Castlemartin in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
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What is an Earl?
An Earl is a high-ranking noble title in the United Kingdom. It's one of the oldest titles, coming from the Old English word "eorl." An Earl ranks below a Marquess but above a Viscount. People with these titles are part of the "Peerage," which is a system of noble ranks.
History of the Cawdor Title
The Campbell family, who hold the Cawdor titles, are part of a large Scottish family called Clan Campbell. This specific branch of the family comes from Sir John Campbell, who lived a long time ago, in the 1500s. He was the third son of the 2nd Earl of Argyll.
The First Baron Cawdor
A descendant of Sir John Campbell, named John Campbell, was an important person in politics. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for areas like Nairnshire and Cardigan. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. In 1796, he was given the title of Baron Cawdor. This title was also named after Castlemartin.
From Baron to Earl
John Campbell's eldest son became the 2nd Baron Cawdor after his father. He also served in Parliament, representing Carmarthenshire. He was also a Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire, which is a representative of the King or Queen in a county. In 1827, he was given even higher titles by King George IV. He became Viscount Emlyn and Earl Cawdor. These new titles were also part of the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
His son, the 2nd Earl, continued the family tradition of public service. He was an MP for Pembrokeshire and a Lord Lieutenant. The 3rd Earl, his eldest son, was a politician for the Conservative Party. He even served as the First Lord of the Admiralty for a short time in 1905. This role was in charge of the Royal Navy. He was also a Lord Lieutenant and the Chairman of the Great Western Railway, a very important railway company.
The Current Earl
As of 2014, the current holder of these titles is the seventh Earl, Colin Campbell. He became Earl in 1993 after his father passed away. He is also known as the 25th Thane of Cawdor, which is a very old Scottish title.
Other Notable Family Members
The Campbell family has had many interesting members over the years:
- Sir George Campbell, the younger brother of the first Baron, was an admiral in the Royal Navy. An admiral is a very high-ranking officer in the navy.
- The Hon. George Pryse Campbell, another son of the first Baron, was also a rear-admiral in the Royal Navy.
- Brigadier-General John Vaughan Campbell was a brave soldier who won the Victoria Cross in 1916. The Victoria Cross is the highest award for bravery in the British armed forces.
- Colonel the Hon. Ian Malcoln Campbell, a son of the third Earl, was a Lord Lieutenant of Nairnshire.
- Liza Campbell is the daughter of the sixth Earl.
Family Homes and Castles
The main family home for the Earls Cawdor is Cawdor Castle. It's located near Cawdor, Nairnshire, in Scotland. This castle is also linked to the ancient title of Thane of Cawdor.
In the past, the family also owned other important homes:
- Golden Grove in Carmarthenshire, Wales. This estate was given to the 1st Earl Cawdor by a friend.
- Stackpole Court in Pembrokeshire, Wales. This property was acquired when Alexander Campbell married Elizabeth Lort.
Barons Cawdor (1796)
- John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor (1753–1821)
- John Frederick Campbell, 2nd Baron Cawdor (1790–1860) (became Earl Cawdor in 1827)
Earls Cawdor (1827)
- John Frederick Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor (1790–1860)
- John Frederick Vaughan Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor (1817–1898)
- Frederick Archibald Vaughan Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor (1847–1911)
- Hugh Frederick Vaughan Campbell, 4th Earl Cawdor (1870–1914)
- John Duncan Vaughan Campbell, 5th Earl Cawdor (1900–1970)
- Hugh John Vaughan Campbell, 6th Earl Cawdor (1932–1993)
- Colin Robert Vaughan Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor (b. 1962)
The person who will inherit the title next is the current Earl's son, James Chester Campbell, Viscount Emlyn. He was born in 1998.
See also
