Several members of the Mortimer family were summoned to Parliament during the reign of Edward I, thereby making them hereditary barons in the Peerage of England. The most important family with this surname were the lords of Wigmore, a marcher lordship on the borders of Herefordshire and Shropshire with Wales, living at Wigmore Castle. The second Baron Mortimer of Wigmore was created Earl of March.

Arms of Mortimer of Wigmore, Earls of March: Barry or and azure, on a chief of the first two pallets between two base esquires of the second over all an inescutcheon argent

The others probably all belonged to juvenile branches of that family.

  • The Mortimers of Chirk had another marcher lordship, which was given to a younger brother of the first Baron Mortimer of Wigmore.
  • The Mortimers of Richard's Castle were descended from the Mortimers of Attleborough, who had separated from the Wigmore family long before.[1]
  • Simon de Mortimer was summoned to parliament on 26 August 1296, but nothing more is known of that title.

Feudal lords of Wigmore edit

Baron Mortimer of Wigmore edit

Baron Mortimer (1296) edit

Baron Mortimer of Chirk (1299) edit

On 6 February 1299 Roger de Mortimer was summoned to parliament. After the third baron, nothing further is known of this title.

  • Roger de Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Chirk. He died in captivity in 1326 having had to surrender his lands in 1322.
  • Roger de Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer of Chirk died in 1334 without having obtained Chirk.
  • John de Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer of Chirk was an infant at his father's death. He failed to recover Chirk from the Earl of Arundel and surrendered his claim in 1359 to the Earl of Arundel, and subsequently lived in obscurity near Rochester in Kent).[2] The Barony is presumably in abeyance among his posterity.[3]

Baron Mortimer of Richard's Castle (1299) edit

The title Baron Mortimer of Richard's Castle was created once in the Peerage of England. On 6 February 1299 Hugh de Mortimer was summoned to parliament. At his death in 1304 the barony fell into abeyance.

  • Hugh de Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Richard's Castle (d. 1304)

His younger brother was summoned as Baron Zouche in 1323.

References edit

  1. ^ Hopkinson and Speight, 135-40.
  2. ^ Hopkinson and Speight, 129-32.
  3. ^ Complete Peerage, 1st edition, Volume 5, P 380