Baron FitzWarin


Baron FitzWarin is an abeyant title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Writ of summons for Fulk V FitzWarin in 1295. His family had been magnates for nearly a century, at least since his grandfather Fulk III FitzWarin had recovered Whittington Castle in 1205. This castle near Oswestry was their main residence and the seat of a marcher lordship. It was regarded as situated in the county of Shropshire since 1536 and also in the Domesday Book of 1086, but for much of the intervening period was regarded as part of Wales.
All the male heirs were given the first name Fulk, and the barony with the castle and lordship of Whittington descended from father to son until the death of the 7th Baron in 1420. It then passed to Elizabeth FitzWarin and into the Bourchier family. The 11th Baron FitzWarin was created Earl of Bath in 1536. The barony has been abeyant since the death of Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath, 14th Baron FitzWarin, in 1636.

Predecessors of barons

Sir William Fitzwarin KG, of Caundle Haddon in Somerset, was almost certainly a younger son of Fulk Fitzwarin, 3rd Baron Fitzwarin, who died in 1349, and therefore a brother of Fulk Fitzwarin, 4th Baron Fitzwarin, He was called to the great council of 1342 but, as this was not a Parliament, the summons did not create a hereditary barony and it is pure fantasy that he or his son Ivo ever were barons. In fact, both father and son sat as MPs in the House of Commons.