Lohort Castle (South) In the year 1586, after spending 4 years in Spain, Richard Percival returned under Cecil to the court of Elizabeth I. Documents recently captured from a Spanish ship on its way to Holland were brought to court. The documents were written in Spanish and Percival, being the only one who could read or speak Spanish, got the task of reading and decoding the documents. This he did with great speed. The documents were in fact the entire plans for the Spanish invasion of England the following year. They contained a full account of the Spanish Armada. This made Richard Percival very favoured at court and in the space of two years his salary was over £4,000 per annum. His career progressed under Cecil and in 1617 he sold some of his land in Somerset and came over to Ireland where he purchased land for his family. He was also appointed head of The Court of Wards a very lucrative post that involved looking after the estates of wealthy minors. Richard Percival was born in Somerset, he died 1620 and is buried at St Albans. His wife was Alice Sherman. Richard's eldest son, Walter, died in 1624 and the next son Phillip took on responsibility as head of the family. Phillip consolidated his position at Court in Dublin and acquired other posts. He both purchased and mortgaged more land until by 1640 he had accumulated 62,000 acres in north Cork. These lands included McCarthy estates and castle at Kanturk. He also held a mortgage over McCarthys castle at Lohort. He survived the rebellion of 1641 and he personally financed the garrisons in his own Castles. He also survived the political turmoil of the civil war and died 10 November 1647 and is buried in St Martin in The Fields, London. Phillip's wife was Catherine Usher. Philip's son John, born 1629, married Catherine Southwell in 1655. Two years before his marriage he became the owner of Lohort Castle. Sir Hardrass Waller evicted the McCarthys by force in May 1652 and in doing so he knocked the three top stories of Lohort castle. This lowered the castle by 35 feet. John Percival was knighted in 1661 at Oxford by his friend, Henry Cromwell. John Percival died in 1686. His son Sir John, born 1683, married Catherine Parker in 1710 and was created Viscount Percival of Burton 1715 and Viscount Percival of Kanturk 1722 and first Earl of Egmont 1733. Sir John Percival died 1748. His son Sir John 2nd Earl, born 1711, married Catherine Cecil she died 1748. His first son by his first marriage John James, born 1737, married Isabella Paulet 3rd Earl, died 1822. His son, John 4th Earl married Brigit Wynn, died 1835. His son Henry 5th Earl, born 1796, married Louisa d'Orsolet, died 1841 and willed the Egmont estates to Sir Edward Tierney, the family law agent. Sir John, the 2nd Earl, married secondly Catherine Compton (Baroness Arden of Lohort castle 1750). In 1715, Sir John 1st Earl, spent a large sum restoring and refurbishing Lohort. Sir John and Baroness Arden had six children, one Spencer born 1762 became Prime Minster of England 1809-1812. He was the only PM to be assassinated in the House of Commons. He used to visit his mother at Lohort and also an unattached lady who lived in great style in a new house in the yard of the ruined Magner's castle. Another son, Charles, 1st Lord Arden of Lohort 1801, donated the gateway to the new St Brigit's church. George was the 6th Earl, born 1756, married Elizabeth Spencer. Admiral RN Trafalgar, 1801-1822, Charles's son George James, born 1794, married Jane Hornby 1816 and created 2nd Lord Arden 1840 and 6th Earl of Egmont 1841. The 6th Earl took a court case against Sir Lionel Darrel, son-in-law of Sir Edward Tierney, to recover the Egmont estates. The case was settled out of court, George James got the estates and Sir Lionel got £125,000. The estates were sold from 1863, completed under the Ashbourne Act 1885. George James dsp 1874 and was succeeded by his nephew (sisters son) Charles George 7th Earl, born 1845, married Lucy King, dsp 1897. The title lay dormant until 1930, Lord Arden title still extant in UK.