Douglas of Salwarpe

Lt Gen Archibald Douglas of Witham, (1707-8 Nov 1778) ADC to King George II, Colonel of the 13th Dragoons, MP for Dumfries

Richard Lowndes (later Garth by Royal Licence in 1837), Rev., of Morden, (1790-1862) Md., Mary Douglas, + 1849, d. of Rev. Robert Douglas, of Salwarpe and had issue.

Rev. Robert Douglas of Salwarpe, co. Worcester (younger son of Lieut.-General Archibald Douglas of Witham, co. Essex, A.D.C. to King George II., M.P. for Dumfries, by Elizabeth his wife, dau. of Edmund Burchard of Witham) ; born on Christmas Day, bapt. at Witham 27 December 1765 ; educated at Harrow and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, LL.B. 1794 ; Cornet 4th Dragoon Guards 8 March 1782; afterwards in Holy Orders ; Rector of Salwarpe and Hampton Lovett, both co. Worcester, 1794; J. P. for co. Worcester; died 6 December, bur. at Salwarpe 10 December 1806. Admon granted at Worcester 25 March 1807. Portrait at Kingsland, Newcastle-under-Lyrne, in the possession of his great -grand-son, Archibald Douglas.

Rev. Henry Douglas, born 17 April, bapt. at Whitborne, co.Hereford, 30 May 1793; educated at Rugby, admitted 1803, and at St. John's College, Cambridge, B.A. 1815, M.A. 1818; Vicar of Newland, co. Gloucester, 1822-32; Rural Dean, Prebendary and Precentor of Llandaff, co. Glamorgan, 7 April 1825; Rector of Whickham, co. Durham, 1832-1844; Canon of Durham 1834; and Rector of Salwarpe, co. Worcester, 1845-1849; died, aged 66, at the College, Durham, on Friday, 15 July, bur. in the graveyard of Durham Cathedral on Wednesday, 20 July 1859. M.I. in the chancel of St. Michael's, Salwarpe, also Memorial Window. Will dated 11 November 1857, proved at Durham 9 August 1859, by Eleanor Douglas, relict. Portrait by George Richmond, R.A., at Kingsland, Newcastle-under-Lyme, in the possession of his grandson, Archibald Douglas.

Possible daughters of William Willoughby Douglas:

• Frances, born 8 December 1850, bapt. at Salwarpe 6 January 1851 ; died at The Lowe, Bridgnorth, co. Salop, 26 January 191 1, bur. at Worfield, co. Salop. Memorial Brass in chancel of Salwarpe Church. Will dated 18 August 1899, proved (Prin. Reg., 388, n) 14 March 1911, by Archibald Douglas and William Douglas, brothers.
• Margaret, born at the Rectory, Salwarpe, on Wednesday, 18 February, bapt. at Salwarpe 20 February 1852 ; died 23 October 1867, bur. at Salwarpe.

Robert Archibald Douglas-Gresley of High Park and of Salwarpe Court,co. Worcester ; born 24 October 1794; bapt. at Whitborne, co. Hereford; educated at Rugby, admitted 1807; J.P. and D.L. for co. Worcester; Lord of the Manor of Salwarpe ; assumed by Royal Licence dated 30 January 1830, the additional name and arms of Gresley, in compliance with the will of Philip Gresley of High Park; died 13 February, bur. at Salwarpe 19 February 1885. Memorial tablet in the chancel. Will dated 6 August 1884, proved at Worcester 26 March r88s, by the Rev. William Willoughby Douglas and Robert Archibald Douglas, nephews.

Archibald Douglas of Salwarpe and of High Park, co. Worcester, and of Kingsland, Newcastle-under-Lyme ; born at the Rectory, Salwarpe, on Sunday, 10 April, bapt. at Salwarpe 15 May 1853 (Sponsors : Mrs. How (3rd wife of William Wybergh How of Nearwell, Shrewsbury, Robert Archibald Douglas and Henry Douglas, uncles) ; educated at Marlborough and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, B.A. 1875, M.A. 1878; admitted a Solicitor November 1879; Lord of the Manor and Patron of the living of Salwarpe.

William Douglas of The School, Malvern Link, co Worcester ; born 4 August, bapt. at Salwarpe 24 August 1854 ; of Keble College, Oxford, matriculated 13 October 1873, Scholar 1873, B.A. 1877, M.A. 1881. .=f=Martha Mauleverer, 3rd dau. of George

Harold Archibald Douglas of Kingsland, Newcastle-under-Lyme; born at Newcastle-under-Lyme on Friday, 2 September, bapt. at Salwarpe 2 October 1887 ; educated at Rossall and at Selwyn College, Cambridge, matriculated Michaelmas 1905, B.A. 1908 ; a Student of St. Bartholomew's Hospital ; M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond. 1912, M.B. Camb. 1 9 13; Captain Royal Army Medical Corps.

Major Herbert Archibald Douglas, son of Thomas and Janet Douglas.

Rev. Francis William Gresley Douglas, eldest son of Archibald Douglas of Salwarpe; born at Lancaster Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, on Friday, 15 January, bapt. at Basford, co. Stafford, 18 February 1886; of Clare College, Cambridge, matriculated Michaelmas Term 1905, B.A. 1908, M.A. 1912 ; Curate of St. Matthew's, Walsall, co. Stafford, 1910-15, and of the parish church, Maidstone, co. Kent, 1915.   Possibly Bridget Emily Frances (his cousin), born at Frant, co. Sussex, 4 February, bapt. there 18 March 1888 ; marr. at St. James', Tunbridge Wells (by her brother, the Rev. Robert Henry Douglas) on Thursday, 5 June ????

