Richard Norton of Southwick Park
Encyclopedia
Richard Norton of Southwick Park (d. 1691), was a colonel in the parliamentary army in the English Civil War
and a member of several parliaments. For a time he commanded the Parliamentary forces besieging Basing House
and was Governor of Portsmouth for Parliament during the Civil War and for Charles II
after the Restoration.
, Nutley, East Tisted
, Southwick
, near Portsmouth, and Rotherfield. His ancestor and namesake had been knighted at Basing House
by Queen Elizabeth I, and it was while Charles I
was the guest of Sir Daniel Norton (Richard's father) at Southwick Park, that he received the news of the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham
by John Felton at Portsmouth.
Colonel Richard Norton resided as a young man at the Manor House of Old Alresford
, and is said to have distinguished himself in the Battle of Cheriton
by bringing up a body of horse through by-ways, from his hunting knowledge of the country, to charge the rear of the enemy.
He served under the Earl of Manchester
, was a fellow Colonel with Cromwell in the Eastern Association
. Oliver Cromwell was on familiar and intimate terms with him, addresses letters to him thus: "For my noble Friend, Colonel Richard Norton. These," and commences "Dear Dick." and distinguishing him in letters to his private friends by the appellation of "Idle Dick Norton."
Clarendon says that the besiegers of Basing House were "united in this service under the command of Norton, a man of spirit and of the greatest fortune of all the rest" and speaks of "the known courage of Norton." Mercurius Aulicus styles him "the great incendiary of Hampshire."
Colonel Norton became Member for Hampshire
in 1645, and had a long Parliamentary experience. In April, 1647, Norton was for the second time appointed Governor of Portsmouth for which he was to receive 12s. per day, with an additional 8s per day as Captain of Southsea Castle
. In 1653 he sat in the Barebones Parliament
, and was elected a member of the Council of State in the same year. Carlyle says of him, "Given to Presbyterian notions; was purged out by Pride
; came back, dwindled ultimately into Royalism." This appears to be correct, for he was not employed under the Protectorate, and in 1660 he represented Portsmouth
in the Convention Parliament which invited Charles II
to return to his kingdom—and immediately upon the restoration Colonel Norton was once more appointed "Captain of the Town, Isle and Castle of Portsmouth." He died an old man in 1691. His portrait was destroyed when a Berkshire house was burnt circa 1800.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and a member of several parliaments. For a time he commanded the Parliamentary forces besieging Basing House
Siege of Basing House
The siege of Basing House near Basingstoke in Hampshire, was a Parliamentarian victory late in the First English Civil War. Whereas the title of the event may suggest a single siege, there were in fact three major engagements...
and was Governor of Portsmouth for Parliament during the Civil War and for 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...
after the Restoration.
Biography
Richard Norton, belonged to a family which had settled long before at AlresfordOld Alresford
Old Alresford is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated some 1 km north of the town of New Alresford, 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester, and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton....
, Nutley, East Tisted
East Tisted
East Tisted is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is 4.8 miles south of Alton on the A32 road.The nearest railway station is 4.7 miles north of the village, at Alton....
, Southwick
Southwick, Hampshire
Southwick is a village in the English county of Hampshire, situated north of Portsmouth, and is occupied entirely by tenants in the style of the Middle Ages, where the entirety is wholly owned by the Southwick Estate. Oddly, there is one exception to this and that is Church Lodge which is in...
, near Portsmouth, and Rotherfield. His ancestor and namesake had been knighted at Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
by Queen Elizabeth I, and it was while 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...
was the guest of Sir Daniel Norton (Richard's father) at Southwick Park, that he received the news of the assassination of the Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
by John Felton at Portsmouth.
Colonel Richard Norton resided as a young man at the Manor House of Old Alresford
Old Alresford
Old Alresford is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated some 1 km north of the town of New Alresford, 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester, and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton....
, and is said to have distinguished himself in the Battle of Cheriton
Battle of Cheriton
The Battle of Cheriton was an important Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War. It took place on 29 March 1644 and resulted in the defeat of a Royalist army, which threw King Charles I onto the defensive for the remainder of the year.-Campaign:...
by bringing up a body of horse through by-ways, from his hunting knowledge of the country, to charge the rear of the enemy.
He served under the Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester KG, KB, FRS was an important commander of Parliamentary forces in the First English Civil War, and for a time Oliver Cromwell's superior.-Life:...
, was a fellow Colonel with Cromwell in the Eastern Association
Eastern Association
The Eastern Association of counties was a Parliamentarian or 'Roundhead' army during the English Civil War. It was formed from a number of pro-Parliamentary militias in the east of England in 1642, including a troop of cavalry led by Oliver Cromwell...
. Oliver Cromwell was on familiar and intimate terms with him, addresses letters to him thus: "For my noble Friend, Colonel Richard Norton. These," and commences "Dear Dick." and distinguishing him in letters to his private friends by the appellation of "Idle Dick Norton."
Clarendon says that the besiegers of Basing House were "united in this service under the command of Norton, a man of spirit and of the greatest fortune of all the rest" and speaks of "the known courage of Norton." Mercurius Aulicus styles him "the great incendiary of Hampshire."
Colonel Norton became Member for Hampshire
Hampshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Hampshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832...
in 1645, and had a long Parliamentary experience. In April, 1647, Norton was for the second time appointed Governor of Portsmouth for which he was to receive 12s. per day, with an additional 8s per day as Captain of Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle
Southsea Castle is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, also known as Henrician Castles, built in 1544 on the waterfront at the southern end of Portsea Island . The castle was built to guard the eastern entrance to the Solent and entrance to Portsmouth Harbour...
. In 1653 he sat in the Barebones Parliament
Barebones Parliament
Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector...
, and was elected a member of the Council of State in the same year. Carlyle says of him, "Given to Presbyterian notions; was purged out by Pride
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
; came back, dwindled ultimately into Royalism." This appears to be correct, for he was not employed under the Protectorate, and in 1660 he represented Portsmouth
Portsmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Portsmouth was a borough constituency based upon the borough of Portsmouth in Hampshire. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the bloc vote system.- History :...
in the Convention Parliament which invited 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...
to return to his kingdom—and immediately upon the restoration Colonel Norton was once more appointed "Captain of the Town, Isle and Castle of Portsmouth." He died an old man in 1691. His portrait was destroyed when a Berkshire house was burnt circa 1800.