Dorney Court
Encyclopedia
Dorney Court is an early Tudor
manor house
, dating from around 1440, located in the village of Dorney
, Buckinghamshire
. It is owned and lived in by the Palmer family.
Dorney Manor is recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1086, as having been held before the Norman Conquest
by Aldred, a man of Earl Morcar. In 1086, it was among the lands of Miles Crispin, and his tenant was a certain Ralf. From here it passed successively to families named Cave, Parker, Newnham, Paraunt, Carbonell, Scott, Restwold, Lytton, Bray, and Hill. In 1542, James Hill sold Dorney to Sir William Garrard, later Lord Mayor of London, and ancestor of the Palmer family which still owns and occupies Dorney Court today.
in 1555. He died in 1571, and was succeeded by his elder son, also called Sir William Garrard, who died in 1607 to be succeeded by his younger brother, Sir John Garrard. (Burke's Extinct Baronetcies (1841) s.v. Garrard of Lamer).
The daughter of Sir William Garrard was Martha (died 1617), who married James Palmer (later Sir James Palmer, knighted 1629), and Dorney Court was acquired by her husband in 1624. This followed disputes within the Garrard family over the property, centred around Martha's brother Thomas Garrard, who married against the wishes of his father and whose own wife with her family also embroiled him in disputes (see Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire (vol 3, 1925) s.v. Dorney). Dorney Court has remained in the male line of the Palmer family ever since.
Sir James Palmer (1584–1657), first of the Palmers of Dorney Court, was a younger son of Sir Thomas Palmer, baronet, of Wingham, Kent
. He was Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James I
and Charles I
, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter
(from 1645), a personal friend of Charles II
, and an artist and miniature painter. He was also an adviser to the royal collection, and governor of the Royal Tapestry Works, Mortlake. His portrait of James I is in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection, his portrait of the Earl of Southampton is in the Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge and his portrait of the Earl of Northampton is in the Royal Collection. (see his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
From Sir James, Dorney Court has passed from father to son in direct succession in the Palmer family down to the present day. His younger son was created Earl of Castlemaine
but his older son inherited Dorney (Sir Philip Palmer, 1615–1683). Sir Philip's fourth but, at his death, oldest surviving son was Charles Palmer of Dorney (1651–1714).
Charles Palmer's son inherited a baronetcy previously held by the senior branch of the family, the Palmers of Wingham in Kent. He therefore in 1723 became Sir Charles Palmer, 5th baronet, of Dorney. His own son, also called Charles Palmer, died before him, and so he was succeeded at his death by his grandson, Sir Charles Harcourt Palmer, 6th baronet, of Dorney.
Sir Charles Harcourt Palmer of Dorney, 6th and last baronet, had a number of children by his cousin, but no marriage was proved, and so the children were illegitimate and the title came to an end at his death in 1838 (see G.E.C.'s Complete Baronetage vol I (1900) s.v. Palmer, and also Burke's Extinct Baronetcies). Dorney Court, however, continued to be inherited by succeeding generations of the Palmer family (see Burke's Landed Gentry
(1952 edition) "Palmer of Dorney Court").
Dorney Court is still privately owned and lived in by Jill Palmer (widow) and her sons: James, Freddie and Leopold Palmer.
reconstruction. The remodelling of the house was undertaken at the end of the nineteenth century and the original bricks were restored to the front facade of the house. The interior layout of the house is little changed from 1500. The oldest part of the house is the panelled parlour, which contains some very fine examples of antique furniture. The great hall has numerous family portraits and contains linenfold
panelling brought from Faversham Abbey
, in times past it was used to hold the Manor court
and it is still the site of the annual Commoners meeting.
The house has been open to the public since 1981.
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, dating from around 1440, located in the village of Dorney
Dorney
Dorney is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in the English county of Buckinghamshire, near Slough and about two and a half miles west of Eton.The village name is Old English and means "island frequented by bumble bees"...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. It is owned and lived in by the Palmer family.
Early history
A full history of the descent of Dorney Manor from pre-Conquest times is traced in the Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire s.v. Dorney (vol 3, 1925) pp 221–225.Dorney Manor is recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086, as having been held before the Norman Conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
by Aldred, a man of Earl Morcar. In 1086, it was among the lands of Miles Crispin, and his tenant was a certain Ralf. From here it passed successively to families named Cave, Parker, Newnham, Paraunt, Carbonell, Scott, Restwold, Lytton, Bray, and Hill. In 1542, James Hill sold Dorney to Sir William Garrard, later Lord Mayor of London, and ancestor of the Palmer family which still owns and occupies Dorney Court today.
