Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath facts for kids

A statue of Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath, kneeling next to his father's monument in Tawstock Church, Devon.

The family symbol, or coat of arms, of the Bourchier family.

Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath (born 1 March 1590 – died 31 March 1636) was an English nobleman. He held the title of Earl of Bath.

Who Was Edward Bourchier?

Edward Bourchier was born in Somerset, England. He was the oldest son of William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Bath. His mother was Elizabeth Russell. Her father was Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford.

His Education

Edward Bourchier went to Caius College, Cambridge to study. This was a well-known university in England.

His Family Life

Edward Bourchier was married two times.

First Marriage

On 14 July 1623, he married Dorothy St John. She was his second cousin. Dorothy passed away on 20 August 1632.

Edward and Dorothy had one son and three daughters:

• John Bourchier, also known as Lord FitzWarin (born 1630 – died 1631). He was their only son. Sadly, he died as a baby.
• Lady Elizabeth Bourchier (born 1626 – died 1670). She was their oldest daughter. She married Basil Feilding, 2nd Earl of Denbigh. They did not have any children.
• Lady Dorothy Bourchier (born 1627 – died 1659). She was their second daughter. She married Thomas, Lord Grey of Groby. They had a son named Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford. Later, she married Gustavus Mackworth and had more children.
• Lady Anne Bourchier (born 1631 – died after 1654). She was their third daughter. She first married James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex. Their two daughters died young. Anne then married Sir Chichester Wray, 3rd Baronet. His family later inherited the main Bourchier home, Tawstock, after the 5th Earl of Bath passed away.

Second Marriage

In 1633, Edward married Ann Lovett. She was the daughter of Sir Robert Lovett. Edward and Ann did not have any children. Ann later married Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden after Edward died.

Who Inherited the Title?

Edward and Dorothy's only son, John, died when he was a baby. This meant he could not inherit the title of Earl of Bath.

When Edward Bourchier died, his first cousin, Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath (born 1587 – died 1654), became the next Earl. Henry Bourchier did not have any children. When he died in 1654, the title of Earl of Bath came to an end.

The family's land and other titles, like Baron FitzWarin, were then shared among Edward's three daughters.

His Death

Edward Bourchier passed away on 31 March 1636.