DORNEY
Dornei (xi cent.).
The parish of Dorney covers an area of 1,133 acres,
of which 675 are arable land and 279 acres are laid
down in permanent grass. (fn. 1) The soil is light with a
subsoil of gravel and the chief crops are cereals, peas
and beans. The land is flat and low-lying and is
about 70 ft. above the ordnance datum. It is
watered by Roundmoor Ditch, which forms the
eastern boundary, and by a small stream which rises
at Lot's Hole north of the village and flowing south
past the church falls into Cress Brook. The southwestern boundary of the parish is formed by the
River Thames.
The village, which lies on either side of the main
road through the parish, contains a number of
cottages, mostly of timber and brickwork, which date
from the 17th century, but are all much restored.
The vicarage at the west end of the village, originally
a 17th-century timber-framed house, was enlarged
and refaced with brickwork in the 18th century
and further enlarged in the 19th century. A fair
amount of the original timber construction still
remains.
Dorney Court, the seat of Major C. H. D. Palmer,
standing near the church to the west of the village, is
a picturesque building of the early Tudor period.
It was built about 1510, partly rebuilt in the
18th century, and has recently been conservatively
restored. It is built on an L-shaped plan with
wings running north and west. In the south-west
block is a small courtyard surrounded by offices. A
considerable portion of this block is of the 18th century or modern, and in the re-entering angle on the
north there is a modern addition. Externally the
walls of the older parts are in places timber framed
with an infilling of thin bricks. Part of the framing
and a few features including the oriel window on the
east side come from another building. In the west
wing of the L-shaped block is the great hall retaining its dais, screens and its original timber roof,
the arched trusses of which spring from moulded
brackets and are connected by curved wind-braces.
The 15th-century stone fireplace is not in situ, and
the panelling is said to come from Faversham Abbey.
The original timber construction is visible in many
places throughout the house and a good many original
features, such as fireplace, panellings, &c., remain,
while other old fittings have been brought from other
houses.
On the opposite side of the road is Dorney House,
the residence of Lieut.-Col. William Butler Ferris.
At the eastern extremity of the village the road
crosses Dorney Common, on the edges of which are
Court Farm, Pigeonhouse Farm and the Manor
Farm. The common is partly in the liberty of
Boveney and is intersected by roads and footpaths
leading to Boveney and Eton Wick.
Among the place-names which occur on documents
referring to Dorney is Duning's Close in the 17th
century, which was charged to provide a rail for
Dorney churchyard. (fn. 2)
MANOR
DORNEY MANOR, which had been
held by Aldred, a man of Earl Morcar,
was assessed at 3 hides in 1086 among
the lands of Miles Crispin. (fn. 3) These lands were
afterwards united with those of Robert Doyley to
form the honour of Wallingford, (fn. 4) to which Dorney
remained attached at least as late as 1540. (fn. 5)
Holding under Miles Crispin in 1086 was Ralf, (fn. 6)
who with Roger was also tenant of Crispin in Little
Marlow. Dorney descended with his portion of Little
Marlow called Danvers Manor (q.v.) until somewhere
near the late 13th century. By alienation or
marriage the manor had come by 1300 to William
Cave, (fn. 7) who held it until his death in 1305, (fn. 8) when he
was succeeded by his son Nicholas, aged fourteen, (fn. 9)
who proved his age in 1312 (fn. 10) and received seisin of
his father's lands. (fn. 11) He remained in possession of
Dorney until some time after 1348. (fn. 12) The name
of Richard Cave occurs as witness to a charter in
Dorney of 1354, (fn. 13) and he was pardoned in 1358
for the death of Robert Bygaunt, (fn. 14) but there is no
further trace of this family in Dorney. It may have
