Constituency Dates
Heytesbury 1713 – 1715
Family and Education
b. c. 1677, o. s. of John A’Court of Bath, Som. and Rodden, Som. by Mary, da. and h. of Robert Pierce, MD, of Bath. educ. Lincoln, Oxf. matric. 29 Mar. 1694, aged 16. m. 27 Nov. 1705, Elizabeth (d. 1746), da. and (in her issue) h. of William Ashe I*, 5s. (1 d.v.p.) 1da. d.v.p. suc. fa. 1701.1 Hoare, Wilts. Heytesbury, 119, 121.
Offices Held

Freeman, Wilton 1710–d.2 Wilts. RO, G25/1/22, pp. 15, 47, 49.

Address
Main residences: Ivy Church, nr. Salisbury, Wilts.; Rodden, Som.
biography text

A’Court’s family originally held land in Somerset and Bristol. He was defeated at by-elections for Bath in 1707 and 1708, but was eventually brought in by his Ashe relatives at Heytesbury. Although he made little recorded contribution to the work of the House, he proved himself a loyal Whig, voting on 18 Mar. 1714 against the expulsion of Richard Steele, and being classed as a Whig in the Worsley list.3 Hoare, 119.

A’Court was dropped in 1715 in favour of another brother-in-law, William Ashe II*, but was returned again in 1722. He made his will on 20 Feb. 1723, bequeathing £200 to his wife and cousin and a further £100 to the caretaker of his house in Bath. His properties at Ivy Church and Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, were left to the trustees Edward Ashe* and Peter Bathurst* to pay outstanding debts and secure £150 p.a. for the education of his three surviving younger sons. A’Court died at Ivy Church on 7 Mar. 1725 and was buried next to his father in Haddon chapel, Rodden.4The Gen. n.s. vi. 208; Hoare, 119; PCC 105 Romney.

Author
D.W.H.
Volume
Commons 1690-1715
Notes
  • 1. Hoare, Wilts. Heytesbury, 119, 121.
  • 2. Wilts. RO, G25/1/22, pp. 15, 47, 49.
  • 3. Hoare, 119.
  • 4. The Gen. n.s. vi. 208; Hoare, 119; PCC 105 Romney.