William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth

Who was William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth?

William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth was an Irish nobleman of the Restoration period. He was an intelligent and popular man who would no doubt have played an influential role in Irish politics but for his premature death.

Though some sources refer to him as the nephew of the 11th baron, the weight of evidence is that he was the only surviving son of Nicholas St Lawrence, 11th Baron Howth and Jane Montgomery, daughter of George Montgomery, Bishop of Derry. He was born in 1628. The St Lawrence family had inherited estates near Colchester through William's grandmother Elizabeth Wentworth, which presumably explains why he was sent to Colchester Grammar School, which he entered in 1639.

His father died at the height of the English Civil War; as a staunch Royalist his property had suffered considerably from attacks by the Parliamentary forces. William himself is said to have been left in peace after his father's death, despite serving briefly with the Royalist forces. In 1660 he used his influence in favour of the restoration of Charles II, and was recommended to the King by James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde as a possible military commander.