This book traces the lives of the Stopford Earls of Courtown and their families from the time of the first Stopford to come to Wexford c. 1700 down to modern times.The Stopfords were clever intuitive people and through many calculated marriages their wealth accumulated and opportunities were created for advancement. The marriage of the 2nd Earl to Mary Powys opened doors that were hitherto undreamt of as Mary's mother was Lady Mary Brudenell whose family was closely connected to King George III. We know very little about the day to day lives of the Stopfords with the exception of the 5th and 6th Earls and their families thanks to the diaries of the 6th Earl and his sister Charlotte. Those diaries give us a rare glimpse into the social and personal lives of the families - their sports (hunting for birds, otters, foxes, golf), their maladies, their religion, their social outings, their friends, their prudence in financial affairs and their holidays in London.