David de Offington
english-born Crown official
Sir David de Offington (died c.1312) was an English-born Crown official in late thirteenth-century Ireland. He was one of the earliest recorded holders of the office of High Sheriff of County Dublin and the first recorded Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). He became a substantial landowner in Leinster.
He came to Ireland in about 1273. Seven years later he received a royal pardon for all trespasses committed by him in England. He made repeated journeys back to his home country. In 1294 he received the King's protection for two years for his return journey to Ireland. He first appears in Ireland as custodian of the Irish estates of George de Cantilupe, Lord of Abergavenny, who attained his majority that year, but died a few months later. David was Sheriff of County Dublin (one of the earliest named Sheriffs: Ralph Eure, who was probably the first, was appointed in 1258), and Constable of Newcastle, County Wicklow in 1282, and received a knighthood. He was also seneschal of Kilkenny and custodian for the Irish lands of Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester.
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