terminated in an heiress Elizabeth, who with her
husband Thomas Parker held the manor in 1371 (fn. 15)
and alienated it in 1373 to Nicholas Newnham. (fn. 16)
In 1379 this family was represented by Clemencia
Newnham, (fn. 17) who with her husband John Paraunt
made a settlement of it in 1391. (fn. 18) There is mention about this date of John Newnham of Dorney
Manor, (fn. 19) but the Paraunts appear to have had a
daughter and heir Elizabeth the wife of Thomas
Carbonell, with whom she joined in 1430 to convey
Dorney to Thomas Scott, citizen and baker of
London. (fn. 20) Thomas Scott held the manor till his
death in 1470, (fn. 21) when he left his capital messuage
in Dorney to his wife Edith. (fn. 22) On her death five
years later Edith bequeathed Dorney to their son
John Scott, (fn. 23) who was in possession in 1490, (fn. 24) and
settled the manor on himself and his wife Margaret
with reversion to his son and heir John. (fn. 25) On the
death of the son without issue in his father's lifetime the latter sold the reversion to Richard Restwold and died in 1505, (fn. 26) the manor then passing
apparently to the Lyttons, to whom Restwold is
said to have transferred the reversion. (fn. 27) Thomas
Lytton was called lord of Dorney Manor in 1511, (fn. 28)
but by some means unknown Sir Reynold Bray,
who died in 1503, (fn. 29) appears to have had a claim to
the manorial rights, as his niece, Margaret wife of
William Lord Sandys, and his nephew Edmund
Bray (fn. 30) quarrelled in 1510 as to the ownership of the
manor, Bray basing his right on Sir Reynold's will
dated 4 August 1503. (fn. 31) The manor was allotted to
Bray, (fn. 32) and must have been alienated by him either
in 1529 with Boveney in Burnham (q.v.) or else a
little earlier to Richard Hill, against whom Robert
Fitz Water of London, tailor, brought an action as
cousin and heir of John Scott to recover the titledeeds. (fn. 33) Richard Hill was lord of Dorney in 1530, (fn. 34)
when he was accused by Thomas Woodford and
others, inhabitants of Dorney, of having together
with other ' ill-disposed and myschievous persons'
inclosed Dorney Wood with great hedges quickset
and deep ditches and built a house in the wood
wherein 'divers arrant theves' resorted with his
consent and stole sheep and robbed travellers. He
was also said to have cut off the legs of their cattle.
Richard Hill denied that the woods were ever
common and said they had always been held in
severalty by the owners of Dorney and Boveney
Manors. (fn. 35) The bad feeling between Hill and
Woodford culminated five years later in a quarrel
over a 'great oke tree,' over 200 years old, growing
on Dorney Green in Dorney Manor, which was cut
down by Woodford and his servants 'in maner of
warre arrayde.' Hill's servants dragged the tree to
Dorney manor-place, whereupon Woodford in most
cruel and unlawful manner sent to a 'mynstrell called
a taberer' to take his taber and to go 'pypyng into
the seyd maner place.' The minstrel refused, but
Woodford's servants dragged the tree out of the yard,
and he himself 'daily doth bayte, hunte and chace
with dogge' the cattle of Richard Hill. More
amicable relations were not encouraged by Woodford
placing some of Hill's servants in the 'stokkys,' but
Woodford defended his conduct by declaring that
at a court held by the steward of the honour of
Wallingford in Buckinghamshire fifteen honest men
found Dorney to be a royal manor and that the
green was therefore common, as waste grounds, to the
tenants dwelling near by. (fn. 36) At his death in 1540
Richard Hill was succeeded by his son James, (fn. 37) who in
1542 sold Dorney to William
Garrard, (fn. 38) afterwards Lord
Mayor of London. (fn. 39) He held
the manor (fn. 40) until his death
in 1571, when he was succeeded by his son and heir
William, (fn. 41) afterwards knighted,
to whom William Lord Sandys,
great-grandson of the claimant
of 1510. (fn. 42) renounced his rights
in 1576. (fn. 43) Sir William Garrard held Dorney (fn. 44) until his
death in 1607, (fn. 45) having settled
