The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1643 in favour of Sir Charles Smyth, who became Baron Carrington of
Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire. Only a few days later he was created
Viscount Carrington in the Peerage of Ireland. He was succeeded by his two sons, but in 1706 the titles became extinct. For more information, see this title. The second creation came in 1796 when
Robert Smith was created
Baron Carrington, of Bulcot Lodge, in the
Peerage of Ireland. He had earlier represented
Nottingham in the
House of Commons. Only one year later, in 1797, he was made
Baron Carrington, of Upton in the
County of Nottingham, in the
Peerage of Great Britain. This Smith family was unrelated to the Smyth family, Viscounts Carrington. His son,
the second Baron, sat as a
Member of Parliament for
Wendover,
Buckinghamshire and
High Wycombe, and served as
Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. In 1839, the year after the death of his father, he changed his name to Carrington (with double-r) by Royal Licence. In 1880 he owned of land in
Buckinghamshire,
Lincolnshire and
Bedfordshire, giving an annual rental income of £42,254. His son,
the third Baron, was a prominent
Liberal politician. He and his brothers changed their name to Carington (with a single r) in 1880. He was created
Viscount Wendover, of Chepping Wycombe in the County of Buckingham, and
Earl Carrington, in 1895. The following year he changed his name to Wynn-Carington by Royal Licence. Consequently, on Lord Lincolnshire's death in 1928, the viscountcy, earldom and marquessate became extinct. His share of the Lord Great Chamberlainship was inherited by his five daughters as co-heiresses (one-twentieth each). The 1796 and 1797 baronies passed to the Marquess of Lincolnshire's younger brother,
the fourth Baron. He had earlier represented Buckinghamshire in Parliament as a Liberal. His grandson
the sixth Baron, who succeeded his father in 1938, was a noted
Conservative politician who served as
Foreign Secretary from 1979 to 1982 and as
Secretary General of NATO between 1984 and 1988. In 1999 he was given a
life peerage as
Baron Carington of Upton (spelled with a single r), of Upton in the County of Nottinghamshire, and thus continued as a member of the
House of Lords after the passing of the
House of Lords Act 1999 had removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to be members. From the death of
Lord Jellicoe in 2007, he was the
longest-serving member of the House of Lords, having taken his seat in 1945, and also the oldest member. As of 2018, the baronies are held by his son
Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington, who is the current
Lord Great Chamberlain since September 2022. The Hon.
Sir William Carington, second son of the second Baron, was a soldier, politician and courtier. The Barons Carrington are related to the
Barons Bicester. The first Baron Carrington's younger brother
John Smith was the great-grandfather of
Vivian Smith, who was created
Baron Bicester in 1938. Also, Abel Smith MP, father of the first Baron Carrington, was the brother of George Smith, who was created a baronet in 1757 (see
Bromley baronets), and of John Smith, great-grandfather of
the first and last Baron Pauncefote. The family seat is The Manor House, near
Bledlow,
Buckinghamshire. ==Baron Carrington, first creation (1643)==