Wray Castle Wray Castle. The house was built in 1840 for a retired [Liverpolitan] surgeon, James Dawson, who built it along with the neighbouring Wray Church using his wife's fortune. After Dawson's death in 1875 the estate was inherited by his fifteen year old nephew, Edward Preston Rawnsley. In 1877 Edward's cousin, Hardwicke Rawnsley, took up the appointment of vicar of Wray Church. To protect the countryside from damaging development, Hardwicke Rawnsley, building on an idea propounded by John Ruskin, conceived of a National Trust that could buy and preserve places of natural beauty and historic interest for the nation. The house
Earl of Hardwicke son of the third Earl, was Member of Parliament for Reigate. The Honourable Elliot Yorke, fourth son of the fourth Earl, was Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire. Sir William Yorke, 1st Baronet, cousin of the first Earl, was a judge in Ireland. The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Philip Alexander Joseph Yorke, Viscount Royston (b. 2009). Earl of Hardwicke Earl of Hardwicke is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1754 for Philip Yorke, 1st Baron Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1737 to 1756. He had already been created Baron Hardwicke,