Sir Francis Blake, 1st Baronet, of Twizell Castle
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Sir Francis Blake was a Northumbrian landowner who was created 1st Baronet of Twizell
in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 25 May 1774.
He was the grandson of Sir Francis Blake, Knt., of Cogges
, Oxfordshire
, who acquired Ford Castle
, Northumberland
on his marriage to Elizabeth née Carr, and who purchased Twizell Castle
, Northumberland, in about 1685; and was the son of Sarah, daughter of Sir Francis of Cogges and her cousin Robert Blake of Menlough
(1697–1734).
He was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford
.
He inherited the Twizell Castle estate ( subject to his fathers life interest) on the death of his grandfather in 1717. (Ford Castle
passed to his cousin Francis Delaval).
He supported the government during the Jacobite rising
of 1745. Described as an 'experimental philosopher' (DNB
), he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1746.
After his father's death in 1734 he moved out of Twizell Castle and settled at Tillmouth House http://www.tillmouthpark.co.uk/ nearby. He and his son embarked on a costly and ambitious project to build a new castle on the Twizell site. The design, five-storey Gothick, was by architect James Nesbitt. After some forty years the project, still unfinished was abandoned.
He served as High Sheriff of Northumberland
in 1772.
Blake acquired other estates including Fowberry Tower
in 1776 and Seghill
in 1777.
He married Isabella née Ayton in 1732. His first son Robert died aged 21 in 1754. In his will Blake left £60 for the creation of a monument to his son in the West Cloister
of Westminster Abbey
.
He was succeeded by his second son Francis
Blake Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies for persons with the surname Blake, one in the Baronetage of Ireland, two in the Baronetage of Great Britain and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 25 May 1774.
He was the grandson of Sir Francis Blake, Knt., of Cogges
Cogges
Cogges is a district beside the River Windrush in Witney, Oxfordshire, east of the town centre. It had been a separate village and until 1932 it was a separate civil parish.-History:...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, who acquired Ford Castle
Ford Castle
Forde Castle is a Grade 1 listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument situated at a shallow crossing point on the River Till, Ford, Northumberland, England....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
on his marriage to Elizabeth née Carr, and who purchased Twizell Castle
Twizell Castle
Twizell Castle is a Grade II* listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument which stands on a bend of the River Till at Tillmouth Park, Northumberland, northern England. Below it, the medieval Twizell bridge spans the river. It is located south-west of Berwick Upon Tweed. The site is visible...
, Northumberland, in about 1685; and was the son of Sarah, daughter of Sir Francis of Cogges and her cousin Robert Blake of Menlough
Menlough
See also Menlo, another settlement in County Galway sometimes spelt "Menlough".Menlough is a village in northeast County Galway in Ireland...
(1697–1734).
He was educated at Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
.
He inherited the Twizell Castle estate ( subject to his fathers life interest) on the death of his grandfather in 1717. (Ford Castle
Ford Castle
Forde Castle is a Grade 1 listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument situated at a shallow crossing point on the River Till, Ford, Northumberland, England....
passed to his cousin Francis Delaval).
He supported the government during the Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
of 1745. Described as an 'experimental philosopher' (DNB
DNB
DNB is short for:* De Nederlandsche Bank, the Dutch central bank* Den norske Bank, a Norwegian bank * Departure from nucleate boiling in boiling heat transfer* Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, the German national library...
), he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1746.
After his father's death in 1734 he moved out of Twizell Castle and settled at Tillmouth House http://www.tillmouthpark.co.uk/ nearby. He and his son embarked on a costly and ambitious project to build a new castle on the Twizell site. The design, five-storey Gothick, was by architect James Nesbitt. After some forty years the project, still unfinished was abandoned.
He served as High Sheriff of Northumberland
High Sheriff of Northumberland
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of the English county of Northumberland.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post...
in 1772.
Blake acquired other estates including Fowberry Tower
Fowberry Tower
Fowberry Tower is a Grade II* listed mansion house, situated on the banks of the River Till, near Chatton, Northumberland.The Manor of Fowberry was owned by the Fowberry family for over 400 years and their 16th century tower house incorporated the remains of an original pele tower.In the late 16th...
in 1776 and Seghill
Seghill
Seghill is a small village located on the Northumberland border which is the county boundary between Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. Seghill is situated between the villages of Seaton Delaval and Annitsford, about north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
in 1777.
He married Isabella née Ayton in 1732. His first son Robert died aged 21 in 1754. In his will Blake left £60 for the creation of a monument to his son in the West Cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
He was succeeded by his second son Francis