it on his wife Elizabeth for
life with reversion to their son
and heir Thomas. (fn. 46) Arrangements were made in 1609
whereby Elizabeth Garrard
gave up her manorial rights
in return for a fixed payment,
100 loads of wood and the
use of the manor-house. (fn. 47)
Thomas Garrard had married
Dorothy daughter of Sir
William Clarke of Hitcham
(q.v.), against the wish of his
father, who by his will forgave his son's 'unkind disobedience' and says that his wife will reward Thomas
and Dorothy if they alter their 'untaymed courses of
undutifull cariage' towards her. (fn. 48) Thomas Garrard
had occasion to regret his obstinacy. (fn. 49) The father
and daughter combined to thrust him out of his inheritance, called him rogue and rascal, and refused to
admit him into Weston, Sir William Clarke's house in
Hitcham. When he called there his wife sent him a
message 'that if he lay in the
streets and starved, he should
not have a groat for his releife
of her.' In 1616 Thomas
Garrard brought an action to
recover the estate and to prevent the further waste and
destruction of the woods, and
stated that he was willing to
receive his wife, though she
had led 'a kind of eloped
life' for six years. (fn. 50) Their
family troubles were doubtless the cause of the sale of
Dorney by Thomas Garrard
and his brothers in 1624 to
Thomas and Richard Palmer, (fn. 51) who appear to have
been acting as trustees for James Palmer, (fn. 52) third
son of Sir Thomas Palmer, bart., of Wingham (fn. 53) and
brother-in-law of the Garrards. (fn. 54) James afterwards
Sir James Palmer, (fn. 55) who was a gentleman of the
king's bedchamber and chancellor of the order of the
Garter, (fn. 56) suffered during the Civil War, as did the
rest of his family. His goods at Dorney were seized
in 1646, though rescued by a party of soldiers from
Windsor, and Parliamentary troops broke down a
partition in his house, hoping to find money. (fn. 57) He
died in 1657 before the Restoration, (fn. 58) and was
succeeded by his son Sir Philip Palmer, (fn. 59) who in
1672 settled the manor on his son and heir Roger. (fn. 60)
The latter and other sons, however, dying in their
father's lifetime, (fn. 61) Dorney passed on Sir Philip's
death in 1683 to his fourth son Charles. (fn. 62) Charles
died in 1712 and was succeeded by his son another
Charles, who in 1723 became a baronet on the failure
of the line of the Palmers of Wingham. (fn. 63) Sir Charles
Palmer died in 1773 (fn. 64) and his son Charles having
predeceased him, (fn. 65) Dorney descended to his grandson
Charles Harcourt Palmer, (fn. 66) through whom it has come
to his great-grandson Maj. C. H. D. Palmer, (fn. 67) the
present owner.
DORNEY COURT
Plan of Dorney Court
(Adapted from the Inventory of the Historical Monuments of South Buckinghamshire with the permission of the
Royal Commission and the consent of the Controller of H.M. Stationery Office)
Palmer of Dorney. Or two bars gules charged with three trefoils argent and a greyhound sable running in the chief.
The Vicarage, Dorney
CHURCH
The church of ST. JAMES consists
of a chancel 17 ft. square, north chapel
16 ft. 6 in. by 10 ft., nave 38 ft. by
about 19 ft., south porch, and west tower 12 ft.
square, all these dimensions being internal.
The chancel and nave date from the 12th century,
the tower was built about 1540, and the north or
Garrard chapel and the porch were added in the 17th
century. The chancel and nave, which have been
coated with cement, are built of clunch, the tower of
brick with stone, dressings, the chapel and porch of
brick and stone, and the roofs are tiled. In the 19th
century the building was restored.
The chancel has an 18th-century east window of
three pointed lights. On the south side there is a 13thcentury blocked doorway, above which on the outside
of the wall may be seen the remains of one side of a
plain 12th-century round-headed window. To the
east of this is a two-light pointed window of late 13thcentury date, the rear arch of which has been widened
and the sill brought down so as to form a sedile.
