Background
Kirkhoven (the anglicised form of van der Kerckhove) was the only son of Jehan, Lord of Heenvliet and his wife, Katherine (later created Countess of Chesterfield), both courtiers in the Princess of Orange"s household.
Kirkhoven (the anglicised form of van der Kerckhove) was the only son of Jehan, Lord of Heenvliet and his wife, Katherine (later created Countess of Chesterfield), both courtiers in the Princess of Orange"s household.
From 1659-1674, he was Chief Magistrate of Breda and was granted a troop of horse by the States-General. In 1663, Lord Wotton took his seat in the House of Lords and on his mother"s death four years later, he inherited her estate at Belsize Park. Frances Harpur, widow of Sir John Harpur and daughter of William Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby of Parham.
In 1680, he was created Earl of Bellomont but died a few years later of an apoplexy and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral.
As he had no surviving children, his titles became extinct and he left his estate to Honorary Charles Stanhope (the youngest son of his half-brother, the 2nd Earl of Chesterfield), who later changed his surname to Wotton.