Origin The Mansels came to England during the
Norman Conquest and were established in Wales by the time of
Henry I. Sir Robert Maunsel (born ) was a
Templar under
Baron Gilbert de Lacy in
Palestine during the reign of
Henry II. His father, Walter, a
deacon, was Napkin Bearer to the King.
Sir John Maunsell, grandson of Sir Robert, was
lord Chancellor to
Henry III and England's first
secretary of state. He is listed in most Mansel genealogies as ancestor of the Lords Mansell of Margam, the Carmarthenshire Mansells, and the Maunsells of Ireland and
Thorpe Malsor.
Baronets of Muddlescombe and Trimsaran The
Mansel Baronetcy of Muddlescombe, in the County of Carmarthen, was created in the Baronetage of England on 14 January 1622 for Sir Francis Mansel, younger brother of
Sir Thomas Mansell, 1st Baronet of Margam. Sir William Mansel, 9th Baronet sat as
Member of Parliament for
Carmarthenshire. There was great confusion over the succession after the death of Sir John Bell William Mansel, 11th Baronet in 1883. The rightful heir was believed to be Edward Berkeley Philipps (later Mansel), son of Courtenay Philipps, son of Richard Mansel, younger brother of the tenth Baronet. However, it was widely believed that Courtenay Philipps's first marriage was invalid. The title was therefore assumed by Edward Berkeley Philipps's brother Richard Philipps (later Mansel) as the twelfth Baronet. On his death in 1892 the title was assumed by his son
Courtenay Cecil Mansel, the thirteenth Baronet. However, in 1903 the latter discovered evidence that his grandfather's first marriage was indeed valid and relinquished the use of the title in favour of his uncle Edward Berkeley Philipps (later Mansel), who became the twelfth Baronet. When he died childless in 1908 the title was resumed by his nephew Courtenay Cecil Mansel, the thirteenth Baronet. Sir Courtenay Cecil Mansel later represented
Penryn and Falmouth in the
House of Commons. The Mansel Baronetcy of Muddlescombe is the only extant Mansel baronetcy as of the present day, with Sir Philip Mansel, 15th baronet (born 1943) having succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father, Sir John Philip Ferdinand Mansel, 14th baronet in 1947. The
Mansel Baronetcy of Trimsaran, in the County of Carmarthen, was created in the Baronetage of England on 22 February 1697 for Sir Edward Mansel, great-grandson of
Sir Francis Mansel, 1st Baronet of Muddlescombe. The title became extinct on the death of the fourth baronet Sir Edward Joseph Shewen Mansel in 1798.
Barons Mansel of Margam The title of
Baron Mansel, of Margam in the County of Glamorgan, was created on 1 January 1712 for
Sir Thomas Mansel, 5th Baronet, previously
Member of Parliament for
Cardiff and
Glamorganshire. His great-grandfather
Sir Thomas Mansell, 1st Baronet had been created a
Baronet, of Margam in the County of Glamorgan, in the
Baronetage of England on 22 May 1611. He held the office of
High Sheriff of Glamorgan in 1593 and was twice elected as
Member of Parliament for
Glamorgan in 1597 and 1605.
Sir Edward Mansel, 4th Baronet was also elected to the
House of Commons representing
Glamorgan.
Thomas Mansel, 1st Baron Mansel was succeeded by his grandson Thomas Mansel, son of Hon. Robert Mansel. Thomas Mansel, 2nd Baron Mansel died unmarried on 29 January 1744 and the title passed to Christopher Mansel, son of the first Baron, who also died unmarried. Bussy Mansel, third son of the first Baron, thus inherited the title.
Bussy Mansel, 4th Baron Mansel sat as Member of Parliament for
Cardiff and
Glamorganshire. He married Lady Elizabeth Hervey, the daughter of
John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol and died without issue on 29 November 1750. On the death of the 4th baron, the barony and baronetcy became extinct and the
Margam estates passed to his daughter Louisa, who married
George Venables-Vernon, subsequently 2nd
Baron Vernon. Following her death without issue in 1786, it passed to her aunt Mary Mansell, who had married John Ivory Talbot of
Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire. However, other parts of the estates (subsequently known as the
Briton Ferry estate) passed to her uncle
Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon then to William Henry Augustus Villiers (who took the surname Mansell to inherit this estate). On his death without issue, it passed to his elder brother's son
George Child Villiers, 5th Earl of Jersey.
Maunsells of Thorpe Malsor In 1622, John Maunsell, Esq., of
Chicheley, Buckinghamshire, a barrister, purchased from
Lord Holland the rectory, manor, and estate of
Thorpe Malsor, about two miles west from
Kettering, Northamptonshire, in Rothwell Hundred. From that time, the main stock of the family continued to reside at Thorpe Malsor in affluence and distinction. John Maunsell died on 19 October 1625. He had two sons with Katherine Ward, daughter of Sir Richard Ward of Hurst. ==Pedigree==