Baron Arundell of Wardour, in the County of Wiltshire, was a title in the
Peerage of England. It was created in 1605 for
Thomas Arundell, known as "Thomas the Valiant", son of
Sir Matthew Arundell (died 1598) and grandson of
Sir Thomas Arundell (executed 1552) and of Margaret Howard, a sister of Queen
Catherine Howard. Arundell had already been created a
Count of the Holy Roman Empire by
Rudolph II in December 1595 (see below). He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He fought as a Royalist in the
Civil War and was mortally wounded at the
Battle of Stratton in 1643. His son, the third Baron, was implicated in the
Popish Plot and imprisoned in the
Tower of London for six years. However, after the accession of
James II he was restored to favour and served as
Lord Privy Seal from 1687 to 1688. His great-great-great-grandson, the eighth Baron (the title having descended from father to son), was an avid collector of art and accumulated immense debts in building and furnishing
New Wardour Castle.