Nocton Hall - the elder son of the Third Earl

Robert Hobart

Henry Lewis Hobart's elder brother Robert, was born May 6th 1760. He had acquired distinction as a soldier and politician and was appointed Governor of Madras in 1795.

On his recall in 1798, he was summoned to the House of Lords by his father’s second title of Lord Hobart and in 1804 succeeded to the earldom and to the Nocton Estate. He made several alterations closing the old road to the Fen via Laurel Walk and Abbey Field and made all vehicles go round by Long Holt Lane. He planted the triple avenue of elms, leading from the sunken fence on the east side of the Nocton Hall towards Abbey Field, and improved the Hall gardens.

Lord Hobart removed the disused and dilapidated lantern from the top of Dunston Pillar and on July 18th 1810 replaced it with a colossal statue of George III to commemorate the fiftieth of the reign of his Majesty (this statue is now in Lincoln Castle grounds).

Robert died on the 4th February 1816 in consequence of a fall from his horse in St James’s Park. He was buried at Nocton and his monument, at the west end of the south aisle of the church, recounts the various high offices of state he held from time to time.

His widow survived him by thirty-five years and was buried at Nocton on 27th October 1851. She was the second wife of Robert and had one child, a daughter Lady Sarah Albinia Louise, born on 22nd February 1793 on whom Nocton had been settled. The late Earl’s titles passed to a nephew.