In 1672, Lord Ashley was appointed by King Charles II to the position of Lord Chancellor of England, which is one of the most senior and important functions in the government of the United Kingdom. The Lord Chancellor's responsibilities are wide-ranging: they include presiding over the House of Lords, participating in the Cabinet, acting as the custodian of the Great Seal, and heading the judiciary. His appointment lasted for two years. In American history, Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper is probably best known as one of the Lords Proprietors of the Carolina colonies. Shaftesbury not only had his holdings in Carolina, but he had been part owner of a sugar plantation on Barbados, and a shareholder in the Hudson's Bay Company. As Charles II grew more absolute in his rule, and as Protestantism faced extinction in England if Charles' Catholic brother, James II, should succeed him, Shaftesbury opposed the growing political and religious absolutism he saw approaching, fell out of Charles' favor, was exiled to Holland and died there on 21 January 1683. Succession of owners of St Giles House Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury was succeeded by his son and namesake, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 2nd Earl of Shaftesbury. He inherited St Giles House and the Shaftesbury Estate and holdings. He also succeeded to the peerage, inheriting the title of 2nd Earl of Shaftesbury. He represented Melcombe Regis and Weymouth in the House of Commons. His son, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, succeeded as the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury upon his death. The 3rd Earl sat as a Member of Parliament but is chiefly remembered as a writer and philosopher. On his death, the titles passed to his son, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, who became the 4th Earl of Shaftesbury. The 4th Earl notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Dorset and Councillor of the Colony of Georgia. He died in 1711, at which time, his son inherited the title of 5th Earl. Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 5th Earl of Shaftesbury was educated at Winchester and served as Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset. Cropley Ashley-Cooper, younger brother of the 5th Earl, inherited the title of 6th Earl upon the death of his older brother in 1811. The 6th Earl, represented Dorchester in Parliament. He served as member of the Privy Council and Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords. Upon his death, the title was passed to his son. The 7th Earl was a prominent politician, social reformer and philanthropist. He