[Illustration] "In point of antiquity, and former feudal power,
probably the most illustrious house in the peerage," says Brydges.
Descended from Gospatric, the Saxon Earl of Northumberland, whose
great-grandson, marrying the heiress of Neville, gave that name to
his posterity, for many ages the Nevilles were Barons of Raby and
Earls of Westmerland. The last Earl was attainted in the 13th of
Elizabeth. A younger branch of the Nevilles, in the person of Sir
Edward Neville, obtained the castle and barony of Abergavenny, and
the estate of Birling, with the heiress of Beauchamp, in the reign
of Henry VI.; and the present family is descended from this match,
having been Barons of Abergavenny previously to the creation of the
Earldom. Birling was long deserted by the family, whose principal
seat was afterwards at Sheffield, and Eridge, in Sussex; but it is
now the residence of Lord Abergavenny.
See Hasted, ii. 200; Brydges's Collins, v. 151; and Surtees's
Durham, iv. 158, for pedigrees of the Nevilles, Earls of
Westmerland, and the Nevilles of Weardale and Thornton-Bridge. See
also Rowland's "Account of the Noble Family of Neville," privately
printed 1830, folio; Surtees's "Sketch of the Stock of Nevill," 8vo.
1843.
ARMS.--_Gules, a saltier argent, thereon a rose of the first, seeded
proper_.
This coat, without the rose, was borne by Robert de Neville in the
reign of Henry III. In the reign of Edward III. M. de Neville de
Hornby bore the coat reversed, _Argent, a saltier gules_. M.
Alexander de Neville, at the same period, differenced it by _a
martlet sable_. M. William Neville and N. Thomas Neville bore
for difference respectively, _a fleur-de-lis azure and a martlet
gules_, in the reign of Richard II. (Rolls.) The Rose is allusive to
the House of Lancaster, Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmerland,
having married to his second wife Joan, daughter of John of Gaunt,
Duke of Lancaster. The older coat was, _Or, fretty gules, on a
canton sable an ancient ship_.
Present Representative, the Rev. William Neville, 4th Earl of
Abergavenny.
+Gentle.+