Shotley Gate is steeped in the history of landowners the Marquess of Bristol but few know the background, so Nub News, brings you a potted look back over almost 1,000 years.

The man behind the last big planning application in Shotley between the primary school and village hall, is Frederick Hervey, the 8th Marquess of Bristol and the current head of a controversial family with its own rich background.

The only son of colourful character Victor, Frederick has an elder sister who is celebrity aristocrat Lady Victoria Hervey, latterly of Love Island fame and 'It' girl Lady Isabella Hervey, is his youngest sibling.

Frederick married Meredith Dunn of Weston, Massachusetts in 2018. They have a three year-old daughter, Lady Arabella Hervey, and a son, Earl Jermyn, born in July 2022 and they have homes in America and London.

Wedding Day (Pininterest)

The 53-year-old Marquess is also the current High Steward of the Liberty of St Edmund, a title that goes back to the days of William the Conqueror, whose invasion was accompanied by Robert Fitz-Hervey in 1066. The Liberty of St Edmund covers almost the entire area of south and west Suffolk, which includes Babergh.

His other titles include; being the 12th Earl of Bristol, Earl Jermyn of Horningsheath and the 13th Baron Hervey of Ickworth, which used to be the family seat until it was sold to the National Trust in order to settle debts.

There are many nods to the Bristol heritage, which includes Bristol Hill, the Bristol Arms, and Hervey Terrace.

The land where HMS Ganges was built was sold to the Admiralty by the Hervey's and 4th Marquess of Bristol, who lived between 1907-1951, was a Royal Navy rear admiral with a natural interest in a naval training establishment.

Frederick succeeded his elder half-brother the 7th Marquess who died aged just 44 in January 1999 ,as Marquess of Bristol. The brother, known as John Jermyn or John Bristol had allegedly squandered most of his £30million inheritance on a hedonistic lifestyle, which included excess drink and drugs.

When Frederick visited Shotley village hall to show support for the plans to build an initial 18 houses, with more expected to follow, there was nothing to indicate the crazy family life that had gone before.

Frederick's father Victor, the 6th Marquess of Bristol, was a playboy known as The Reptile, who was jailed for jewel theft, and was briefly an arms dealer. 

Another of Frederick's half-brother, Lord Nicholas Hervey, reportedly hanged himself after battling drugs and depression.

Lady Victoria Hervey (Picture: Love Island/ITV)

A hereditary peer, Frederick is chairman of Bristol Estates, which owns land and property in Suffolk, Essex, Sussex and Lincolnshire.

After being educated in Monaco, Sunningdale, Eton, and graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Frederick moved to Estonia where he managed a Baltic property fund before setting up investment company Brickowner.

According to family legend the name 'Hervey' means 'warrior of the host' and is of Frankish origin. The Hervey family has often been considered unconventional. The 18th-century phrase 'When God created the human race, he made men, women and Herveys' is attributed variously to French philosopher Voltaire and to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.

This has been highlighted over the centuries, and in more modern times with ancestors high up in the Royal Navy and politics.

For full family tree go to the Hervey history here.

The 8th Marquess of Bristol unveiling a plaque to uncle Henry Jermyn on Chatham House