Philip Yorke I (1743-1804): Squire of Erthig
Eighteenth century squires were not all cast in the same mould. There were wide variations between t...
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Eighteenth century squires were not all cast in the same mould. There were wide variations between them as regards wealth, estates and dwellings and life-style. Equally, their interests varied: estate administration, public life and national politics, the church and local community, the militia, field sports, intellectual pursuits - each chose a different emphasis.Philip Yorke, however, was notable for his active involvement in all these spheres. In this book Eric Griffiths examines the squire's role as an 'improving landowner', a JP and church warden, an MP, a Captain of Militia and as an antiquarian and genealogist who wrote The Royal Tribes of Wales.According to the scanty comment of is contemporaries he was a paragon of eighteenth century gentlemanly virtues; he was benevolent, patriotic, cultured, a scintillating conversationalist and a classical scholar. In Philip Yorke I - Squire of Erthig, based on a critical study of his correspondence and other contemporary sources, the author seeks to discover how far this reputation was deserved.This book will appeal not only to academics but also to anyone interested in the eighteenth century and the history of north-east Wales in particular.
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