Dorney Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dorney Court |
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Dorney Court, front facade
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| General information | |
| Type | Stately home |
| Town or city | Dorney, Buckinghamshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°30′09″N 0°40′33″W / 51.5024°N 0.6759°W |
Dorney Court is a really old and beautiful house in the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England. It's a special type of building called a manor house, and it was built a very long time ago, around the year 1440! Imagine a house that's over 580 years old! The amazing thing is that the same family, the Palmer family, has owned and lived in Dorney Court for hundreds of years, right up to today. It's a "Grade I listed" building, which means it's super important historically and architecturally.
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Discovering Dorney Court's Past
Dorney Court has a long and interesting history. It was first mentioned in a very old book called the Domesday Book in 1086. This book was like a big survey of England made by William the Conqueror.
For many years, different families owned Dorney Manor. But in 1542, a man named James Hill sold Dorney to Sir William Garrard. Sir William later became the Lord Mayor of London. His family is connected to the Palmer family, who still own Dorney Court today.
The Palmer Family at Dorney Court
The Palmer family has a deep connection to Dorney Court.
How the Palmers Got Dorney Court
Sir William Garrard bought Dorney Manor in 1542. He was a very important person, serving as Lord Mayor of London in 1555. When he passed away in 1571, his son, also named Sir William Garrard, took over.
Sir William Garrard's daughter, Martha, married James Palmer. James Palmer later became Sir James Palmer. In 1624, Dorney Court officially became part of the Palmer family. This happened after some disagreements within the Garrard family.
Famous Palmers of Dorney Court
Sir James Palmer (1585–1658) was the first Palmer to own Dorney Court. He was a special helper to King James I and King Charles I. He was also an artist who painted tiny pictures called miniatures.
Sir James was a friend of King Charles II. He also helped manage the royal art collection and a special tapestry factory. You can see some of his paintings in famous museums today!
Dorney Court Through Generations
From Sir James Palmer, Dorney Court has been passed down from father to son in the Palmer family. This means it has stayed in the same family for many, many generations!
Even though a special family title (called a baronetcy) ended in 1838, Dorney Court continued to be inherited by the Palmer family. It's still their family home today, but they also open it up for visitors to explore and enjoy its history.
What Dorney Court Looks Like
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When you first see Dorney Court, it looks like a building from the Middle Ages. But some parts of the outside were actually rebuilt in the Victorian era (late 1800s). The original bricks were carefully put back on the front of the house.
The inside of the house hasn't changed much since the 1500s. The oldest room is the paneled parlor, which has beautiful old furniture. The great hall is a large room with many family portraits. It has special wooden panels that came from an old abbey. Long ago, this hall was used for important meetings, and it still hosts an annual meeting today!
