Stonor Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stonor Park |
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A view of Stonor House from the south.
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| Location | Stonor, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England |
| Built | 13th century onwards |
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Stonor Park is a historic country house with a private deer park. It is located in a beautiful valley in the Chiltern Hills in Oxfordshire, England. The house is near the town of Henley-on-Thames.
For over 850 years, Stonor Park has been the home of the Stonor family, also known as the Barons Camoys. The house has a private chapel that is even older than the main house. In the gardens, you can see the remains of a mysterious prehistoric stone circle.
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The House and Gardens
Stonor Park is surrounded by rolling hills and peaceful woods. Behind the main house, there is a walled garden designed in an Italian style. Because it's on a slope, it offers amazing views of the area.
A large park surrounds the house, where a herd of fallow deer roams freely. The house and gardens are open for the public to visit and explore.
History of Stonor Park
The Stonor family has lived in this house for many generations, making it one of the oldest family homes in England. The main part of the house was likely started around the year 1280. Inside, visitors can see family portraits, detailed tapestries, and collections of bronze statues and pottery.
The private chapel is one of the oldest parts of the estate. It was built in the 12th century from flint and stone and has a brick tower that was added later.
A Family's Faith
During a time of great religious change in England called the English Reformation, the Stonor family chose to remain Roman Catholic. This was a difficult choice because the official religion of the country had changed. People who stuck to the old faith were called recusants.
Because of their beliefs, the family faced many challenges. In 1581, a famous priest named Edmund Campion secretly printed religious papers at Stonor Park. When the house was raided, the press was found. The family was punished, but they never gave up their faith. They even allowed local villagers to use their private chapel for church services.
Because the family had less money and influence for many centuries, they could not make major changes to the house. This is a big reason why Stonor Park has remained so well-preserved and looks much like it did hundreds of years ago.
The Ancient Stone Circle
One of the most fascinating things about Stonor Park is that it was built on the site of a prehistoric stone circle. This is where the name "Stonor" comes from, meaning "stone hill."
The remains of this ancient circle can still be seen today. One of the stones was even used to build a corner of the chapel. The stones are a mix of local types, including sarsen and puddingstone. The circle we see now was partly rebuilt in the 1600s and 1900s, but it gives us a glimpse into a very distant past.
Stonor Park on Screen
Because of its historic beauty, Stonor Park has been a popular place for filming movies and TV shows. You might have seen it in:
- The Pumaman (1980)
- The James Bond movie The Living Daylights (1987)
- Danny, the Champion of the World (1989)
- The final episode of the TV show One Foot in the Grave (2000)
- An episode of Endeavour (2019)
- The TV miniseries A Christmas Carol (2019)
- An episode of Antiques Roadshow (2020)
