Baron Henley
The
Barony of Henley has been created twice: first in the
Peerage of Great Britain and then in the
Peerage of Ireland. Robert Henley,
Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, was created
Baron Henley in 1760 and
Earl of Northington in 1764. On the death of his son, the second Earl, both titles became extinct. However, Lady Elizabeth Henley, youngest daughter of the first Earl and co-heiress of the second Earl, married the prominent diplomat Morton Eden. In 1799 the Henley title was revived when Eden was created
Baron Henley, of Chardstock in the County of Dorset, in the
Peerage of Ireland. Their son, the second Baron, assumed the surname of Henley in lieu of Eden and notably published a biography of his maternal grandfather,
Memoir of the Life of Robert Henley, Earl of Northington, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. His son, the third Baron, sat as a
Liberal Member of Parliament for
Northampton. In 1885 the Northington title was also revived when he was created
Baron Northington, of Watford in the County of Northamptonshire, in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom. This title gave the Barons an automatic seat in the
House of Lords. His younger son, the sixth Baron, resumed the surname of Eden in 1925, the same year he succeeded his half-brother in the titles. The present holder of the Baronies, Oliver Michael Robert Eden, 8th Baron Henley, is a
Conservative politician, and served in the
Conservativeadministrations of
Margaret Thatcher and
John Major. He is now one of the ninety elected
hereditary peers who remain in the
House of Lords after the
House of Lords Reform Act of 1999.
The Barons Henley are members of the prominent
Eden family. The first Baron was the fifth son of Sir Robert Eden, 3rd Baronet, of West Auckland and the younger brother of
William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland. Their elder brother Sir Robert Eden, 1st Baronet, of Maryland (second son of the third Baronet of West Auckland), was the great-great-grandfather of Prime Minister
Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon and the great-great-great-grandfather of the
Conservative politician
John Benedict Eden, Baron Eden of Winton.
*
Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington (
1708-
1772)
*
Robert Henley, 2nd Earl of Northington (
1747-
1786)
*
Morton Eden, 1st Baron Henley (
1752-
1830)
*
Robert Henley Henley, 2nd Baron Henley (
1789-
1841)
*
Anthony Henley Henley, 3rd Baron Henley (
1825-
1898)
*
Frederick Henley Henley, 4th Baron Henley (
1849-
1923)
*
Anthony Ernest Henley Henley, 5th Baron Henley (
1858-
1925)
*
Francis Robert Eden, 6th Baron Henley (
1877-
1962)
*
Michael Francis Eden, 7th Baron Henley (
1914-
1977)
*
Oliver Michael Robert Eden, 8th Baron Henley (b.
1953)
The Heir Apparent is
Hon. John Michael Oliver Eden (b.
1988)
*
Earl of Avon*
Baron Auckland*
Eden Baronets
