Background
Paulyn Abney-Hastings (the second son of Charles Abney-Hastings, 1st Baron Donington and Edith Rawdon-Hastings, 10th Countess of Loudoun) and his wife, Lady Maud née Grimston (the third daughter of James Grimston, 2nd Earl of Verulam).
Paulyn Abney-Hastings (the second son of Charles Abney-Hastings, 1st Baron Donington and Edith Rawdon-Hastings, 10th Countess of Loudoun) and his wife, Lady Maud née Grimston (the third daughter of James Grimston, 2nd Earl of Verulam).
She was the first daughter and coheir of Honorary They divorced in 1947 after having six children:
Captain Ian Huddleston Abney-Hastings, Lord Mauchline (1918 – 11 July 1944), killed in Italy in World World War II
Lady Barbara Huddleston Abney-Hastings (1919–2002), later 13th Countess of Loudoun
Lady Jean Huddleston Abney-Hastings (later Campbell of Loudoun, 1920–1981), married (1) Edgar Wakefield, (2) Arthur Hubble
Lady Iona Mary Huddleston Abney-Hastings (1922–1990), married Robert French
Lady Fiona Huddleston Abney-Hastings (1923–1993), married Robert Conroy-Robertson (later de Fresnes), 12th baron de Fresnes
Lady Edith Huddleston Abney-Hastings (1925–2006), married David Maclaren (they had two children, Norman Angus MacLaren and Roderick John MacLaren). They also petitioned for the baronies of Strange (de Knockyn) and Stanley as descendants of the last holder, Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby.
The sisters were confirmed as co-heirs to the baronies on 17 December.
On 23 February 1921, the viscountess was granted the baronies of Hungerford, de Moleyns and Strange (de Knockyn), whilst those of Botreaux, Stanley and Hastings (de Hastings) were granted to the countess on 7 March. On 23 June that year, the two sisters also petitioned for the earldoms of Warwick and Salisbury, and for the baronies of Montagu, Montacute, Monthermer and Pole of Montagu, as descendants of Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick and Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, and for the latters attainders to be reversed.
However, James Gascoyne-Cecil, 4th Marquess of Salisbury and Francis Greville, 5th Earl of Warwick counter-petitioned and the attainders were not reversed. Heating was by coal and log fires and it is thought that burning resin came back down the library chimney setting the wooden floor alight.
The resulting fire destroyed the building, except for the stone walls.
Number one from the family has slept in the castle since that night. In 1995 the castle grounds were converted into a popular amusement park.