Baron Audley

The title Baron Audley was first created on 8 January 1313, by writ, in the Peerage of England, for Nicholas Audley of Heighley Castle, a member of the Audley family of Staffordshire.

The third Baron, the last of the main Audley line, died without issue in 1391, leaving the Barony abeyant. It was revived in 1408 for the descendants of his sister Joanne, and her husband, Sir John Tuchet (b 1327). The eleventh baron was created Earl of Castlehaven. The second earl was attainted of felony and executed, forfeiting the barony, but not the (Irish) earldom. His son was allowed to inherit it in 1678 by a bill of Parliament, and the barony and earldom remained united until the death of the eighth earl, when the earldom became extinct, and the barony went to George Thicknesse, later Thicknesse-Tuchet. In 1997, the title went into abeyance, and remains so to this day.

The title of Baron Audley was created a second time on 20 November 1317, again by writ of summons, for Hugh Audley of Stratton Audley, grandson of James Audley of Audley (1220–1272). He married Margaret de Clare, (daughter of the Earl of Hertford who was also 3rd Earl of Gloucester (a 1218 creation, extinct in 1314)). Audley was raised to Earl of Gloucester in 1337. Upon his death in 1347, the earldom was extinct, and the barony became dormant. His only daughter and heir married Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford, and the de jure barony passed with the Earldom of Stafford until 1521, when Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham was attainted.