Americans love ancestry because, some may argue, they have none to call their own.

It is no surprise then that they appear obsessed with England, the Royal Family and their heritage.

Most buy a Union Flag T-shirt as a souvenir, some part with cash for a fake coat of arms but an amateur historian from California has gone one step further and traced her ancestors back to the barons of Dudley Castle.

When Opal McDaniel Meyers, who lives in Yountville, in the Napa Valley, discovered she was a descendant of Sir John Sutton of Dudley Castle, she was determined to visit the medieval landmark.

Last week she realised that dream and met Black Country historians and the Friends of Dudley Castle, who were able to shed more light on her family's genealogy.

After spending many nights trawling history books and surfing the internet, Ms Meyers found out she was an eighth-generation Sutton through his marriage to Lady Constance Blount.

She said: "I am a descendant of Sir John Sutton of Dudley Castle, who was born about 1380, and his wife Lady Constance Blount.

"His great-great-great-great-great-great grandson, Edward Dudley, migrated to Virginia Colony from England before September 30, 1650 and settled in York County, Virginia.

"His grandson, Richard Dudley III, had a daughter, Dorothy, who was born about 1695 and later married Henry Gatewood.

"I am the eighth generation down from this marriage through their daughter, Keziah Gatewood who married John Sandidge."

Ms Meyers is a member of the San Francisco Chapter of the National Society of Magna Charta Dames and Barons, and also president of her local branch of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century Chapter.

"I have a great interest in history and have documented my ancestry back to the Dudley-Sutton line. I am very excited about my visit to Dudley Castle, it is something I have looked forward to for many years," she added.

The American ancestor spent about six hours at Dudley Castle, talking to friends and learning about the personal genealogy of the Dudley-Sutton family as well as the history of the site.

Peter Suddock, chief executive of Dudley Zoo and Castle, said: "We are thrilled Opal has made this journey and we laid on a VIP day to help her dis-cover more about her ancestors and life here at Dudley Castle.

"She has obviously done her homework and Friday was an interesting day, not just for Opal, but also for all of us associated with the site."

Ms Meyers also met borough archaeologist John Hemingway, who has recently written a book on the history of Dudlley Castle.