Acquisition by the Palmer family
Sir William Garrard, who bought the manor of Dorney from James Hill in 1542, served as Lord Mayor of LondonLord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1555. He died in 1571, and was succeeded by his elder son, also called Sir William Garrard, who died in 1607 to be succeeded by his younger brother, Sir John Garrard. (Burke's Extinct Baronetcies (1841) s.v. Garrard of Lamer).
The daughter of Sir William Garrard was Martha (died 1617), who married James Palmer (later Sir James Palmer, knighted 1629), and Dorney Court was acquired by her husband in 1624. This followed disputes within the Garrard family over the property, centred around Martha's brother Thomas Garrard, who married against the wishes of his father and whose own wife with her family also embroiled him in disputes (see Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire (vol 3, 1925) s.v. Dorney). Dorney Court has remained in the male line of the Palmer family ever since.
Sir James Palmer (1584–1657), first of the Palmers of Dorney Court, was a younger son of Sir Thomas Palmer, baronet, of Wingham, Kent
Wingham, Kent
Wingham is a civil parish and English Kent village situated along the ancient coastal road, now the A257, from Richborough to London and close to Canterbury. It has existed since the Stone Age but only became established as a village in Roman times. The Domesday book tells us that during Saxon...
. He was Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
and Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(from 1645), a personal friend of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and an artist and miniature painter. He was also an adviser to the royal collection, and governor of the Royal Tapestry Works, Mortlake. His portrait of James I is in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection, his portrait of the Earl of Southampton is in the Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge and his portrait of the Earl of Northampton is in the Royal Collection. (see his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).
From Sir James, Dorney Court has passed from father to son in direct succession in the Palmer family down to the present day. His younger son was created Earl of Castlemaine
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine PC was an English courtier, diplomat, and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660. He was also a noted Catholic writer...
but his older son inherited Dorney (Sir Philip Palmer, 1615–1683). Sir Philip's fourth but, at his death, oldest surviving son was Charles Palmer of Dorney (1651–1714).
Charles Palmer's son inherited a baronetcy previously held by the senior branch of the family, the Palmers of Wingham in Kent. He therefore in 1723 became Sir Charles Palmer, 5th baronet, of Dorney. His own son, also called Charles Palmer, died before him, and so he was succeeded at his death by his grandson, Sir Charles Harcourt Palmer, 6th baronet, of Dorney.
Sir Charles Harcourt Palmer of Dorney, 6th and last baronet, had a number of children by his cousin, but no marriage was proved, and so the children were illegitimate and the title came to an end at his death in 1838 (see G.E.C.'s Complete Baronetage vol I (1900) s.v. Palmer, and also Burke's Extinct Baronetcies). Dorney Court, however, continued to be inherited by succeeding generations of the Palmer family (see Burke's Landed Gentry
Burke's Landed Gentry
Burke's Landed Gentry is the result of nearly two centuries of intense work by the Burke family, and others since, in building a collection of books of genealogical and heraldic interest,...
(1952 edition) "Palmer of Dorney Court").
Dorney Court is still privately owned and lived in by Jill Palmer (widow) and her sons: James, Freddie and Leopold Palmer.
The building
On first appearances the building appears to be entirely medieval, but in fact some of the exterior is a VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
reconstruction. The remodelling of the house was undertaken at the end of the nineteenth century and the original bricks were restored to the front facade of the house. The interior layout of the house is little changed from 1500. The oldest part of the house is the panelled parlour, which contains some very fine examples of antique furniture. The great hall has numerous family portraits and contains linenfold
Linenfold
Linenfold is a simple style of relief carving used to decorate wood panelling with a design "imitating window tracery", "imitating folded linen" or "stiffly imitating folded material". Originally from Flanders, the style became widespread across Northern Europe in the 14th to 16th centuries...
panelling brought from Faversham Abbey
Faversham Abbey
Faversham Abbey was a Cluny style monastery immediately to the north-east of the town of Faversham in the county of Kent in England.It was founded by King Stephen and his queen Matilda of Boulogne in 1148. A party of monks from Bermondsey Abbey provided the nucleus and the first abbot.The Abbey was...
, in times past it was used to hold the Manor court
Manor court
The manor court was the lowest court of law in England . It dealt with matters over which the Lord of the Manor had jurisdiction. Its powers extended only to those living in the manor or who held land at the manor-Basic functions:Each Manor has its own laws listed in a document called the Custamal...
and it is still the site of the annual Commoners meeting.
The house has been open to the public since 1981.