Earl of Enniskillen

Earldom of Enniskillen
Arms of the Earl of Enniskillen
Arms: Argent, a Bull passant Sable, armed and unguled Gules, within a Bordure Sable, charged with eight Bezants, on a sinister Canton per pale Gules, and Azure, a Harp Or, stringed Argent. Crest: A Demi-Dragon wings inverted Vert, langued Gules, holding in the dexter claw an Escutcheon per pale Gules and Azure, charged with a Harp Or, stringed Argent. Supporters: On either side a Dragon reguardant Vert, holding in the interior forepaw a Dart Or..[1]
Creation date18 August 1789
Created byGeorge III
PeeragePeerage of Ireland
First holderWilliam Cole, 1st Viscount Eniskillen
Present holderAndrew Cole, 7th Earl of Enniskillen
Heir presumptiveBerkeley Arthur Cole
Remainder toThe 1st Earl’s heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titlesViscount Enniskillen
Baron Mountflorence
Baron Grinstead
StatusExtant
Former seat(s)Florence Court
MottoDEUM COLE REGEM SERVA
(Worship God, honour the King)
These are the arms of Cole of Nethway in the parish of Brixham, Devon,[2] differenced by a canton
Florence Court

Earl of Enniskillen is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1789 for William Cole, 1st Viscount Enniskillen.[3] He had already been created Viscount Enniskillen in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776[4] and had inherited the title Baron Mountflorence, of Florence Court in the County of Fermanagh,[5] which had been created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1760 for his father John Cole, who had earlier represented Enniskillen in the Irish House of Commons. The family are descended from the Ulster planter, Sir William Cole.

Lord Enniskillen was succeeded by his son, the second earl. He represented Fermanagh in the British House of Commons, served as Lord Lieutenant of County Fermanagh and sat as an Irish representative peer in the House of Lords at Westminster between 1804–40. In 1815 he was created Baron Grinstead, of Grinstead in the County of Wiltshire, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom,[6] which gave him and the later earls an automatic seat in the House of Lords.

His son, the third earl, was a palaeontologist and also sat as Conservative Member of Parliament for Fermanagh. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth earl, who represented Enniskillen in Parliament as a Conservative. His son, the fifth earl, was Lord Lieutenant of Fermanagh.

  1. ^ Kidd, Charles, Debrett's peerage & Baronetage 2015 Edition, London, 2015, p.P425
  2. ^ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.213
  3. ^ "No. 13124". The London Gazette. 22 August 1789. p. 557.
  4. ^ "No. 11679". The London Gazette. 2 July 1776. p. 1.
  5. ^ "No. 10029". The London Gazette. 26 August 1760. p. 1.
  6. ^ "No. 17041". The London Gazette. 18 July 1815. p. 1459.