Baron Clifford

Baron Clifford is a title in the Peerage of England created by writ of summons on 17 February 1628 for Henry Clifford, Lord Clifford (so styled as heir to the Earldom of Cumberland). The title was believed to be held by Lord Clifford's father and descending to Lord Clifford via a writ of acceleration, but it would later be determined that the Clifford title held by that family had passed to a female relative, so the summons of 1628 unintentionally created a new title. Lord Clifford inherited his father's title in 1641, whereupon he sat in the House of Lords as Earl of Cumberland until his death in 1643.

Arms of Clifford: Checky or and azure, a fesse gules[1] as borne by Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford (c. 1274–1314), feudal baron of Skipton, as recorded in the famous Caerlaverock Roll of 1300

His daughter Lady Elizabeth Clifford succeeded to the title suo jure (although, as was customary in those days, she never made claim to it). Lady Elizabeth had married, in 1634, the Hon. Richard Boyle (later Viscount Boyle) who was also created in 1644 Baron Clifford of Lanesborough in the Peerage of England with a seat in the House of Lords.

The Clifford barony of 1628 creation remained with the Earls of Burlington and Cork until the death of the 3rd and last Earl of Burlington in 1753, when that earldom and the Clifford of Lanesborough barony (i.e. the 1644 creation) became extinct.

This Clifford peerage then devolved upon Charlotte Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, wife of the future 4th Duke of Devonshire. Then the barony of Clifford was held by the Dukes of Devonshire until the death of William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire in 1858, since when it has been in abeyance.