Staindrop, United Kingdom

History

Around the year 1018, King Canute gave the manors of Raby and Staindrop to Durham Priory. In 1131 Prior Algar granted the manor to an Anglo-Saxon named Dolfin "son of Uhtred", the earliest recorded direct male ancestor of the great Neville family which built as their seat Raby Castle in the north part of the manor. The grant was possibly merely a confirmation of the holding by this family from before the Norman Conquest of 1066. When doing homage to the Prior for his holding he reserved his homage to the kings of England and of Scotland and to the Bishop of Durham and was "no doubt a man of consequence", probably an aristocratic Northumbrian of high birth. In February 1203-4 King John confirmed to the prior and convent all their privileges and vast possessions, including "Staindrop and Staindropshire with the church".

Perhaps the most famous building in Staindrop is that of Raby Castle, a medieval castle surrounded by 200 acres of deer park, situated 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the village, it was built in the late 14th century by John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville and remains a private home, the seat of the Vane family, the Barons Barnard. Raby Old Lodge dates back to the 14th century, and was once an outpost of Raby Castle, it was extensively altered between 1897 and 1899, it is now used as holiday accommodation.

From the History section of Staindrop on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.