Further east in the usual position is a 14th-century
piscina with a two-centred head. At the west end
of the south wall is a low side window having an
ogee head and pierced spandrels. Opposite to it in
the north wall is another low side window, originally
of the 14th century, but very much restored. The
mid-14th-century chancel arch is of two moulded
orders, the inner one of which springs from semioctagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases,
one base being cut away.
The Garrard or north chapel is entered from the
chancel by a re-set 14th-century arch considerably
repaired, in which is a pair of 17th-century doors
having plain panelling below, and open balusters
above. The east and west walls of the chapel
have each a 17th-century window of three lights
under a square head, and above in the north wall is a
partly blocked window of the same period; the stone
work of these windows is in a bad state and has all
been made good with cement.
In the north wall of the nave there is a blocked doorway with a pointed head, and in the south wall near
the west end is a restored single-light window of the
13th century. The other windows of the nave and
the south doorway, with the exception of the rear
arch, are modern. At the west end is a gallery supported on four posts; the front bears the inscription
'Henry Felo, 1634'; it has 17th-century balusters
in the front, in the back and on the gate at the top
of the stairs.
The tower, which has a plinth of pudding stone
and flint, is of two stages with an embattled parapet
and a projecting stair turret on the south. The
tower arch is of two orders, and has traces of painting on the north jamb. The west doorway is much
restored, and the three-light window above it has
practically been entirely renewed. The bell-chamber
windows are original and are each of two lights
with an uncusped head. There is an old door in
the west doorway, and another in the doorway to the
stair turret.
The outer arch of the south porch is round-headed
and repaired with cement. The gable above contains
a much decayed stone dated 1661. No old work
is visible in the roofs, as they all have ceilings.
The font dates from the 12th century and has a
circular bowl reduced in height and carved with
lozenge-shaped panels, in which are floreated crosses,
and a circular stem and base.
The hexagonal pulpit, recently brought from
another church, is of mid-17th-century date. The
sides have inlaid panels in two heights. On the
north wall of the chancel is a large monument to
Jane daughter of Sir James Palmer, kt., 'gentleman
usher to Charles I and chancellor of the order of the
Garter,' who died in 1663, and in the north chapel
is another mural monument with alabaster figures of
Sir William Garrard, who died in 1607, in armour,
and Elizabeth his wife; in the base are the kneeling
figures of seven sons and eight daughters, five of whom
hold skulls; above each child is a shield and in
the pediment, which is supported on marble columns,
is an inscription with arms and a crest. The lower
part of the late 15th-century rood screen, which was
on the east wall of the chancel, has recently been
replaced in its original position; the panels have
trefoiled ogee heads and tracery. Across the nave at
the west is another screen which includes some 17thcentury work. In the chancel, probably brought
from elsewhere, there is a 15th-century traceried seat
front with a moulded standard, and in the nave are
several 16th-century benches.
There are four bells: the treble by William
Eldridge, 1698; the second by Ellis Knight, 1631,
inscribed 'Prayes the Lord'; the third by Joseph
Carter, 1582, inscribed 'Blecced be the name of the
Lorde,' and the tenor by Thomas Swain, 1771.
The plate consists of a cup of 1569 and a plated
flagon and paten, apparently of the 17th century.
The registers begin in 1538. (fn. 68)
ADVOWSON
The church of Dorney is mentioned about 1218 as appurtenant to
Dorney Manor, (fn. 69) and the patronage
was exercised by the Danvers as lords of Dorney
during the 13th century. (fn. 70) In 1275 the Prior of
Marlow attempted to seize the advowson from
William Danvers, (fn. 71) but without success, and William
son and heir of the said William Danvers alienated
it to Ralph de Ivinghoe, (fn. 72) by whom the right was
conveyed to John de la Bere of Wargrave. (fn. 73) The
latter had some trouble in establishing his claim in
1306, (fn. 74) and by 1308 the patronage had passed to
John de la Lude, (fn. 75) who in 1338 alienated it in
mortmain to Burnham Abbey. (fn. 76) The grant was
confirmed in 1401 by Henry VI, (fn. 77) and the abbesses
continued to present to the church until the Dissolution. (fn. 78) In 1553 Edward VI bestowed the advowson
on William Earl of Pembroke, to hold as of the
manor of East Greenwich in free socage, (fn. 79) but
William Garrard, lord of Dorney Manor, presented
to the church in the following year, (fn. 80) since which
date the advowson has descended with the manor (fn. 81)
(q.v.), the present patron being Major Palmer.
