Norton was born in Florence, Italy, the son of Thomas Norton, 4th Baron Grantley and his wife, Maria, née Federigo, and a grandson of Caroline Norton, the writer, and was educated at Harrow School and the University of Dresden. He inherited his father"s title in 1877 and was sometime a captain in the Middlesex Yeomanry.
Grantley was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, the Royal Numismatic Society and the British Numismatic Society. He assembled a large collection of coins and also grew orchids. His country seats were Weeke Manor in Winchester and Markenfield Hall in Ripon.
He also owned Elton Manor in Nottinghamshire for a time, but seems hardly to have lived there.
He purchased the Red Rice estate in 1913. She was the daughter of Commodore William Henry McVickar, United States Navy, of New York, United States of America. Honorary Norton (b and dvp 25 January 1889)
Honorary Richard Henry Brinsley Norton, later 6th Baron Grantley
Honorary Joan Mary Conyers Norton (b 10 November 1879.
Doctorate 22 July 1942), march 11 February 1903 Edmund Henry Bevan Justice of the Peace, of Hilston Park, company
Monmouth (d 3 November 1945), son of Thomas Bevan Doctor of Laws, of Stone Park, Greenhithe, and had issue
Honorary Eleanour Trehane Norton (b 18 July 1881. Doctorate 16 March 1951)
Honorary Winifred Chapple Norton (b 18 July 1881.
Doctorate 11 July 1914), march 26 June 1907 William Galbraith Tennant, 1st son of John Tennant, of The Boltons, London, and had issue
Honorary Katharine Edith Carlotta Norton (b 18 December 1883.
Doctorate 9 February 1961)
On his death in a London nursing home in 1943, his titles passed to his only surviving son The Honorary Richard Henry Brinsley Norton.
