The first creation came in the Peerage of Great Britain on 10 September 1766 in favour of the French Huguenot soldier Field Marshal Sir John Ligonier, who served more than 60 years in the British Army.[1] The peerage was created with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body. He had already been created Viscount Ligonier, of Enniskillen, in the Peerage of Ireland on 31 December 1757, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body, and Viscount Ligonier, of Clonmell, in the Peerage of Ireland on 20 May 1762, with remainder to his nephew, Edward Ligonier.
In 1763, he was also created Baron Ligonier of Ripley, in the County of Surrey, in the Peerage of Great Britain, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body. The barony, viscountcy of 1757 and earldom became extinct on his death on 28 April 1770 while he was succeeded in the viscountcy of 1762 according to the special remainder by his nephew, the second Viscount.
Edward Ligonier was the illegitimate son of Colonel Francis Augustus Ligonier, brother of the first Earl.
On 19 July 1776, the earldom was revived when he was made Earl Ligonier, of Clonmell in the County of Tipperary, in the Peerage of Ireland.[3] The titles became extinct on his death on 14 June 1782.
Image shown is obverse of a standard carried at the Battle of Dettingen (27 June 1743) by the 8th Regiment of Horse, depicting the armorial achievement of the regiment's colonel Major-General John Ligonier
Adopted
17 February 1744
Crest
I. Out of a French Marquis's coronet proper, a demi-lion or II: Out of a mural crown, a demi-lion erminois, holding in his dexter paw a palm-branch proper
Escutcheon
Gules, a lion rampant or, on a chief argent, a crescent between two mullets azure
Supporters
Two lions regardant erminois, each gorged with a mural crown gules, & holding in one paw a banner emblazoned with the arms of Ligonier[4]
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