Lord Polwarth

Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth in the County of Berwick, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1690 for Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth, 2nd Baronet, Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1696 to 1702 (the baronetcy had been created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia in 1637 for his father and namesake Patrick Hume). In 1697 he was further created Lord Polwarth, of Polwarth, Redbraes and Greenlaw, Viscount of Blasonberrie and Earl of Marchmont, also in the Peerage of Scotland. Upon the death of his grandson, the third Earl, the creations of 1697 became dormant (unclaimed).

Patrick Hume,
1st Earl of Marchmont

The claim to the lordship of 1690 was vested in his granddaughter, Anne Anstruther-Paterson (de jure 4th Lady Polwarth), daughter of Lady Anne Hume-Campbell, eldest daughter of the third Earl. However, she died before any decision on her claim to the peerage had been reached. On her death the claim to the title passed to her aunt Diana Scott (de jure 5th Lady Polwarth), youngest daughter of the third Earl, and then to her son Hugh Hepburne-Scott. In 1835, Hugh's claim to the peerage was allowed by the House of Lords. His son, the seventh Lord, was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1843 to 1867, and like his son, the eighth Lord, served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire. The latter's great-grandson, the tenth Lord, was a Scottish Representative Peer from 1945 to 1963, Governor of the Bank of Scotland from 1966 to 1972, and served in the Conservative administration of Edward Heath, as a Minister of State at the Scottish Office, from 1972 to 1974. As of 2017, the title is held by the latter's son, the eleventh Lord, who succeeded in 2005.

The heirs apparent to the Earls of Marchmont used the courtesy title Lord Polwarth.

The family seat now is Harden House, near Hawick, Roxburghshire. The former seat was Marchmont House, near Polwarth, Berwickshire.