Earl Harcourt

Earl Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt in the County of Oxford, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1749 for Simon Harcourt, 2nd Viscount Harcourt. He was made Viscount Nuneham at the same time, also in the Peerage of Great Britain. Harcourt was the son of the Honourable Simon Harcourt and the grandson of Simon Harcourt, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, who had been created Baron Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt in the County of Oxford, on 3 September 1711, and Viscount Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt in the County of Oxford, on 24 July 1721. Both these titles were also in the Peerage of Great Britain.

William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt; George Harcourt, 2nd Earl Harcourt; and Elizabeth (Vernon), Countess of Harcourt, by Sir Joshua Reynolds

Earldom of Harcourt
Gules, two bars and a chief indented or[1]
Creation date	1 December 1749[2]
Monarch	George II
Peerage	Peerage of Great Britain
First holder	Simon Harcourt, 2nd Viscount Harcourt
Last holder	William Harcourt, 3rd Earl Harcourt
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Nuneham Viscount Harcourt Baron Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt
Extinction date	17 June 1830
Former seat(s)	Nuneham House Stanton Harcourt Cokethorpe House
Motto	Gesta Verbis Prævenient ("Deeds before Words")[3]

The first earl fulfilled various diplomatic duties for King George II and George III as Prince of Wales and then King. In 1772, Harcourt was appointed Viceroy of Ireland. Five years later, he died at his own estate at Nuneham by falling into a well. He was succeeded by his eldest son, George, who was in turn succeeded by his younger brother, William. The titles became extinct on the latter's death in 1830 as neither brother left legitimate surviving sons of their own.[1]

The viscountcy was revived in 1917 in favour of Lewis Vernon Harcourt. He was a descendant of the Right Reverend Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, the son of George Venables-Vernon, 1st Baron Vernon, by his third wife Martha Harcourt, daughter of the aforementioned Simon Harcourt, son of Simon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt. See Viscount Harcourt for further history of this branch of the family.

The ancient family of Harcourt held Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire from the 12th century and other later Oxfordshire seats included Cokethorpe House and Nuneham House. In addition, they held estates in Staffordshire at Ellenhall Hall and Abbey House, Ranton Priory.