Welbore Ellis, Baron Mendip

Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip, Member of Parliament, was buried in the north transept of Westminster Abbey on 7th February 1802 aged 88. He has no monument or gravestone.

His Life

He was a younger son of the Right Reverend Welbore Ellis, bishop of Kildare and later of Meath in Ireland, and his wife Diana (Briscoe) and was born on 15th December 1713 in Kildare. Like his father he was educated at Westminster School, where he was captain of the Kings Scholars, and Oxford university. He succeeded to the properties of two of his uncles and was a wealthy man. As well as an M.P. he was treasurer of the Navy, Privy Councillor and Secretary of State for the American colonies in 1782. He had a valuable library and was a trustee of the British Museum. In 1794 he was created Baron Mendip of Mendip in Somerset.

His first wife was Elizabeth Stanhope (died 1761) and his second was Anne Stanley, Baroness Mendip, who was buried with him on 13th December 1803, aged 78. She was the eldest daughter of George Stanley, and sister of Hans Stanley who was governor of the Isle of Wight. They married at St George's church, Hanover Square on 20th July 1765. As he had no children his title passed to his great nephew Henry Welbore Agar, who assumed the surname Ellis.

His nephew Charles Agar was also buried with him. Welbore is mentioned on the Agar grave inscription.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography