Caryll Molyneux
Encyclopedia
Caryll Molyneux, 3rd Viscount Molyneux (1624 – 2 February 1699) was an Irish peer
. He was the younger son of Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux
and inherited the title from his elder brother in 1654. He married Mary Barlow, daughter of Sir Alexander Barlow of Barlow.
He joined the Royalist army at the outbreak of the English Civil War
, and served with his brother, Richard Molyneux, 2nd Viscount Molyneux
, in the Lancashire Regiment, which was mostly Catholic, through almost all the fighting from Manchester
(1642) to Worcester
(1651). After the death of this brother in 1654, he succeeded to the viscounty and the constableship of Liverpool Castle
. As a well-known Catholic Cavalier, he experienced very harsh treatment from the victors; and the family estates suffered severely.
It was not until the reign of James II that Molyneux's fortunes improved. He was then made Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
(1687–1688) and Admiral of the Narrow Seas, and was one of the few who fought with any success on James's side against the Prince of Orange
, for he seized and held the town of Chester
, until all further resistance was in vain. After using the castle to store arms, he was arrested on a fictitious charge of treason
for a suspected Jacobite rebellion called The Lancashire plot. Along with other Catholics, he was imprisoned in the Tower but was victoriously acquitted in 1694. He did not however recover the hereditary constableship and the castle was leased to the burgesses who in 1704 were authorised by the Crown to destroy it.
After his death at Croxteth in 1699 his title passed to his only surviving son, William Molyneux, 4th Viscount Molyneux.
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
. He was the younger son of Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1628 when he was created a peer....
and inherited the title from his elder brother in 1654. He married Mary Barlow, daughter of Sir Alexander Barlow of Barlow.
He joined the Royalist army at the outbreak of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and served with his brother, Richard Molyneux, 2nd Viscount Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 2nd Viscount Molyneux
Richard Molyneux, 2nd Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough, was the son of Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux and inherited his title on his father's death in 1636. He married Frances Seymour, daughter of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset and Lady Frances Devereux, at Essex House on 28...
, in the Lancashire Regiment, which was mostly Catholic, through almost all the fighting from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(1642) to Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
(1651). After the death of this brother in 1654, he succeeded to the viscounty and the constableship of Liverpool Castle
Liverpool Castle
Liverpool Castle was a castle which was situated in Liverpool, England . It stood from the early 13th century to the early 18th century.-Construction:...
. As a well-known Catholic Cavalier, he experienced very harsh treatment from the victors; and the family estates suffered severely.
It was not until the reign of James II that Molyneux's fortunes improved. He was then made Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.-References:* The Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lancashire County Council...
(1687–1688) and Admiral of the Narrow Seas, and was one of the few who fought with any success on James's side against the Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
, for he seized and held the town of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, until all further resistance was in vain. After using the castle to store arms, he was arrested on a fictitious charge of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
for a suspected Jacobite rebellion called The Lancashire plot. Along with other Catholics, he was imprisoned in the Tower but was victoriously acquitted in 1694. He did not however recover the hereditary constableship and the castle was leased to the burgesses who in 1704 were authorised by the Crown to destroy it.
After his death at Croxteth in 1699 his title passed to his only surviving son, William Molyneux, 4th Viscount Molyneux.