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Description
The Barrington-Stokes line seemed to have come to an end when the reclusive Earl of Herrisford died with an entail, but without a male heir. English law of the time required that the title simply be dissolved with an entail attached. But then Nigella Nickleby came forward with a most peculiar claim. Nigella, a distant cousin to the Barrington-Stokes, had been born and raised as Nigel. The case created quite a stir in the English legal system, but Nigella couldn’t legally change her gender, so ‘he’ was eventually granted both title and estate.

The new Earl continued to be controversial by living as a woman and using the title Countess in social situations. The previous Earl had allowed the estate to fall into disrepair even while his fortune multiplied through shrewd investments. Nigella used her inherited wealth to restore the manor to its former glory and welcomed a wide range of guests. She became well known as a gracious hostess who fully embraced the traditions of the peerage. The neighboring lords and ladies admired Nigella’s grand sense of style and enjoyed her lavish balls. In time, everyone accepted Nigella for who she truly was, the Countess of Herrisford.

Nigella eventually married her long-time partner, Bruce Morris, and then fathered a son with a surrogate. Two daughters followed and the unconventional family lived happily for many years. It is believed to be a unique situation for the British aristocracy, with Nigella being both the legal father and de facto mother of the next Barrington-Stokes heir.

Description
The Barrington-Stokes line seemed to have come to an end when the reclusive Earl of Herrisford died with an entail, but without a male heir. English law of the time required that the title simply be dissolved with an entail attached. But then Nigella Nickleby came forward with a most peculiar claim. Nigella, a distant cousin to the Barrington-Stokes, had been born and raised as Nigel. The case created quite a stir in the English legal system, but Nigella couldn’t legally change her gender, so ‘he’ was eventually granted both title and estate.

The new Earl continued to be controversial by living as a woman and using the title Countess in social situations. The previous Earl had allowed the estate to fall into disrepair even while his fortune multiplied through shrewd investments. Nigella used her inherited wealth to restore the manor to its former glory and welcomed a wide range of guests. She became well known as a gracious hostess who fully embraced the traditions of the peerage. The neighboring lords and ladies admired Nigella’s grand sense of style and enjoyed her lavish balls. In time, everyone accepted Nigella for who she truly was, the Countess of Herrisford.

Nigella eventually married her long-time partner, Bruce Morris, and then fathered a son with a surrogate. Two daughters followed and the unconventional family lived happily for many years. It is believed to be a unique situation for the British aristocracy, with Nigella being both the legal father and de facto mother of the next Barrington-Stokes heir.