Margaret Fiennes, 11th Baroness Dacre


Margaret Fiennes, 11th Baroness Dacre was a suo jure peeress having been created Baroness Dacre by King James I of England in 1604. She was the daughter of Thomas Fiennes, 9th Baron Dacre who was executed for murder in the year of her birth. His title and lands had been forfeited to the crown. Baroness Margaret's husband was Sampson Lennard MP.
She was also known as Baroness Dacre of the South.

Family

Margaret was born in 1541, the youngest child and only daughter of Thomas Fiennes, 9th Baron Dacre and Mary Neville. In the year of her birth, her father was hanged for the murder of a gamekeeper by the order of King Henry VIII, and his lands and title were forfeited to the crown.

Marriage and issue

On 10 November 1564 at the age of 23, Margaret married Sampson Lennard, who came from a family of landed gentry. They resided at Chevening, Kent. He was a Member of Parliament for various constituencies, and from 1590 to 1591, he held the post of High Sheriff of Kent. Lady Dacre and her husband had four sons and six daughters:
Occurring in Sevenoaks, Kent, England unless otherwise stated:
The title of Baron Dacre had been restored to Margaret's brother Gregory by Queen Elizabeth I shortly after her ascension to the throne; however upon his death in 1594, it had once again lapsed in abeyance. On 8 December 1604, King James I created her suo jure Baroness Dacre, and she held this title until her death on 16 March 1612. She was succeeded by her eldest son, Henry.

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