Hoff with Drybeck

TOGETHER, THE two villages of Hoff and Drybeck form this Lordship, which lies within the large parish of St Laurence in Appleby. Drybeck measures around 1,350 acres and Hoff around 1,770 acres. Both are fairly secluded and lie around three miles from Appleby Castle. A considerable part of the township of Hoff is moorland.

It is possible that Hoff received its name from a Saxon family who owned it before the Conquest of 1006 and there is evidence that a William de Offa was resident in the village during the reign of Henry III (1216-1272). It could also have received its name from the Saxon word hof, which means temple, indeed an area of the Lordship is known as Hoff Lund, or temple grove. Drybeck is so called after the small stream which runs through it. During the reign of Henry II ((1154-1189) the Lordship was held by Hugh de Morville, who was also Baron of Westmoreland. After his deabth it passed to his two co-heirs, Ada and Joan. Though the Lordship was divided, after Joan’s death it passed to Ada, who was married to Sir Thomas de Multon and from this union he also gained the inherited title of Forester of Cumberland. In 1206 Multon served as Sheriff of Lincolnshire but was removed from the post and imprisoned after after allegedly insulted King John. This unrecorded insult seems to have been forgiven, as Multon accompanied John to Ireland in 1210. However, he joined the Baron’s rebellion in 1215 and as a result was excommunicated by the Pope a year later. He was arrested by John and imprisoned at Corfe Castle. He only received his freedom on the accession of Henry III. After this time he sat as a Justiciar in Westminster and was a witness at the confirmation of Magna Carta in 1225. The chronicler, Matthew Paris notes ¯that in his youth Multon was a fierce soldier but in middle age became a respected and wealthy lawyer.

Thomas was succeeded in the Lordship of Hoff and Drybeck by his son, also Thomas, and in 1252 paid a fine of 400 marks to Henry III to reassert this his title as Forester. In 1258 he is recorded as marching as a Baron, with the King to Scotland to rescue the Scottish king, Henry’s son-in-law from a rebellion. Through his marriage to the heiress of Hubert de Vaux, Lord of Gillesland he acquired that Lordship in addition to Hoff and Drybeck. When his estates passed to his son, Thomas in 1270, it was found that the family were also heirs to to the Barony of Burgh upon the Sands. He was succeeded by his son, also Thomas, in 1293 and by this time the Multon family, as well as being Lords of this Manor were Barons of Burgh and Gillesland. Thomas’s son Thomas was a soldier in Edward I’s army and fought in Scotland at the beginning of the 14th century. In 1307 he was called to Parliament as Baron Multon of Gillesland and sat until 1313.

Baron Multon died in 1313 and left his entire estate to his only daughter, Margaret who married Ranulph de Dacre a member of an influential northern family. Ranulph’s great-grandfather, William Dacre had been Sheriff of Cumberland and his son, Ranulph was Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1314. His son and heir, William de Dacre had fought in Scotland during Edward I’s campaign against William Wallace and was granted a charter of land in Dacre, Cumberland and at Halton in Lancashire in 1304. In 1307 on the accession of Edward II was instructed to crenelate his mansion at Dunwallaght in Cumberland against the Scots. His son, Ranulph inherited his father’s estates in 1319 which he added to those, including Hoff and Drybeck, which he had received through marriage. He was made Governor of Carlisle Castle in 1331 and in 1335 he was commissioned to defend the city from the Scots.

The Lordship remained with the Dacre family into the 15th centurly. Sir Humphrey Dacre, great grandson of Ranulph was Lord here during the reign of Edward IV ((1471-1483) and is recorded as being a ‘obsequious’ supporter of the Yorkist King and had fought against the Lancastrians in the North. Edward entrusted Sir Humphrey with the position of chamberlain to his sister Margaret on her journey to Flanders for her marriage to, Charles, Duke of Burgundy and in 1482 was summoned to Parliament as Baron Gillesland. He was succeeded by his son Sir Thomas in 1509 who was a soldier, fighting for Henry VIII at the siege of Norham Castle and at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His son, Sir William succeeded him in 1525 and in 1534 was accused of treason by Sir Ralph Fenwyke and was sent to trial at Westminster that year. He was accused of excessive severity in his capacity as Warden of the Scottish Marches but was acquited on account of the evidence being ‘forced’ from witness by Fenwyke. He was succeeded by his son Thomas in 1563 who lived only until 1566 when Hoff and Drybeck was passed to George Dacre the 5th and last Lord Dacre of Gillesland. George died very young after falling from a wooden horse and the Dacre estate was split between his sisters. This caused much resentment in the family. His Uncle, Leonard Dacres was deeply dissatisfied with his inheritance he was very angry that so large a patrimony should by law descend unto his nieces. He was so angry that in 1569 he consorted with the leaders Northern Catholic uprising, the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland. During the confusion of 1570 he seized the Dacre castles as Hexham and Greystock as his inheritance in the pretence of protecting them from the rebels. In February 1570, despite having received a commendation from the Earl of Sussex for his resistance to the rebels, his true motives were discovered and Queen Elizabeth ordered his arrest. Lord Hunsdon was sent to apprehend his but found Dacre’s defences at Naworth so strong that he was forced to retire. Dacre followed him with his army and charged Hunsdon’s men. Hudson repelled his attackers and Dacre’s army was scattered. Hunsdon wrote ‘Leonard Dacre beying with hys horsmen, was the first man that flew, like a tall gentleman; an I thinke, never looked behind him tyll he was in Lyddesdale; and yet one of my company had hym by the arm, and if he had nott been reskewed by serten Skots he had been taken.’ Dacre duly fled to Scotland and then to Flanders where is said to have received a pension from Philip of Spain until his death in 1573.

Hoff and Drybeck was then seized by the Crown. Elizabeth (1558-1603) granted it out to Richard Southwaite and then to Thomas Yaire. In 1602 she again granted it out to four men, including John Holland but this last a short while since it was then purchased by William Williams, who had been Steward of Greystoke Castle. From him it passed, though his grandson, William Winder who devised it to his kinsman, Rev Thomas Milward rector of nearby Murton and Kirkby Thore. In the 19th century it was purchased by the Earls of Thanet and the present representative of that family, Lord Hothfield, is the current Lord of the Manor of Hoff and Drybeck.

Historical holder / succession information

1. Ada [source claim requiring identity review]
   passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: Though the Lordship was divided, after Joan’s death it passed to Ada, who was married to Sir Thomas de Multon and from this union he also gained the inherited title of Forester of Cumberland.
2. great grandson of Ranulph [source claim requiring identity review]
   1471|1483 · stated_lord · historical_holder
   Source wording: Sir Humphrey Dacre, great grandson of Ranulph was Lord here during the reign of Edward IV ((1471-1483) and is recorded as being a ‘obsequious’ supporter of the Yorkist King and had fought against the Lancastrians in the North.
3. Lord Hothfield
   current_holder_statement · catalogue_stated_current_holder
   Source wording: In the 19th century it was purchased by the Earls of Thanet and the present representative of that family, Lord Hothfield, is the current Lord of the Manor of Hoff and Drybeck.