Dryden Baronets

Dryden Baronets

There have been three baronetcies created for persons with the surname Dryden, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of Great Britain. Two of the creations are extant and are joined under a single holder since 1874.

The Dryden Baronetcy, of Canons-Ashby in the County of Northampton, was created in the Baronetage of England on 16 November 1619 for Erasmus Dryden, subsequently Member of Parliament for Banbury. The second Baronet represented Northamptonshire in the House of Commons. The title became extinct on the death of the seventh Baronet in 1770. However, the title was revived in 1795 (see below).

The poet John Dryden was the grandson of the first Baronet.

The Gay Turner, later Page-Turner, later Dryden Baronetcy, of Ambrosden in the County of Oxford, was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 24 August 1733 for Edward Turner. The second Baronet sat as Member of Parliament for Great Bedwyn, Oxfordshire and Penrhyn. His second son John was created a baronet, of Canons-Ashby, in his own right in 1795 (see below). The third Baronet represented Thirsk in the House of Commons. In 1775 he inherited substantial estates on the death of his great-uncle Sir Gregory Page, 2nd Baronet and assumed the additional surname of Page. The surname of Page-Turner was also borne by the fourth, fifth Baronets and sixth Baronets. On the latter's death in 1874 the title was inherited by Sir Henry Edward Leigh Dryden, 4th Baronet, of Canons-Ashby (see below). The titles have remained united ever since.

The Dryden Baronetcy, of Canons-Ashby in the County of Northampton, was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 2 May 1795 for John Dryden. Born John Turner, he was the second son of the second Baronet of the 1733 creation and the husband of the niece and heiress of the seventh and last Baronet of the 1619 creation. In 1791 he assumed by sign-manual the surname and arms of Dryden only. The fourth Baronet succeeded as seventh Baronet of Ambrosden in 1874.