[Illustration] The pedigree begins with Egbert Coigniers, whose son
Roger was living in the ninth year of Edward II., and was father of
another Roger, who marrying the heiress of Norton of Norton, their
son took that name; sixth in descent was Richard Norton, who joined
with the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland in the Rebellion
of the North in 1569, and thereby caused the destruction of almost
every branch of his family. He was attainted in the twelfth of
Elizabeth, and died in exile in Spain. The present family descend
from Sir Fletcher Norton, Speaker of the House of Commons, descended
from Edmund Norton of Clowcroft, third son of old Richard Norton,
which Edmund had taken no part in the Northern Rebellion.
An elder branch, also descended from the third son of Sir Richard,
and believed to be now extinct, was of Sawley near Ripon, from the
period of Charles I.
See Brydges's Collins, vol. vii. p. 546; Whitaker's Richmondshire,
vol. ii. p. 182; and "Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569."
ARMS.--_Azure, a maunch ermine, over all a bend gules_. In the reign
of Edward II., Sir John de Conyers bore, _Azure, a maunch or, and a
hand proper_. Sir Robert de Conyers at the same period reversed the
colours, bearing, _Or, a maunch azure, and a hand proper_. Monsieur
Robert Conyers in the reign of Richard II. bore, _Azure, a maunch or
charged with an annulet sable_. (Rolls of the dates.)
Present Representative, Fletcher Norton, 3rd Baron Grantley.
SAVILE OF METHLEY, EARL OF MEXBOROUGH IN IRELAND 1765; AND BARON
POLLINGTON 1753.
[Illustration] The family of Savile was one of the most illustrious
in the West Riding of the county of York. Some writers have
fancifully ascribed to it an Italian origin, but it probably had its
rise at Silkston, in this county. It certainly flourished in those
parts in the thirteenth century; and in the middle of the fourteenth
century we find (1358) Margaret Savile Prioress of Kirklees.
In the reign of Edward III. the family divided itself into two main
branches, in the person of two brothers, John of Tankersley and
Henry of Bradley. The senior branch acquired its greatest renown in
the person of George first Marquess of Halifax, a title which became
extinct in 1700. The junior branch was of Copley and Methley, and,
having produced one of the most learned men of our country, Sir
Henry Savile, the Provost of Eton, is now represented by the Earl of
Mexborough.
See Dugdale's Baronage, ii. p. 462; Whitaker's Leeds, vol. i. pp.
272, 310; Archdall's ed. of Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, vol. iii. p.
156; Hunter's Antiquarian Notices of Lupset, 1851; and the Savile
Correspondence, edited for the Camden Society by W. D. Cooper,
F.S.A., 1858.
ARMS.--_Argent, on a bend sable three owls of the field_. This coat
was borne by Monsieur John Sayvill, in the reign of Richard II. His
son John differenced it by a label of three points gules.
Present Representative, John Charles George Savile, 4th Earl of
Mexborough.
GOWER OF STITTENHAM, DUKE OF SUTHERLAND 1833; MARQUESS OF STAFFORD
1786; EARL GOWER 1746; BARON 1703.
[Illustration] Descended from Sir Nicholas Gower, knight of the
shire for this county in the reign of Edward III., and seated at
Stittenham from about the same period. Of this family, it has been
said, was Gower the Poet, but Sir Harris Nicolas in his memoir of
Gower could not trace the connection. Leland remarks, "The House of
Gower the Poet yet remayneth at Switenham (Stittenham) in Yorkshire,
and divers of them syns have beene knightes." In the end of the
seventeenth century the wealth of this family was greatly increased
by marriage with the heiress of Leveson, of Trentham, in
Staffordshire, and also in the year 1785 by the marriage of the
Marquess of Stafford with Elizabeth, daughter and heir of William
eighteenth Earl of Sutherland, mother of the present Duke.
Younger Branches. The Earl of Ellesmere 1846, and Gower of
Bill-Hill, co. Berks, descended from John son of John first Earl
Gower, by his third wife.
See Brydges's Collins, vol. ii. p. 441; Historical and Antiquarian
Mag., 1828, vol. ii. p. 103; and Leland's Itin., vol. vi. fol. 15.
ARMS.--_Barry of eight argent and gules, a cross patonce sable_.
Present Representative, George Granville William Sutherland Leveson
Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland, K. G.