Champion of England
Preserved but no longer current.
A person whose office it is to ride up Westminster Hall on a Corona- tion Day, and challenge anyone who disputes the right of succession. The office was established by William the Conqueror, and was given to Marmion and his male descen- dants, with the manor of "broad Scrivelsby." De Ludlow received the office and manor through the female line; and at the Coronation of Richard II Sir John Dymoke succeeded through the female line also.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Champion of England” mean?
A person whose office it is to ride up Westminster Hall on a Corona- tion Day, and challenge anyone who disputes the right of succession. The office was established by William the Conqueror, and was given to Marmion and his male descen- dants, with the manor of "broad Scrivelsby." De Ludlow received the office and manor through the female line; and at the Coronation of Richard II Sir John Dymoke succeeded through the female line also.
Is “Champion of England” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.