Percy Walter Lewis Adams of Woore Manor, near Crewe, co. Chester, married at St. George's, Newcastle-under-Lyme, co. Stafford, on Wednesday, 26 April 1916, Ada Gladys, eldest daughter of Archibald Douglas of Salwarpe and of High Park, both co. Worcester, and of Kingsland, Newcastle-under-Lyme; born 5 November, baptised at Salwarpe 14 December 1889. They have issue a son, Ralph Douglas Gresley Adams, born 1 May, baptised at the parish church, Wolstanton, co. Stafford, 15 June 1917.

Frances Anne, born 20 October, bapt. at Newland, co. Gloucester, 18 November 1825; married at Salwarpe (by her brother, the Rev. WilliamWilloughby Douglas) on Tuesday, 6 November 1849; died, aged 61, at Barmouth, co. Merioneth, on Sunday, 28 August 1887, bur. at Whittington.

Robert Archibald Douglas, born 15 October, bapt. at Newland, co. Gloucester, 24 November 1826; educated at Eton and at St. John's College, Cambridge, B.A. 1849, M.A. 1852; of the Inner Temple, called to the Bar 26 January 1854; died unmarried, aged 73, at 14 Cromwell Crescent, Earl's Court, London, on Monday, 27 November 1899, bur. in Brompton Cemetery, London. Will dated 22 May 1893, proved (Prin. Reg., 31, 1900) 5 January 1900, by Thomas Douglas, brother.

William Douglas of The School, Malvern Link, married Martha Mauleverer, 3rd dau. of George Worcester ; born 4 August, bapt. at Salwarpe 24 August 1854 ; of Keble College, Oxford, matriculated 13 October 1873, Scholar 1873, B.A. 1877, M.A. 1881.

The following is adapted from an article in the June 2002 Douglas Archives magazine: -

The Douglas Family of Salwarpe,Worcestershire,in 2022

 The Douglas family of Salwarpe, Worcestershire, is extensively documented in the Douglas Archives under both Salwarpe and Fingland. Their lineage traces back to William Douglas in 1170 and, through the Drumlanrig line, to Patrick Douglas, who died in 1576—two years before his father, Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig. Patrick’s mother, Margaret Douglas, was the daughter of George Douglas, Master of Angus. Despite his parents’ divorce and his father’s remarriage, Patrick was named in his father’s will, and his son Hugh inherited Morton Castle in Dumfriesshire. The family remained at Morton for several generations, closely associated with their neighbours and cousins, the Dukes of Queensberry.

William Douglas of Fingland, born at nearby Sanquhar Castle while Morton was under repair, became a noted Jacobite swordsman and served abroad. He is remembered as the author of the poem to Annie Laurie, whom he had courted in his youth. He died in 1760, having served as Commissioner of Supply for Dumfries.

His son, General Archibald Douglas (1707–1778), successfully concealed his Jacobite sympathies. He served as aide-de-camp to King George II at the Battle of Dettingen and was among those who escorted Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz to marry George III, securing court appointments for his daughters. Though he relocated the family to Witham, Essex, he remained MP for Dumfries Burghs from 1754 to 1774.

Archibald’s youngest son, Robert Douglas (1765–1806), began his career as a cornet before entering the Church and becoming rector of Salwarpe. The village of Salwarpe, a historic manorial settlement near Droitwich and the River Severn, is centred around St Michael’s Church, Salwarpe Manor, and a Georgian rectory. Robert had five children; his eldest son Henry had fifteen, and his grandson William had sixteen. Across four generations, members of the Douglas family served as vicars of Salwarpe, and Victorian electoral rolls show that many villagers bore the Douglas surname.

The last Douglas vicar at Salwarpe was Frank Douglas, who died of peritonitis in 1922. His widow retained the advowson for many years. The family continued its tradition of large households. David Douglas, who died in 1976, had seven children, and by recent count, twenty-five grandchildren and forty-six great-grandchildren. Family gatherings remain frequent, though large venues are required to accommodate the extended kin.

On 12 March 1995, over 150 family members assembled at Salwarpe for a surprise 80th birthday celebration for Elisabeth “Betsy” Douglas, David’s sister. She had not seen the rectory since the 1920s and believed she was simply going for a birthday drive. The church was filled to capacity for a service of thanksgiving, and the estate agent made the rectory—then up for sale—available for the day. Historic paintings and porcelain were returned to their original places, and Betsy, an actress by profession, presided with stories of her childhood memories.
A picnic followed, with family members of all ages joining in traditional games and dances, including Sir Roger de Coverley and “Kick the Can.” The rectory, once expanded by the Douglases to accommodate growing families, proved ideal for hide-and-seek. Today, it is divided into three luxurious country homes.

This account was recorded by Philip Douglas on 7 June 2022.

See also

• Family tree for Douglas of Fingland (Kirkcudbrightshire) & and their descendants of Witham & Salwarpe (Worcestershire)
• Douglas of Fingland
• Salwarpe Graveyard
• Salwarpe
• Mary Alice Douglas

Any contributions will be gratefully accepted