Stapleton

The Stapletons were a knightly family of Yorkshire whose fortunes rose through marriage. Sir Gilbert de Stapleton, who died in 1321, married Agnes, elder daughter and co-heiress of Bryan FitzAlan of Bedale, bringing the Bedale and Cotherstone estates into his family.

His eldest son, Sir Miles Stapleton of Bedale, was a companion in arms of Edward III. He served at the siege of Tournai in 1340, fought in the War of Breton Succession and probably at Calais in 1347, and was among the founding Knights of the Garter in 1348.

Miles marched with Henry of Lancaster in 1356 and joined a Prussian crusade in 1363 before dying in 1364, perhaps of wounds received at Auray. His marriage to the Ingham heiress Joan brought lands in Norfolk; the family continued at Bedale and Ingham for three generations before the estates were split among co-heiresses.