The GalleryWelcome to the Gallery.

Take a walk along the gallery to view family portraits dating back to Sir Herbert Croft who was created first Baronet in 1671. The Croft family were first recorded at Croft in the Domesday book of 1086 when Bernard de Croft was settled here.

Through the windows you can catch a glimpse of the inner courtyard.

1st of the Baronets…

The Crofts leave Croft...

Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Baronet(c. 1652 - 1720)In 1671 a young Herbert Croft, son of Dr Herbert Croft Bishop of Hereford, becomes the first member of the family to have the title of Baronet bestowed upon him for his family’s loyal service to the Stuart cause. Four years later he marries Elizabeth Archer, sister of the gentleman architect Thomas Archer. They have 11 children, including Frances (who hangs here next to her husband Robert Dyer of Llangathan, elder brother of the celebrated poet John Dyer), Elizabeth and Margaret. His son Archer would grow up to be 2nd Baronet, but his money worries would lead him to sell the Castle in 1746.

Sir Archer Croft, 2nd Baronet (1683 - 1753)It’s the 1720s and the South Sea Bubble is about to burst. Sir Archer is one of many speculators whose fingers get burnt. His finances are never to fullyrecover. Archer ingratiates himself with the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, via grovelling letters,and is appointed MR for Leominster in 1722. Despitethese appointments and a lucrative job on the Board ofTrade, Archer runs up serious debts which force him to first mortgage and then, in 1746, to sell Croft to Richard Knight, a rich ironworks owner, of nearby Downton. Archer and family, including his son, Sir Archer Croft, 3rd Baronet (1731 - 92), are forced to settle at the family home of his wife Frances Waring, Lady Croft at Dunston Park in Berkshire. The Croftsare not to return to Croft for nearly 170 years.

Sir Herbert Croft, 1st Baronet

Frances Waring, Lady Croft

The Crofts did not live at the Castle between 1746-1923. During this time there were some interesting characters in the Croft story who never set foot in the old family home.

Reverend Sir Herbert Croft, 5th Baronet(1751 - 1816) The Dictionary MakerIn 1797, the day after his second marriage to Elizabeth Lewis, Herbert is arrested for debt and sent to Exeter prison. Upon his release he spends most of the rest of his life in exile in France. His poor money management means that he can’t provide dowries for this three daughters. The three girls depicted in the painting ‘Children of Sir Herbert’ hung in the gallery remain unmarried. In the library you can view Rev. Herbert’s painting above the fireplace and find out more about his futile quest to revise Dr Johnson’s dictionary.

Elizabeth, 1st Marchioness Conyngham

(1769 - 1861) The English Royal Mistress

A beautiful enamel portrait at the end of the

gallery depicts Elizabeth, 1st Marchioness Conyngham,

an ancestor of the wife of Michael, 2nd Lord Croft.

When Elizabeth catches the eye of King George IV

she becomes his last mistress. In doing so Elizabeth

gains prize positions for her family and important

influence at court. She is even given gifts from the

crown jewels. She also makes many enemies - one

contemporary describes her as “nothing but a hand to

accept pearls and diamonds and an enormous balcony

to wear them on”.

Elizabeth Cowper (1737-1805)

The Artist’s Model

Elizabeth is the cousin of William

Cowper, one of the most popular

poets of his time. In 1759 Elizabeth

marries Sir Archer Croft, 3rd Baronet.

His father has sold Croft and she will

never know the estate.

She is strikingly beautiful and on a trip a year after her marriage she

sits for Thomas Gainsborough who has set up a studio to paint the

fashionable visitors to the city of Bath. That same year she is also

painted by Joshua Reynolds, Gainsborough’s biggest rival.

Tragically, Elizabeth’s son and heir dies young and the title passes

to Archer’s brother. Elizabeth lives to be an old lady and is

immortalised through her beautiful portrait.

The Return of the Crofts...

Sir Herbert Denman Croft, 9th Baronet (1838 - 1902)

It’s been many years since the Croft’s lived at Croft, but the family

still feels a strong tie with the ancestral home and commemorate

its dead at Croft church. Sir Herbert, son of Sir Archer Denman

Croft, 8th Baronet, has seen the perfect place to bring the Crofts

back to their home turf. He brings his wife Lady Georgiana to see

Lugwardine Court, just east of Hereford and the Crofts settle on

home soil, paving the way for their eventual return to Croft Castle.

Sir Archer and Lady Georgiana go on to bear ten children, including

their heir Sir Herbert Archer Croft. When he dies in battle at Galipolli,

the title trustees decide to buy back the Croft Castle estate after a gap

of over 170 years, finally returning the Crofts back to the family seat.

The Reverend Sir Herbert Croft,5th Baronet was nicknamed ‘the Dictionary-maker’.

View the three daughters of Sir Herbert Croft, 5th Baronet, painted as cherubim

The gallery was built to connect the mainground floor rooms

The six 1760s chairs whichyou can see are fine examplesof the Gothick style