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Hemyock Castle
Ancient Heart of the Blackdowns


Dinham Family Line

The English branch of the Dinhams (or Dynhams), long time owners of Hemyock Manor and Castle. Their main English base was at Hartland, Devon.

Dynham Shield
Dynham Shield


Alternative Spellings

Possible alternative spellings included:


Main English Dinham Family Line

  1. Geoffrey de Dinan, sieur de Dinan [Brittany], d. after 1122

  2. Oliver de Dinan, sieur de Dinan, d. 1150

  3. Oliver de Dinant, d. after 1172

  4. Geoffrey de Dinant

  5. Oliver de Dinant, d. before 28 June 1221

  6. Sir Geoffrey de Dinham, knight, of Hartland, co. Devon and Buckland Denham, co. Somerset. Had respite of knighthood, 25 Aug 1229. Died before 26 December 1258

  7. Sir Oliver de Dinham, knight, of Hartland, Nutwell and Ilsington, co. Devon and Buckland Denham, co. Somerset and Cardinham, Cornwall; born before 1234; summoned to Parliament from 24 June 1295 by writs directed Olivere de Dynham, thereby held to be first first Lord Dinham. Died 26 February 1298/99. Married twice. His second wife was Isabel de Courtenay, comtesse douairière d'Oxford (ie. Dowager Countess of Oxford). One son: Josce

  8. Sir Josce de Dinham, knight, of Hartland, co. Devon, Buckland Denham, co. Somerset and Cardinham, Cornwall; born before 1274; 2nd Lord Dinham. Died 30 March 1300/01. In 1292 married (as the first of her three husbands) Margaret de Hydon, daughter of Sir Richard de Hydon, of Clayhidon and Hemyock, co. Devon. Two sons: John & Oliver. His widow, Margaret de Hydon later married: Sir Kilbert Knoville (died 1313 or 1314), Sir Peter de Uvedale (1296 – 1336)

    • Oliver de Dynham (1297 – 1342). Inherited Hydon estates (ie. Hemyock, Clayhidon, Morleigh) from Dame Isabella Fisacre (Margaret de Hydon's mother). 1337, built castle & house at Sampford Peverell. Married Edith Cotel (widow of Sir John de Palton), heiress of Sampford Peverill & Aller Peverell. One son: Oliver
      • Sir Oliver de Dynham (1325 – 1351), knighted 1348 at capitulation of Calais. Married Joan de Brien. (Daughter of Sir Guy de Brien of Slapton.) One son: Oliver (1344 – Oct. 1363); Three daughers: Margaret (1347 – 1399), Ellen (1349 – 1361 or 1362), Joan (1350 – c1362)
        • Margaret Dynham. (Heiress of Sir Oliver de Dynham: Hemyock, Clayhidon, Morleigh, Storridge, Sampford Peverell, Aller Peverell, & other estates from Edith Cotel's marriage to Sir John de Palton.) 1362 (aged 15) married William Asthorpe. They both died in 1399, without heirs

  9. Sir John de Dinham, knight, of Hartland, co. Devon, Buckland Denham, co. Somerset and Cardinham, Cornwall; born 14 September 1295; 3rd Lord Dinham. Died before 15 April 1332. Married Margaret [surname unknown]

  10. Sir John de Dinham, knight, of Hartland, co. Devon and Buckland Denham, co. Somerset; born before 1318; 4th Lord Dinham. Died 7 January 1382/83 [murdered]. Married Muriel de Courtenay (born 1369), daughter of Sir Thomas de Courtenay, knight, of Woodhuish, co. Devon, and his wife Muriel de Moels

    • A daughter, Muriel de Dinham, married Edward de Hastings, 8th Lord Hastings
    • Another daughter, or possibly grand-daughter, Joan Dinham (c1375 – 1412) married Maurice Berkeley (c1370 – c1401). She was mother of Maurice Berkeley (c1400 – 1464)

  11. Sir John de Dinham (1359 – 1428), married three times: Ellen, Maud de Mautravers, and Philippa Lovell (died 1465). Avenged his father's murder after John Broun & Robert Tuwyng escaped captivity at Ilchester, by killing Tuwyng & dragging Broun from sanctuary in Exeter Cathedral. Dinham was forced to return Broun & perform regular repeated penance at Exeter Cathedral.

  12. Sir John de Dinham (1406 – 1458), married Joan Arches (died 1497). Nine children: John, Charles, Oliver, Roger, Marjory, Katherine, Joan, Edith, Elizabeth


  13. John, Lord Dinham (1443 – 1501/2), married twice to: Elisabeth Fitzwalter, then to Elisabeth Willoughby. They had no heirs so his four surviving sisters: Marjory, Katherine, Joan and Elizabeth inherited his property, including Hemyock Castle

Adapted from sources including:

Posting dated 2001-02-03, on the soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup by John Ravilious (roberdeauusa@netscape.net), Quoting Sources: CP, Vol. IV, p. 269 et seq.

"The Family of Dinan in England in the Middle Ages" by Michael Jones, published 1987, Le Pays de Dinan.

Dinham family records, held by the Cornwall Records Office.

Note. These noble families are very confusing: Often father and first son have the same first name. Also, the spellings of names are very variable. This information is published "as is". Comments welcome.


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