Edward Dalyngrigge

Sir Edward Dalyngrigge (c. 1346 – August 1393) was a 14th-century knight who built Bodiam Castle in Sussex, England.

Edward Dalyngrigge was born in/around 1346, the son of Roger Dalyngrigge and Alice Radingden, his wife. The family first gained land in Sussex, the manor of Bolebrook, through the marriage of Roger's father, John Dalyngrigge, to Joan, daughter of Walter de la Lynde, of Lincolnshire, and extended their holdings through subsequent generations. The family originated from the area of Dalling Ridge near East Grinstead.

Edward travelled to France in 1367 and joined the Free company of Sir Robert Knolles, fighting as a mercenary. Dalyngrigge returned to England in 1377 having accumulated much wealth and power. Upon his return to Sussex, he married Elizabeth, the heiress of the Wardedieu or Wardeux family, who had held the manor of Bodiam since before 1330. Through his new wife, Sir Edward acquired a moated manor house, which lay just to the north of Bodiam church. It is possible the Dalyngrigge and his new wife resided in this manor house until his new castle was completed, although he also held another house at his estate at Bolebrook, near Hartfield, Sussex.

Between 1379 and 1388, Dalyngrigge was Knight of the Shire of Sussex in ten parliaments and subsequently one of the most influential gentry of the county at that time. In 1380 he was made a member of the Commission considering the state of the realm and the possessions, expenses and revenues of the royal household. Also in that year, he was appointed to survey Winchelsea and to consider how the town should be fortified against attacks from the French. His concern over the defence of the coast was evident in 1384-5, when he was called to be a member of a Commission to fortify the cinque port, Rye, East Sussex.

In 1384 the King's uncle, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, took out a lawsuit against Dalyngrigge to try to restrain him from interference with the Duke's recently acquired Sussex estates. Resentment of the powerful Duke of Lancaster and his estates was felt by many of the Sussex gentry, and Dalyngrigge was essentially representing their grievances. Dalyngrigge's behaviour in court, where he appeared in his own defence, was violent and unruly and gives a good indication of his personality; twice during the proceedings, he threw down the gauntlet in court. His action seems to imply that he saw the case more as a matter of honour than of legality. His concern was fundamentally that his local standing was threatened by John of Gaunt's acquisition and authority over neighbouring estates. John of Gaunt won his lawsuit and Dalyngrigge suffered an almost £1000 fine for contempt and was ordered to be kept in 'safe and secure custody' of the sheriff until paid. Sir Edward's patron, the 11th Earl of Arundel, was able to interceded for him with the King after the Duke had departed England on 9 July 1386 when he sailed his army to Brest and on to Corunna and so Dalyngrigge was returned to the Parliament soon after without ever paying the fine.

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