Horsforth, barrister-at-law, familiarly known as "Lawyer Stanhope," who died in 1769.
The Pedigree of the Stanhope family, who settled at Horsforth Hall at the end of the sixteenth century, is traced in Foster's Yorkshire Pedigrees to a Sir Richard de Stanhope who had large estates in Northumberland in the time of Henry III. and Edward I., and whose son Sir Richard was lord of "Elstwyke," in Northumberland, in the time of Edward III. "Ricus Stanhoppe de Novo Castro miles dominus manerii de Elstwick in Com. Northumbr." (Rawlinson MSS.: Liber E: p. 8 (or 14)). There is an unpublished volume on the early history of this family by the present Earl of Stanhope, "Notices of the Stanhopes as Esquires and Knights and until their first Peerages in 1605 and 1616. London, 1855. 8vo."
The Sir Richard's son, Sir John Stanhope (M.P. for Newcastle, 1359; Mayor of Newcastle 41 Edward III.; escheator for Notts and Derbyshire 48 Edward III.; sheriff for Notts and Derby 6 Henry IV.) became possessed of Rampton in Nottinghamshire through bis wife, whose mother was daughter and heiress of Sir John Longvilliers. He died 14 Henry IV., leaving a son Sir Richard, who was Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Henry IV., and also M.P. for Nottingham. His son Sir Richard was succeeded by a John Stanhope, who was many years M.P. for Notts county, and whose son Thomas, of Rampton, was in 4 Edward IV. "retained by indenture to attend the king in person in his wars with France, with one man-at-arms and ten archers, receiving £20 19s. Gd. in hand towards his wages "on that account."
His elder son, Sir Edward Stanhope, of Rampton, Knight, was a principal commander at the Battle of Stoke, near Newark, 2 Henry VII. and also in defeating the Cornishmen at Blackheath, (22nd June, 2 Henry VII.) where he received the honour of knighthood.
It is from a younger son of this Sir Edward that the various families of Stanhope are descended which hold the earldom of Chesterfield, created in 1628, the earldom of Stanhope, 1718, the earldom of Harrington, 1742, and the baronetcy of Stanhope, created in 1807, now held by Sir E. F. Scudamore Stanhope, Bart., of Holme Lacy
