Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, of Chudleigh in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Thomas Clifford. The title was created as "Clifford of Chudleigh" rather than simply "Clifford" to differentiate it from several other Clifford Baronies previously created for members of this ancient family, including the Barony of de Clifford (1299), which is extant but now held by a branch line of the Russell family, having inherited through several female lines.

Arms of Clifford of Chudleigh: Chequy or and azure, a fesse gules[1] These are the arms borne by Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford (c. 1274–1314), feudal baron of Skipton, as recorded in the famous Caerlaverock Roll of 1300

Baron Clifford of Chudleigh is the major surviving male representative of the ancient Norman family which later took the name de Clifford which arrived in England during the Norman Conquest of 1066, feudal barons of Clifford, first seated in England at Clifford Castle in Herefordshire, created Baron de Clifford by writ in 1299. The family seat is Ugbrooke Park, near Chudleigh, Devon.

Notable members of this branch of the Clifford family include antiquarian Arthur Clifford (grandson of the 3rd Baron), Victoria Cross recipient Sir Henry Hugh Clifford (son of the 7th Baron), Catholic clergyman William Clifford (son of the 7th Baron) and colonial administrators Sir Bede Clifford (son of the 10th Baron) and Sir Hugh Clifford (grandson of the 7th Baron). The family is also related to the notable recusant Weld family, of Lulworth Castle, through the 7th Baron's marriage to the daughter of Cardinal Thomas Weld.

Barons Clifford of Chudleigh (1672)

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Thomas Clifford,
1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, by Sir Peter Lely.

The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Alexander Thomas Hugh Clifford (b. 1985).
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son Charles Alexander Nicholas Clifford (b. 2024).

See also

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Further reading

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  • Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London: Dean & Son. p. 216.
  • Clifford, Hugh (1987). The House of Clifford from Before the Conquest. Chichester, Sussex, UK: Phillimore. ISBN 0850336341.
  • Clifford, Arthur (1817). Collectanea Cliffordiana. Skipton-in-craven, Yorkshire: Skipton caslte limited. ISBN 0950697508.
  • Eland, Henry S. (1895). John Lambrick Vivian (ed.). The visitation of the county of Devon in the years, 1531, 1564, 1620. Exeter. pp. 208–9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

References

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  1. ^ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.262