Wentworth-Fitzwilliam family of Milton

Sir William Fitzwilliam (d. 1534), household treasurer to Cardinal Wolsey, bought Gaynes Park (Essex) in 1501 and the estates of Milton and Marholm (1502) and Etton (1514) in the Soke of Peterborough (Northamptonshire). The Essex property was sold in 1636 but the Milton estate was extended and eventually included Woodhall and Helpston (bought 1572-6), Northborough and Lolham (bought 1681-2), Maxey (bought 1699) and Upton (bought 1750). William Fitzwilliam (d. 1644) was ennobled as Baron Fitzwilliam of Lifford in 1620, and the 3rd Baron (d. 1719) was created Earl Fitzwilliam in 1716. The 1st Earl's marriage in 1669 to Anne, heiress of Edmund Cremer, brought an estate in Norfolk (North Runcton, Setchey, West Winch, etc) while that of the 2nd Earl in 1718 to Anne, heiress of John Stringer, brought one in Nottinghamshire (Clarborough, Eaton, Sutton cum Lound, etc). In the early 18th century further property was acquired in Lincolnshire (Algarkirk and Fosdyke in Holland, Billinghay and North Kyme in Kesteven) and Yorkshire (Humbleton and Meaux in the East Riding, Smeaton and Stubbs in the West Riding). These outlying estates were mainly sold c1784-8, the Milton estate being further extended through subsequent purchases in Huntingtonshire (Stanground and Farcet in 1796, Great Gidding in 1827, Morborne c1854, etc).

In 1782 the 4th Earl inherited the estates of his uncle the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham but in 1857, on the death of the 5th Earl, the former Rockingham estates passed to his elder son (who succeeded as 6th Earl) and the Fitzwilliam (Milton) estates to his younger son George Wentworth Fitzwilliam (see also Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, Earls Fitzwilliam). Following the death in 1886 of Lady Milton (widow of the 6th Earl's eldest son) the former Rockingham property in Northamptonshire and neighbouring counties (including Higham Ferrers and Great Harrowden) appears to have devolved on G.W. Fitzwilliam's son George Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam (1866-1935), who sold much of it around 1895 (Great Harrowden) and later. In 1952 W.T.G. Wentworth-Fitzwilliam of Milton succeeded a cousin as 10th Earl Fitzwilliam.

The presence of papers of the Godolphin family is explained by the marriage of Anne (1722-1805), daughter of the 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam, to the 2nd Baron Godolphin of Helston (d. 1785).

Estates in 1883: Northants 18,116 acres, Hunts 5,202 acres, total 23,318 acres worth £39,547 a year.