William Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster
|
|
|---|---|
William Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster, depicted in a 1700 portrait by Godfrey Kneller
|
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 August 1648 |
| Died | 7 December 1711 (aged 63) |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Known for | Construction of Easton Neston |
William Fermor, also known as Baron Leominster, was an important English politician and a noble. He was born on August 3, 1648, and passed away on December 7, 1711. Before becoming a Baron, he was known as Sir William Fermor, 2nd Baronet. He is most famous for building the grand house called Easton Neston.
Contents
About William Fermor
William Fermor was the oldest son of Sir William Fermor, 1st Baronet. His family lived at a place called Easton Neston in Northamptonshire, England. His mother was Mary Perry.
He went to college at Magdalen College, Oxford. When his father passed away in 1661, William became the 2nd Baronet. This meant he inherited his father's title.
His Political Career
William Fermor became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Northampton in 1671. He was elected again in 1679. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's parliament.
In 1692, he was given a special noble title. He became Baron Leominster of Leominster, Herefordshire. This made him a peer, which is a high-ranking noble.
Easton Neston House
Baron Leominster decided to rebuild his family's large home, Easton Neston. He also planned the beautiful gardens around it. The sides of the house were designed by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. The main part of the house was finished in 1702 by another architect, Nicholas Hawksmoor. It took 20 years to complete!
He decorated the house with many old statues and art pieces. These were part of the Arundel marbles, which he bought. These ancient sculptures were later given to the University of Oxford in 1755.
His Family and Marriages
William Fermor was married three times during his life.
First Marriage
His first wife was Jane Barker. She came from a family in Fairford, Gloucestershire. With Jane, he had one daughter:
- Elizabeth Fermor (who passed away in 1705). She never married. Elizabeth spent a lot of money to protect the amazing stained glass windows in Fairford Church. These windows were made in the 1490s.
Second Marriage
His second wife was Catherine Poulett. She was the daughter of John Poulett, 3rd Baron Poulett. With Catherine, he had another daughter:
- Mary Fermor. She married Sir John Wodehouse, 4th Baronet.
Third Marriage
His third wife was Lady Sophia Osborne. She was the daughter of a very important noble, Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds. Sophia was also a widow. With Sophia, William Fermor had five children, including:
- Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret. He was William's only son and inherited his titles.
- Matilda Fermor. She married Edward Conyers, who was also a Member of Parliament.
Death and Successor
William Fermor, 1st Baron Leominster, passed away on December 7, 1711. His only son, Thomas Fermor, took over his titles. Thomas later became the Earl of Pomfret in 1721.
