Prestige Titles · Lordships of England

The Lord of Bristol

The great western port that became a county of its own.

In short: Bristol became England's second city on the wealth of the sea, and in 1373 it became the first English town ever made a county in its own right.

Bristol's history

Bristol began as the Anglo-Saxon Brycgstow, meaning "the place by the bridge". It grew quickly into one of the busiest ports in the country, trading wine from France, shipping wool to Europe, and later reaching across the Atlantic to the New World.

The Lords of Bristol

In the 12th century Robert, Earl of Gloucester, an illegitimate son of King Henry I, turned Bristol Castle into one of the strongest fortresses in England. The city grew so important that in 1373 it was made a county in its own right, the very first English town ever granted that status.

Notable figures:Robert, Earl of Gloucester

Why the title mattered

A great port was a fortune in itself. Whoever controlled Bristol commanded the trade of the western seas, and in later centuries its merchants would help open the sea routes to the Americas. To see how such titles compared with the ranks of the peerage, read the full order of precedence.

Prestige Titles has no connection to the historic lordship of Bristol and sells neither land nor peerages. Our title pack lets you legally change your title to Lord.

Become a Lord

Those who once ruled Bristol earned their titles over centuries. You can become a Lord far more easily, with a genuine title pack of your own.

Lord Title Pack

£44.99£59.99

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Real parchment certificate · sealed Master Title Deed · a donation to the Woodland Trust