Dacre
In 1278, Sir Ranulph Dacre, was Sheriff of York
William Lord Dacre of the North had four sons: Thomas, Leonard, Edward, Francis. The eldest Thomas married and died in his fathers lifetime, leaving a son George and three daughters.
This George on his grandfathers death, became Lord Dacre and was in ward to the Duke of Norfolk. His mother became the Dukes second wife.
George Lord Dacre was killed before he attained his majority leaving his three sisters his co heiresses at law. Two were married to the Dukes two sons the Earl of Arundel and Lord Wm Howard
On the death of George the title was claimed by Leonard the second son of William Lord Dacre
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Mary, daughter of Thomas Dacre of Gillesland was the first wife of Francis, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury of Sheffield Castle. She died April, 1538 and was buried at Sheffield.
Sir William Dacre, 3rd Lord of Gillesland (d 1563) married Elizabeth Talbot, daughter George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
Anne Dacre was married in 1571 to Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel (b 28.06.1557, d 19.10.1595)
Mary Dacre (dsp 07.04.1576) married Sir Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk (b 24.08.1561, d 28.05.1626)
Elizabeth Dacre married (28.10.1577) William Howard of Naworth Castle (b 19.12.1563, d 07.10.1640)
The daughter's marriages into the Howard family arose because their mother Elizabeth married (her second husband, his third wife) Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, father of their husbands.
The tomb of Ralph Dacre, Lord of Gillesland lies in the churchyard at Saxton. He was one of the victims of the Wars of the Roses, slain along with 30,000 others at the Battle of Towton in 1461. The site of the battle lies just north of Saxton.