Thomas de la Dale

Sir Thomas de la Dale (c.1316–1373) was an English-born judge and landowner, who held the office of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, and also served as Lord Deputy of Ireland.

Biography

He was born at Little Barford, Bedfordshire, son of Thomas de la Dale, who married the heiress of Barford, Isabel de Leyham, daughter of Matthew de Leyham, before 1316. This Thomas apparently died in 1317, when his widow was declared owner of Barford in her own right.

He died in 1373: in his will he asked to be buried at Little Barford.

Descendants

His son and heir, also named Sir Thomas de la Dale (died 1396), was a senior member of the household of Lionel's younger brother, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. He sometimes went by the alternative surname Fulthorpe, and was described as "a man of substance". Thomas Fulthorpe was succeeded by his son, who was another Thomas de la Dale, and seems to have died in 1407 or 1408. Fulthorpe's widow Isabel in 1408 obtained wardship and the right to arrange the marriage of her infant grandson, yet another Thomas, on payment to Ramsay Abbey of 100 marks (the Abbey was the overlord of Little Barford. This Thomas came of age in 1428 and obtained possession of the family estates, having rendered the customary feudal service.

The de la Dales owned Barford until the male line of the family died out in the sixteenth century. The last of the de la Dales, Anne, daughter of William de la Dale, married Alexander Fettiplace in 1537. Their descendants remained at Barford until 1658, when they sold it to the Edwards family.