Baron Petre

Baron Petre
Arms of Petre: Gules, a bend or between two escallops argent
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	John Petre, 1st Baron Petre
Present holder	John Petre, 18th Baron Petre
Heir apparent	Hon. Dominic Petre
Seat(s)	Ingatestone Hall

Baron Petre (pronounced Peter), of Writtle, in the County of Essex, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1603 for Sir John Petre. His family has since been associated with the county of Essex. He represented Essex in parliament and served as Lord Lieutenant of Essex. Lord Petre was the son of Sir William Petre, Secretary of State to Henry VIII, Mary I, Edward VI and Elizabeth I. Sir William acquired Ingatestone Hall and the surrounding manor from Henry for the full market value after it had been surrendered to the King by Barking Abbey during the Suppression of the Monasteries.

The first Baron was succeeded by his son, William Petre, 2nd Baron Petre. He sat as Member of Parliament for Essex. His grandson, William Petre, 4th Baron Petre, was one of the accused in the Titus Oates plot and died in the Tower of London in 1684. His younger brother, Thomas Petre, 6th Baron Petre, was Lord Lieutenant of Essex. His great-grandson, Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre, who succeeded his father the year of his birth, married Anne Howard, daughter of Philip Howard, younger brother of Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk. On her uncle's death in 1777 Anne became co-heiress to the baronies of Howard, Furnivall, Strange of Blackmere, Talbot, Braose of Gower, Dacre of Gillesland, , Ferrers of Wemme, Giffard of Brimsfield and Verdon.