Sackville family, Barons Sackville

The Sackville family was settled in Essex in the 12th century, but acquired Buckhurst (Sussex) around 1200. Bolebroke (Sussex), inherited in the late 14th century, later passed, with a daughter of the 3rd Earl of Dorset, to the Tufton family (see Tufton, Barons Hothfield). Sir Richard Sackville (1507-66), Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations, acquired extensive properties in Sussex and Kent (including the site of Lewes Priory 1560), and Salisbury House (later Dorset House, later Dorset Gardens, London) in 1564. His son Thomas Sackville (c.1530-1608), Lord Treasurer 1599-1608, received further grants of land, including the reversion of Knole (Kent) in 1566. He was created Baron Buckhurst 1567, came into possession of Knole, which thenceforward became the principal seat, in 1603, and was created Earl of Dorset in 1604.

The 3rd Earl of Dorset married in 1609 Anne Clifford, daughter and heir of the 3rd Earl of Cumberland, but the Clifford estates did not descend in the Sackville family (see Cavendish, Dukes of Devonshire; Tufton, Barons Hothfield). The 4th Earl (1590-1652) married in 1612 Mary, daughter and heir of Sir George Curzon (d. 1622), through whom estates in Derbyshire (Croxall, etc) and Staffordshire were inherited, including land formerly in the possession of the Leveson family. The 5th Earl (1622-77) married c.1637 Frances Cranfield, sister of the 3rd Earl of Middlesex (d. 1674), who left estates in Essex (Copt Hall, formerly belonging to the Heneage family), Sussex (Wiston, acquired from the Shirley family) and Warwickshire and Gloucestershire (Milcote, Welford-on-Avon, etc, acquired from the Greville family) to his nephew the 6th Earl of Dorset. The 7th Earl (1688-1765) was created Duke of Dorset in 1720, and was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1730-7, 1751-5 and Lord President of the Council 1745-51.

The Kent and Sussex estates were much reduced by sales from 1614 onwards. The Copt Hall estate was sold in 1701, and Croxall in 1783. The 3rd Duke (1745-99), however, repaired the family fortunes, buying back lands in Sussex and Kent, and in 1790 marrying Arabella, daughter and co-heir of Sir Charles Cope, 2nd Bt (d. 1781), of Bruern (Oxfordshire). (She married secondly Charles Whitworth (1752-1825), Earl Whitworth, who was descended from the Whitworth family of Adbaston and Batchacre (Staffordshire), and who left his property to her at his death).

On the death of the 4th Duke in 1815 the dukedom passed to a cousin, Charles Sackville-Germain, 2nd Viscount Sackville, of Drayton (Northamptonshire), but the Sussex, Kent, London, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire estates were left, after the death of the 3rd Duke's widow in 1825, to her daughters the Countess of Plymouth (d. 1864) and Elizabeth, Countess De La Warr. In 1864 the latter became sole heir, and was created Baroness Buckhurst. On her death in 1870, however, the Sackville estates were divided. Buckhurst, together with the London and Oxfordshire estates, passed thenceforward with the earldom of De La Warr, but the Knole estate, together with property in Sussex (Chiddingly, etc), Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, passed to younger sons, first to the Hon. Reginald Sackville-West and then, when he succeeded his brother as 7th Earl De La Warr in 1873, to the Hon. Mortimer Sackville-West, who was created Baron Sackville in 1877.

Many early Sackville muniments are thought to have been destroyed by fire with Dorset House in 1666.

Estates in 1883: Sussex 4,080 acres, Gloucs [and Warwicks] 2,391 acres, Kent 1,960 acres, Herts 120 acres, total 8,551 acres worth £11,250 a year.