Dymoke family

The Dymoke family is an English landed family associated for centuries with Scrivelsby Manor in Lincolnshire and the hereditary office of the King's Champion. In the traditional coronation ceremony, the Champion entered the banquet hall on horseback in armour and formally challenged anyone who disputed the monarch's title. The office was held by feudal tenure: Scrivelsby was understood to be held from the Crown by grand serjeanty, requiring the tenant to perform this ceremonial service. The family's claim was connected to the earlier Marmion lineage. The Marmions had held Scrivelsby and claimed descent from hereditary champions of the dukes of Normandy. Through marriage and inheritance, the Dymokes acquired the manor and asserted the right to perform the championship. Their claim was contested by the de Freville family, which also traced descent through a daughter and co-heiress of Philip Marmion, the last Baron Marmion of Tamworth. The dispute was ultimately resolved in favour of the tenant of Scrivelsby, linking the office to the manor's feudal obligations. The earliest recorded performance of the coronation ceremony dates from the accession of Richard II in 1377, when Sir John Dymoke acted as Champion. The family's history also includes political conflict. Sir Thomas Dymoke supported the Lancastrian rising of 1469 alongside his brother-in-law Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles. After being induced to leave sanctuary at Westminster Abbey by a promised royal pardon, Thomas was executed at Queen's Cross in Stamford on 12 March 1470 by order of Edward IV. His estates were later restored to his son, Sir Robert Dymoke. Sir Robert Dymoke became one of the most prominent holders of the office. He acted as Champion at the coronations of Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII, served the Crown in other capacities, and distinguished himself during the English campaign at the siege of Tournai in 1513. His brother Sir Lionel Dymoke was knighted during the same campaign. The family's monuments and heraldic material remain associated with St Mary's Church in Horncastle, including memorial brasses linked to Lionel Dymoke. The ceremonial role continued through later generations. Charles Dymoke acted at the coronation of William III and Mary II in 1689, although a colourful story about an old woman taking up the Champion's gauntlet was printed almost a century later and is regarded as historically uncertain. Lewis Dymoke unsuccessfully claimed the Marmion barony before the House of Lords. Sir Henry Dymoke, 1st Baronet, was the last person to perform the full mounted challenge in 1821 at the coronation of George IV. The ceremony was not used for William IV's accession because there was no coronation banquet, and it was omitted from Victoria's coronation in 1838. Henry Dymoke received a baronetcy in 1841 instead. Although the traditional challenge lapsed, members of the family retained ceremonial associations with royal occasions. H. S. Dymoke carried the Standard of England at the coronation of Edward VII. Lieutenant Colonel John Lindley Marmion Dymoke attended Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 as Queen's Champion and carried the Union Standard. Francis John Fane Marmion Dymoke, the 34th of Scrivelsby and 8th of Tetford, carried the Royal Standard at the 2023 coronation of Charles III and Camilla. Following his death in December 2023, the family headship passed to his elder son Henry Francis Marmion Dymoke. The family is therefore best understood as a hereditary landed house and ceremonial lineage rather than a commercial brand.

The Dymokes are associated with Scrivelsby Manor in Lincolnshire and with the hereditary office of King's Champion. The office required its holder to defend the monarch's title ceremonially by entering the coronation banquet on horseback and issuing a challenge to anyone who disputed the sovereign's right to the Crown. The obligation arose from the feudal tenure of Scrivelsby by grand serjeanty. The family's claim descended through the Marmion inheritance. Philip Marmion, the last Baron Marmion of Tamworth, held Scrivelsby and was connected by tradition to the hereditary champions of the dukes of Normandy. His descendants' inheritance was divided through co-heiresses, producing a dispute between the Dymokes and the de Frevilles. The Court of Claims ultimately favoured the Scrivelsby tenant, treating the manor's service to the Crown as decisive. Sir John Dymoke is recorded as Champion at the accession of Richard II in 1377. In the Wars of the Roses period, Sir Thomas Dymoke joined the Lancastrian rising of 1469 with Richard Welles. He was executed in 1470 after leaving sanctuary under an alleged royal pardon. His son Sir Robert Dymoke later recovered the family estates and became Champion at the coronations of Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII. Robert also served as the King's Treasurer and fought at Tournai in 1513. His brother Lionel was knighted during that campaign. The family's religious and local history is represented by monuments in St Mary's Church, Horncastle. A tradition concerning Lionel's armour and the Lincolnshire Rebellion of 1536 is recorded alongside surviving monumental brasses, though the story is presented as tradition rather than established fact. The office continued into the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Charles Dymoke performed the role at the coronation of William III and Mary II in 1689, while his brother Lewis later inherited the title of Champion after Charles died without issue. Lewis unsuccessfully pursued a claim to the Marmion barony. Sir Henry Dymoke, 1st Baronet, carried out the full mounted ceremony at George IV's coronation in 1821, the last occasion on which the ritual was performed in its traditional form. It was omitted from later coronations, and the office effectively became ceremonial. Henry was created a baronet in 1841 as compensation for the discontinued role. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the family remained connected to royal ceremonial service. H. S. Dymoke carried the Standard of England at Edward VII's coronation, John Lindley Marmion Dymoke carried the Union Standard at Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, and Francis Dymoke carried the Royal Standard at the 2023 coronation of Charles III and Camilla. After Francis died in December 2023, his son Henry Francis Marmion Dymoke became the family head. The novelist Anthony Powell was also a descendant through his maternal line.

• 2023

  Royal Standard carried at Charles III's coronation

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Francis John Fane Marmion Dymoke carried the Royal Standard at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.

• 1953

  John Dymoke attends Elizabeth II's coronation

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Lieutenant Colonel John Lindley Marmion Dymoke attended as Queen's Champion and carried the Union Standard.

• 1841

  Henry Dymoke receives a baronetcy

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  After the traditional ceremony was omitted from Victoria's coronation, Henry Dymoke was made a baronet.

• 1821

  Last full mounted Champion ceremony

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Henry Dymoke, 1st Baronet, performed the traditional armoured, mounted challenge at George IV's coronation.

• 1689

  Charles Dymoke acts at the William and Mary coronation

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Dymoke performed the Champion's ceremonial challenge at the coronation of William III and Mary II.

• 1513

  Service at the siege of Tournai

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Robert Dymoke distinguished himself at Tournai, while his brother Lionel was knighted during the campaign.

• 1483

  Robert Dymoke becomes a recurring royal Champion

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Robert Dymoke served as Champion at the coronations of Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII.

• 1470

  Execution of Sir Thomas Dymoke

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Thomas Dymoke was executed at Queen's Cross in Stamford after participating in the Lancastrian rising and leaving sanctuary under a promised pardon.

• First recorded coronation appearance

  [1]Dymokeen.wikipedia.org

  Sir John Dymoke is recorded as King's Champion at the accession ceremony of Richard II, the earliest documented performance of the coronation challenge.

Hereditary English landed family and ceremonial royal office-holder associated with Scrivelsby Manor and the historic King's Champion role.

1. 1Dymokeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Dymoke family, Oxford Dictionary of National Biographydoi.org