Earl of Winchelsea

Earldom of Winchilsea held with Earldom of Nottingham
Quarterly, 1st & 4th: argent, a chevron between three garbs gules; (Hatton) 2nd & 3rd, argent, a chevron between three griffins, passant, wings endorsed sable (Finch)
Creation date	Winchilsea 1628 Nottingham 1681
Monarch	Charles I (Winchilsea) Charles II (Nottingham)
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Elizabeth Finch, 1st Countess of Winchilsea
Present holder	Daniel Finch-Hatton, 17th Earl of Winchilsea, 12th Earl of Nottingham
Heir apparent	Tobias Finch-Hatton, Viscount Maidstone
Remainder to	the 1st Earl's heirs male whatsoever
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Maidstone Baron Finch of Daventry Baronet of Eastwell Baronet of Raunston
Seat(s)	Kirby Hall
Former seat(s)	Eastwell Park
Armorial motto	Nil conscire sibi ("Conscious of no evil"); Virtus tutissima cassis ("Virtue is the safest helmet")

Earl of Winchilsea is a title in the Peerage of England held by the Finch-Hatton family. It has been united with the title of Earl of Nottingham under a single holder since 1729. The Finch family is believed to be descended from Henry FitzHerbert, Lord Chamberlain to Henry I (r. 1100–1135). The name change came in the 1350s after marriage to an heiress member of the Finch family. A later member of the family, Sir William Finch, was knighted in 1513. His son Sir Thomas Finch (died 1563), was also knighted for his share in suppressing Sir Thomas Wyatt's insurrection against Queen Mary I, and was the son-in-law of Sir Thomas Moyle, some of whose lands Finch's wife inherited. Thomas's eldest son Moyle Finch represented Weymouth, Kent and Winchelsea in the House of Commons. In 1611 he was created a baronet, of Eastwell in the County of Kent.

Moyle Finch married Elizabeth Heneage, only daughter of Sir Thomas Heneage (1533–1595), Vice-Chamberlain of the Household to Queen Elizabeth I. After Sir Moyle's death in 1614 Elizabeth and her sons made considerable efforts to have the family's status elevated. On 8 July 1623 Elizabeth was raised to the Peerage of England as Viscountess Maidstone, and on 12 July 1628 she was further honoured when she was made Countess of Winchilsea. Lady Winchilsea and Sir Moyle Finch's youngest son the Hon. Sir Heneage Finch served as Speaker of the House of Commons and was the father of Heneage Finch, who was created Earl of Nottingham in 1681.