Sir Standish Hartstonge, 1st Baronet (1627–August 1701) was an English-born lawyer who had a distinguished career as a judge in Ireland, but was twice removed from office. He was also a very substantial landowner in Ireland and England. His last years were marked by bitter family disputes with his eldest grandson, who inherited the baronetcy, but not the family estates, which passed to the judge's youngest surviving son. Background and early career He was born in Norfolk, the eldest son of Francis Hartstonge of Old Catton (which is now a suburb of Norwich). His mother was Elizabeth Standish, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Sir Thomas Standish of Sandon Chapel, Surrey and Bruff, County Limerick, and his wife and cousin Faith Upton, daughter of Hamon Upton. He inherited a considerable fortune from the Standish side of the family, including lands in County Clare. In his later years, he put up a memorial at St. Peter's Church, Bruff, in honour of his grandfather Sir Thomas Standish, which gives some useful details of his family history. It was largely rebuilt by his grandson. He entered Middle Temple in 1657 at a relatively late age, and decided to pursue a career in Ireland. He entered the King's Inn in Dublin in 1659 and built up a flourishing practice. He became Recorder of Limerick, and second justice of the provincial court of Munster in 1666. He was the last holder of that office, which was abolished in 1672. Later career He was appointed third Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) in 1680. The following year he was made a baronet, which was not an honour usually bestowed on an Irish judge at this time. It was said that the acquisition of the title was due to his independent wealth: in addition to the Bruff estates he acquired property in Hereford and a house at Oxmantown, just outside Dublin. His Dublin townhouse was at Little Green, off present-day Capel Street. He was said to be in favour of a generous measure of religious toleration for Roman Catholics (which at that time often led to the accusation of being a secret Catholic oneself). Nonetheless, he was summarily removed from the Bench by the Catholic King James II in 1686, probably due to the hostility of the new Viceroy, Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, who was said to be jealous of his wealth and social standing.