Dymoke
| Dymoke | |
|---|---|
| Family | |
 Arms of Dymoke: Sable, two lions passant in pale argent ducally crowned or | |
| Distinctions | King's/Queen's Champion |
The Dymoke family of the Manor of Scrivelsby in the parish of Horncastle in Lincolnshire holds the feudal hereditary office of King's Champion. The functions of the Champion are to ride into Westminster Hall at the (now defunct) coronation banquet and challenge all comers who might impugn the King's title.[2]
History
The earliest record of the ceremony at the coronation of an English king dates from the accession of King
Sir Thomas Dymoke (d. 12 March 1470) joined a Lancastrian rising in 1469, and with his brother-in-law Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles, was beheaded on 12 March 1470 at Queen's Cross, Stamford, Lincolnshire, by order of King Edward IV after he had been induced to leave sanctuary at Westminster Abbey by the promise of a royal pardon.[5]
The Dymoke estates were restored to Sir Thomas Dymoke's son, Sir Robert Dymoke (died 1546), Champion at the coronations of Kings
Jane Dymoke (died 1743) wife of the Hon Charles Dymoke, who was Champion at the coronation of
The following story respecting Charles Dymoke, in 1689 the Champion of William and Mary, was printed in the "Gazetteer" of August 1784, nearly a century after the event, and therefore open to some suspicion:[8]
"The Champion of England (Dymoke), dressed in armour of complete and glittering steel, his horse richly caparisoned, and his beaver finely capped with plumes of feathers, entered Westminster Hall, according to ancient custom, while the king and queen were at dinner. And, at his giving the usual challenge to any one that disputed their majesties' right to the crown of England, . . . . after he had flung down his gauntlet on the pavement, an old woman, who entered the Hall on crutches, . . . . took it up, and made off with great celerity, leaving her own glove with a challenge in it to meet her the next day, at an appointed hour, in Hyde Park. This occasioned some mirth at the lower end of the Hall, and it was remarked that every one was too well engaged to pursue her. A person in the same dress appeared the next day at the place appointed, though it was generally supposed to be a good swordsman in that disguise. However, the Champion of England politely declined any contest of that nature with one of the fair sex, and never made his appearance".
Lewis Dymoke (died 1820) put in an unsuccessful claim before the
Modern times
The most recent head of the family was Francis John Fane Marmion Dymoke (1955–2023), 34th of Scrivelsby and 8th of
The novelist Anthony Powell was a descendant of the Dymoke family on his mother's side.[15]
See also
- Lee, Sidney (1888). . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 16. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 294–296.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - Musson, A.J. (2004). "Dymoke family (per. c.1340–c.1580)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/42007. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Lodge, The Rev. Samuel (1893). Scrivelsby, The Home of the Champions. Horncastle: W K Morton.
- Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, pp. 671–3, pedigree of Dymoke of Scrivelsby
References
- ^ a b Burke's, 1937, p.673
- ^ a b c d e One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dymoke". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 755–756.
- ^ a b Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086–1327, Oxford, 1960, p.145, Tamworth, Nottinghamshire
- ^ Sanders, p.145
- ^ Musson 2004.
- ^ a b Elliott, Ray (July 2001). St Mary's Horncastle - a church tour. The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Mary's, Horncastle.
- ^ "Dymokes - Royal Champions". Horncastle Worthies. Horncastle Civic Society. 2006. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- ^ british-history.ac.uk: Westminster Hall Notable events, Ch LXII: "Westminster Hall.—Incidents in its Past History."
- ISBN 0199253927, 9780199253920, google books; Strong, Roy, Queen Victoria's Coronation at: Royal Archives: RA VIC/MAIN/QVJ (W) Queen Victoria's Coronation, by Sir Roy Strong (Essay). Retrieved 24 May 2013, online
- ^ "Redirecting to Google Groups".
- ^ "Coronation standard bearer Francis Dymoke dies aged 68". BBC. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Death of the hereditary Standard Bearer for England (the Queen's Champion)". Peerage News. 27 March 2015.
- ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 3, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 4138
- ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 2395
External links
- Dimock A family website that discusses the origins of the Dymoke family including exhaustive descriptive accounts of the King's Champions. The website also includes the connection between England and the Dymoke family origins in the United States and Canada.
- Scrivelsby : The Home of the Champions (1893) A complete downloadable copy of Samuel Lodge's book.