View source for Baron Clitheroe

{{Short description|Title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom}}
{{Infobox nobility title
| name              = Baron Clitheroe 
| image             = [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|150px]]<br/>[[File:Assheton arms.svg|180px]] 
| image_size        = 
| alt               = 
| caption           = ''Argent, a mullet sable pierced of the field''
| creation_date     = 20 June 1955 
| creation          = 
| monarch           = [[Queen Elizabeth II]]
| peerage           = [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]] 
| baronetage        = 
| first_holder      = [[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe]] 
| last_holder       = 
| present_holder    = [[Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baron Clitheroe]] 
| heir_apparent     = Hon. Ralph Assheton 
| heir_presumptive  = 
| remainder_to      = 1st Baron's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten<ref>{{London Gazette |issue= 40517|date=21 June 1955 | page= 3593|supp=y}}</ref> 
| subsidiary_titles = 
| status            = 
| extinction_date   = 
| family_seat       = [[Downham Hall]] 
| former_seat       = 
| motto             = ''Nec arrogo nec dubito'' ("I am neither proud nor hesitant")<ref name="burke"/> 
| footnotes         = 
}}

'''Baron Clitheroe''' of [[Downham, Lancashire|Downham]] in the County of Lancaster is a title in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]]. It was created in the [[1955 Birthday Honours]] for the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician [[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe|Ralph Assheton]], who had previously served as [[Financial Secretary to the Treasury]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Four Barons in Honours List |work=[[The Times]] |page=8 |date=9 June 1955 }}</ref> He was the son of [[Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet|Ralph Cockayne Assheton]], for many years a member of the [[Lancashire County Council]], who had been created [[baronet]] of Downham in the County of Lancaster, on 4 September 1945. Three months after being raised to the peerage, Lord Clitheroe succeeded his father in the baronetcy. {{As of|2017}}, the titles are held by the first Baron's son, the second Baron, who succeeded in 1984.<ref name="burke">{{cite book |title=Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood |publisher=Burke's Peerage & Gentry |editor=Mosley, Charles |editor-link=Charles Mosley (genealogist) |edition=107th |year=2003 |pages=827–829 |ref=Burke |isbn=0-9711966-2-1}}</ref>

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, [[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe|Ralph Assheton]] also acquired title to the manorial and mineral rights as well as land holdings within the former [[Honour of Clitheroe]]. These were purchased out of the Clitheroe Estate Company following its administration in 1945. They included the Lordship of the [[Forest of Pendle]]. 

The Assheton family, also spelled Ashton, derive from [[Ashton-under-Lyne]]. The military commander Sir [[John de Ashton (military commander)|John de Assheton]] (or de Ashton) was among their ancestors.<ref name="burke"/>

The family seat is [[Downham Hall]], near [[Downham, Lancashire|Downham]], [[Lancashire]].

==Assheton baronets of Downham (1945)==
*[[Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet|Sir Ralph Cockayne Assheton, 1st Baronet]] (1860–1955)<ref name="burke"/>
*[[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe|Sir Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baronet]] (1901–1984) (created '''Baron Clitheroe''' in 1955)

===Barons Clitheroe (1955)===
*[[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe]] (1901–1984)<ref name="burke"/>
*[[Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baron Clitheroe|Ralph John Assheton, 2nd Baron Clitheroe]] (born 1929)<ref name="burke"/>

The [[heir apparent]] is the present holder's son, the Hon. Ralph Christopher Assheton (born 1962).<br/>
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son, Ralph Anthony Assheton (born 1998).

===Line of succession===
{{tree list}}
* [[File:Ulster.svg|15px]] ''[[Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet|Sir Ralph Cockayne Assheton, 1st Baronet]] (1860–1955)''{{cn|date=October 2020}}
** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|15px]] ''[[Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe]] (1901–1984)''
*** [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|15px]] '''[[Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baron Clitheroe|Ralph John Assheton, 2nd Baron Clitheroe]]''' (born 1929)
**** '''(1)''' ''Hon.'' Ralph Christopher Assheton (born 1962)
***** '''(2)''' Ralph Anthony Assheton (born 1998)
**** '''(3)''' ''Hon.'' John Hotham Assheton (born 1964)
***** '''(4)''' William Hotham Assheton (born 1992)
***** '''(5)''' James Charles Assheton (born 1999)
*** ''Hon. Nicholas Assheton (1934–2012)''
**** '''(6)''' Thomas Assheton (born 1963)
***** '''(7)''' Noah Frederick Assheton (born 1991)
{{tree list/end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Extant Barons of the United Kingdom}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clitheroe}}
[[Category:Baronies in the Peerage of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Noble titles created in 1955]]
[[Category:Ashton family]]
[[Category:1955 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Peerages created for UK MPs]]