William Harrington

. Sir William Harrington (Sometimes spelt Harington or Haryngton) of Hornby (born 1373 and died 22 February 1440 in Hornby Castle, Lancashire), son of Sir Nicholas Harrington and Isabella/Isabel de Engleys/English. Likely to have been named after his maternal grandfather, William de Engleys, William Harrington was an early fifteenth-century English northern knight, fighting in the Hundred Years' War and serving the crown in the north of England. He was also a official Standard Bearer of England. William's mother, Isabella/Isabel, was born c. 1345 at Drumburgh Castle the only surviving child of Sir William de Engleys/English of Appleby (Appleby-in-Westmorland), Little Strickland, and Hasket (Hesket, Cumbria), then all in Westmorland. He was also Knight of the Shire for Westmorland. William de Engleys was born c. 1320 at High Head Castle, Co. Cumberland and his first wife (and Isabel's mother) was Margaret Le Brun born c. 1320 in Drumburgh Castle. Isabel was co-heiress to her uncle, Robert le Brun, by which she inherited the manor of Drumburgh and a one-third share in the manors of Bothel, Cumbria (in Blennerhasset and Torpenhow), Beaumont, Cumbria, and Brunskaith (Brunstock) in Cumberland. Career history and wars in France William's father, Sir Nicholas, was a supporter of John of Gaunt and William continued this tradition of service with the future Henry V. He served Henry V whilst the latter was Prince of Wales, and when Henry came to the throne in 1413, Harrington was a king’s knight. He was considered to be one of the most trusted nobles and, as such, was appointed to hold the official office of Standard Bearer of England. Some of his predecessors in the role were men like Peter de Preaux and Richard Fitzhugh. Some of the men succeededing him in the role were men such as Sir Lewis Robessart and Sir William Burton. The role of standard-bearer of England was an important office within an army especially when monarchs fought or were present on the battlefield. On the battlefield, the standard-bearer would be mounted and carried the personal standard of the monarch.