Edward Weld (Senior) facts for kids
Edward Weld (born 1705, died 8 December 1761) was an English gentleman who owned a lot of land. He came from an old family that was Roman Catholic when many people in England were not. Edward Weld is remembered for improving his home, Lulworth Castle, and for being accused of treason during a historical event called the Jacobite rising of 1745.
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Edward Weld's Early Life
Edward Weld was born in East Lulworth, England. He was the oldest son of Humphrey Weld, who owned Lulworth Castle. His family had owned the Lulworth estate, located on the Jurassic Coast, since 1641. Edward took over the estate when his father passed away in 1722. He was the fourth person in his family to own Lulworth.
Edward was a Roman Catholic and a respected member of his community. People thought he had a "friendly personality" and was a good landowner.
Making Lulworth Castle Better
When Edward Weld inherited Lulworth Castle, he spent 30 years making it much better. The castle was a large country house, and some people think the famous architect Inigo Jones helped design it.
Edward hired local architects to decorate the inside of the Castle. He also continued to work on the gardens, which his father had started. He made the terrace bigger and added a walled garden. He was responsible for adding the beautiful Adam style decorations and furniture inside the castle, making it a special example of a 17th-century hunting lodge that looked like a castle.
Edward Weld's Family Life
In 1727, Edward Weld married Catherine Elizabeth Aston. After some years, they decided to live separately until Catherine passed away in 1739.
In 1740, Edward married again, this time to Mary Theresa Vaughan. They had a daughter and four sons together. Their oldest son, also named Edward Weld, later married Maria Fitzherbert. Their youngest son, Thomas Weld, had many children and was a kind person who was friends with George III, the King of England. Thomas even invited the King to visit Lulworth Castle. Edward's grandson, Cardinal Thomas Weld, became a very important religious leader.
Accused of Treason
In 1745, Edward Weld was accused of helping the Jacobite rising of 1745, a rebellion happening in Scotland and northern England. This happened because a letter was supposedly found that linked him to the rebels. He was taken in for questioning, but the judges decided the letter was a trick and dismissed the case.
Even though the case was dropped, he was told to give up his strong coach horses because they could be useful to the rebels. To completely clear his name, Edward visited the Duke of Newcastle, who was a powerful government official. Edward Weld passed away at age 56 and was remembered with many kind words.
Edward Weld's Lasting Impact
Edward and his second wife, Mary, sent their three sons to be educated by English Jesuits (a religious group) in Europe. This education helped their sons, Edward, John, and Thomas, prepare for a "Grand Tour" of Europe, where they met important people in cities like Paris and Rome.
These connections were very important for their son Thomas. He helped bring the English Jesuits back to England after more than 200 years, giving them Stonyhurst College. The Weld family also kept strong ties with French religious groups and even members of the French royal family. Thomas's quiet influence may have helped pass laws that gave more rights to Catholics, like the Catholic Relief Act 1791 and later the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829.
Sadly, while their sons were studying abroad, Mary passed away in 1754, followed by their son John in 1759, and then Edward himself in 1761.
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Edward's grandfather had struggled financially after Roundheads took over Lulworth Castle during the English Civil War. The family's wealth was saved partly by the money Edward's mother brought into the family, and later by Edward's own good management. His skills helped the estate do well for two centuries.
However, in 1929, Lulworth Castle was badly damaged by a fire. All the improvements Edward had made to the 18th-century interiors, furniture, and the amazing library were lost. Luckily, some valuable pictures, books, and furniture were saved with the help of two groups of Girl Guides who were camping nearby! Before the fire, a magazine called Country Life had taken photos and written about the castle in 1926, so there is a record of how it looked.
The castle remained a ruin for 70 years until one of Edward's family members, Wilfrid Weld, worked hard to restore it. He partnered with Historic England to bring it back to life, and now it is a museum. Sometimes, furniture and pictures that belonged to Edward Weld appear at auctions, showing his good taste and how he furnished the castle.
A painting of Edward Weld, made by the artist Adrien Carpentiers, still exists today.
Images for kids
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Lulworth Castle in 2013
