Thomas de Dent

Thomas de Dent (died after 1361) was an English born cleric and judge who held high office in Ireland.

Dent, Cumbria, birthplace of Thomas de Dent, present day

He was born at Dent, Cumbria.[1] He took holy orders. He is first heard of as the defendant in a lawsuit for trespass at Ingleton, North Yorkshire.[1]

He came to Ireland as King's Attorney (the office which was later called Serjeant-at-law) in 1331 and in 1334 he was appointed a justice of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland).[2] He was transferred to the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) in 1337. He became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1341, as part of a widespread reform of the Irish judiciary, and was Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas 1344–58.[2] He was granted a lease of the royal manor of Esker, near Lucan in County Dublin in 1351:[1] Esker was often leased out to royal servants who were in high favour with the Crown. He is last heard of in 1361, when he was visiting England.[3] He may have been in some financial distress in his last years, judging by his petition to the English Parliament asking for compensation in 1358, shortly after he left office.[4]