Duke of Chandos

Duke Of Chandos

The title Baron Chandos has been created twice in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1337 when Roger de Chandos was summoned to parliament. It became extinct on his death.

It was next created, with the precise form "Baron Chandos, of Sudeley in the county of Gloucester", in 1554 for John Brydges, formerly MP for Gloucestershire. The three succeeding barons were all Members of Parliament and persons of some importance — see particularly Grey, 5th Baron, and his elder son George, 6th Baron. George had six daughters but no sons, and after the death of his brother William in 1676 the barony came to a kinsman, Sir James Brydges, Bart., who was English ambassador to Istanbul from 1680 to 1685. The eighth baron's son, also James Brydges, was to become 1st Duke of Chandos. He was created Earl of Carnarvon (second creation) in 1714 and Duke of Chandos in 1719. Subsidiary titles included Marquess of Carnarvon (1719) and Viscount Wilton (1714). All of these titles were in the Peerage of Great Britain. The 1st Duke built an exceptionally grand country house called Cannons that, though it was parodied in his lifetime, was a seat of great learning and culture: Handel was the resident composer from 1717 until 1719. Cannons House was demolished by the second duke.

With the death of the third duke in 1789, the titles became extinct, and the barony became dormant. An attempt was made by Samuel Egerton Brydges to claim the barony, initially on behalf of his older brother Revd Edward Tymewell Brydges and then on his own behalf. Litigation lasted from 1790 to 1803 before the claims were rejected, but Egerton Brydges continued to style himself per legem terrae Baron Chandos of Sudeley. It seems likely that not only was the claim groundless but that the evidence was forged.