Their great-great-grandson, Bernard Petre, 14th Baron Petre, married Etheldreda, daughter of William Robinson Clark. In 1913 (five years after the death of Lord Petre) the abeyance of the ancient barony of Furnivall was terminated by the King in favour of their daughter Mary Frances Katherine Petre, who became the nineteenth Baroness Furnivall (see the Baron Furnivall for more information). Petre was succeeded by his younger brother, Philip Petre, 15th Baron Petre. As of 2017[update] the title is held by the latter's great-grandson, John Petre, 18th Baron Petre, who succeeded his father in 1989. Lord Petre has been Lord Lieutenant of Essex since 2002.
The Petre family have been staunchly loyal to Roman Catholicism. It was the first Baron who publicly acknowledged his Catholicism. At least twelve members of the family have been Jesuits. The family has also produced two bishops, Francis (1692–1775) and Benjamin (1672–1758). These two were coadjutor bishops of, respectively, Bishop Dicconson and Bishop Challoner.
The family seats are Ingatestone Hall (principal), at Ingatestone, Essex, and Writtle Park, Essex. The family-owned Thorndon Hall, near Brentwood, is set in an extensive deer park.[3] Formerly called "Thorndon Old Hall", it burned down in the early 18th century; after which "New" Thorndon Hall was built about a mile north, in Ingrave. This too suffered from a fire in the 1880s and has since been rebuilt as flats within the repaired walls, and the family mortuary chapel nearby is now owned by Historic Chapels Trust. Thorndon Park is mostly now run by Essex County Council as a Country Park with the Petre family retaining limited ownerships.
Robert James Petre, 8th Baron Petre (1713–1742); born posthumously 2 months and 10 days after the death of his father, the 7th Baron; succeeded to the title immediately upon his birth.
Robert Edward Petre, 9th Baron Petre (1742–1801), succeeded to the title about four months after his birth upon the death of his father, the 8th Baron.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Dominic William Petre (b. 1966)
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son William John Jude Petre (b. 2001)
^Dunbar, Sir Archibald H., Bt., Scottish Kings - A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005 - 1625, Edinburgh, 1899, p.127, where he cites Fordun's Annals, p.60, as saying Writtle, Essex, was his birthplace.
^Joseph Whitake. A descriptive list of the deer-parks and paddocks of England. London : Ballantyne, Hanson, 1892, OCLC6113552, p. 56.
References
Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
^This barony was created by Simon de Montfort, who, in the King's name, issued writs of summons to a parliament to attempt to stabilise his position during the Second Barons' War. This barony was given its precedence by the House of Lords in 1806.