The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-07-29
ALOST TITLE.
A Modern Romantic Episode In the
Noble House 6f lie Clifford.

The holders of the peerage of Lord
Clifford and of Lord De Clifford are des-
cended in the male and female line
respectively, from the once great and
powerful house of Clifford, who enjoyed
earldom of Cumberland, and who as
stated by me in a recent paper, stood
| next to the Percies in the north of En-
gland. Oflate years, the ancient barony
! of De Clifford has passed, through fe-
males, into one or two different fam
lilies. Nevertheless the title is still ex-
tant. All my readers are aware, no
doubt, that the old bridge across the
Thames at Blackfriars was the work of
an engineer named James l1ylne. 1t
is not often that the althitect Of a
bridge becomes also the architect OF a
peerage; and yet one Of the inerest ac-
cidents in the world, in which Mylne
figured as the principal hand, conferr-
ed that very ancient title, or ut all
events its revival, upon plain Somer.
setshire gentleman.
The story is told at some length in
the General Biographical Dictionary
of Chambers. Mr.. Mylne happened to
be engaged in making some very great
alterations and Improvements at Kings
West on or near Bristol, for the late Lord
De Clifford, then Mr. Southwell, who
had known him at Rome, and who had
conceived very high opinion of his
talents, for q sight of his (then) new
bridge at Blackfriars. On Mr. Mylne's
arrival there he commenced making
some plans, in the course Of which he
discovered in the back part of the
house a small room, to which apparent
y.there were no means Of access. 1t
was resolved accordingly to cut into it
from the outside. On obtaining an en-
trance they found, to their great as
tonishment. a quantity Of old family
plate and 4 pile of mustv papers and
parchments. These were deciphered
by the aid of local antiquary, and the
result was that among them.w was found
the original records of a barony grant
ed to that family in the reign of Henry
III. The family pedigree was hunted
up and set forth, the Herald's college
was consulted, the matter was brought
under the attention of the house of
lords, a petition to the king to have the
claim submitted to a. committee Of
privileges was duly presented and fav-
orably received; at last after short in
terval, during which every link in the
chain Of proof was closely examined
and established to- the satisfaction of
the committee, the king revived the
dormant title and Mr.. Southwell took
his seat among the peers of England, as
second on the roll of barons, in 1876.
The room in which these papers were
found had in all probability been
closed up, for the sake of security, dur
ing the "troublous times" of the reign
Of Charles l., and had never been open
ed subsequently tly-upward of a century.
The absence Of damp and the exclusion
of air no doubt had contributed to
preservation of the precious document
which conferred a coronet on Mr..
Southwell. The title, at the death of
this nobleman's son and successors, fell
into allegiance, which was terminated,
in 1888, in favor Of his eldest daughter,
Sophia, who married Capt. John Rus
sell, and whose grandson is the present
holder of it.