The title is chiefly associated with the Cecil family, descended from the courtier
Sir Richard Cecil of the parish of
Stamford Baron St Martin in
Northamptonshire. His only son,
Sir William Cecil, was a prominent statesman and served as Secretary of State,
Lord High Treasurer and
Lord Privy Seal. In February 1571, he was created
Baron Burghley, in the County of Northampton, in the Peerage of England. His son from his second marriage to Mildred Cooke,
Sir Robert Cecil, was created
Earl of Salisbury in 1605 and is the ancestor of the
Marquesses of Salisbury. Lord Burghley was succeeded by his son from his first marriage to Mary Cheke,
Thomas, the second Baron. He represented
Stamford,
Lincolnshire and
Northamptonshire in the
House of Commons, served as
Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire and as President of the Council of the North and was also a distinguished soldier. In 1605 Thomas Cecil was created
Earl of Exeter in the Peerage of England (on the same day his half-brother was created Earl of Salisbury). Thomas was succeeded by his eldest son
William Cecil, the second Earl. He served as
Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. Lord Exeter married as his first wife
Elizabeth, 16th Baroness de Ros. Their son
William succeeded his mother in the barony at the age of one. However, he died childless during his father's lifetime (when the barony was inherited by his cousin
Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland). Lord Exeter had no other sons and was succeeded by his nephew, the
third Earl. He was the son of Sir Richard Cecil, second son of the first Earl. He represented
Peterborough in the
Short Parliament. His son, the
fourth Earl, was Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. He was succeeded by his son, the
fifth Earl. He sat as member of parliament for Northamptonshire. His son, the
sixth Earl, represented
Rutland in Parliament and served as
Lord Lieutenant of Rutland. His second son, the
eighth Earl (who succeeded his elder brother), briefly represented Stamford in the House of Commons. His eldest son, the
ninth Earl, was member of parliament for Rutland and also Lord Lieutenant of that county. He was childless and was succeeded by his nephew, the
tenth Earl. He was the son of Thomas Chambers Cecil, second son of the eighth Earl.
Creation as Marquess Lord Exeter represented Stamford in Parliament for sixteen years. In 1801 he was created
Marquess of Exeter in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. His son, the
second Marquess, was a
Tory politician and notably served as
Lord Chamberlain of the Household and
Lord Steward of the Household. He was succeeded by his son, the
third Marquess. He was a
Conservative politician and held office as
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household and
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms. His eldest son, the
fourth Marquess, represented
Northamptonshire North in the House of Commons and served briefly as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household under his kinsman
Lord Salisbury. He was succeeded by his son, the
fifth Marquess. He was a
Colonel in the
Royal Field Artillery and served as Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire. , the ancestral seat of the Marquesses of Exeter His eldest son, the
sixth Marquess, was a Conservative politician and prominent athlete and sports official. He won the
400-metre hurdles at the
1928 Summer Olympics and was later President of the
International Amateur Athletic Federation and vice-president of the
International Olympic Committee. Lord Exeter also represented Peterborough in the House of Commons and served as
Governor of Bermuda. He died without surviving male issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, the
seventh Marquess. He was proprietor of a cattle ranch at
100 Mile House, British Columbia, in Canada. In 1954 he became head of the
Emissaries of Divine Light, an obscure religious group. the titles are held by his only son, the
eighth Marquess, who succeeded in 1988. He operates the ranch; from 1988 to 1996 he also headed the Emissaries of Divine Light. Another member of the Cecil family was the naval commander
Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon (a title which became extinct on his death in 1638). He was the third son of the first Earl of Exeter. Also,
Lord William Cecil, third son of the third Marquess, married Mary, 2nd Baroness Amherst of Hackney. Their grandson William succeeded in the barony in 1919. Another member of this branch of the family is
Vice-Admiral Sir
Nigel Cecil. The champion racehorse trainer Sir
Henry Cecil was the son of Henry Cecil, a younger brother of the third Baron.
Lord John Joicey-Cecil, fourth son of the third Marquess, was Conservative Member of Parliament for Stamford. The marquessate of Exeter is the senior marquessate in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Marquesses also hold the title of hereditary
Grand Almoner and Lord Paramount of
Peterborough. The ancestral home of the Marquesses of Exeter is
Burghley House, near
Stamford, Lincolnshire; it is now run by a trust founded by the family. Former properties include
Cecil House in London and
Exeter House, Derby. The traditional burial place of the Cecils of Burghley House and the Marquesses of Exeter is the Burghley Chapel in
St Martin's Church, Stamford. ==Marquess of Exeter, first creation (1525)==