A vicarage had been instituted in Dorney Church
as early as c. 1218, (fn. 82) and the rectorial tithes were
enjoyed by the Danvers and their successors in the
patronage until the appropriation of the church in
1338 to Burnham Abbey. (fn. 83) John Newnham, lord
of Dorney Manor towards the end of the 14th
century, probably thought he would revive the old
right and carried off by force the greater part of the
tithes to his manor-house, as also the abbess's carts and
horses. (fn. 84) The church was assessed at £6 13s. 4d. in
1291, (fn. 85) but was said to be worth 60 marks in 1396. (fn. 86)
In 1535 it was assessed at £8 13s. 4d., (fn. 87) of which
the abbey took £5 in rectorial tithes, paying a
pension of £2 13s. 4d. to the vicar. (fn. 88) In 1544 the
tithes were demised to William Tildesley, and in
1564 Richard Clough received a forty years' lease. (fn. 89)
The rectorial tithes were acquired before 1605 by
Sir William Garrard, (fn. 90) lord of Dorney Manor (q.v.),
but appear to have been alienated by the Garrards
about thirty years later. (fn. 91) In 1616 depositions
were taken regarding tithes in Dorney and Boveney,
when it was stated that all land in Dorney paid tithe
to the lady of the manor, but that the king's farmer
of Burnham Abbey Manor took the tithe of corn and
hay in Dorney and Boveney. (fn. 92)
In 1638, when Sir John Parsons was rector, a
petition was sent to the king by the vicar, William
Flood, to prevent the grubbing up of coppice woods
which paid tithe to the vicar and their conversion
into arable land, the corn on which paid tithe to the
rector, by which the value of the vicarage, formerly
worth £25, had greatly decreased. (fn. 93) Sir John
Parsons still owned the rectorial rights in 1649, (fn. 94)
but in 1691 and 1699 conveyances were made of
the rectory by William Turvill to the Whitfields. (fn. 95)
In 1796 Arthur Eglinton and his wife Sarah owned
the rectory, (fn. 96) but by the beginning of the 19th
century it had passed to the Palmers, (fn. 97) lords of the
manor (q.v.), with which it is still held.
In 1505 John Scott, lord of Dorney, gave some
lands to William son and heir of Thomas Windsor
to found a chantry in Dorney Church, (fn. 98) to the intent
to find a priest to sing for the same John Scott's
soul. (fn. 99) Lord Windsor, a descendant of William
Windsor, was said in 1535 to appoint the priest,
then Thomas Buck, and pay him a salary of £6 13s. 4d. (fn. 100)
Thomas Buck died in 1538, leaving legacies to the
rood and St. James's light, (fn. 101) and his successor John
Moundy was turned out at the suppression of the
chantries. (fn. 102) The chantry was then worth 10s. and
the priest lived in a house worth 10s. His salary
had been reduced to 40s. or 50s., and had not
been paid during the preceding three years. (fn. 103) In
1588 the chantry was bestowed in free socage to
hold for 6s. 8d. a year on Walter Coppinger and
Thomas Butler. (fn. 104)
CHARITIES
Mrs. Elizabeth Sedding, as appears
from a tablet in the church, gave
£250 11s. 2d. reduced 3 per cent.
annuities by her will dated 29 May 1810 to the poor
of this parish for ever. A further gift of £200 was
made by Mrs. Parker Sedding on 8 May 1830, the
trust fund of the two charities being now represented
by £652 15s. 7d. consols with the official trustees.
The annual dividends, amounting to £16 6s. 4d.,
are in pursuance of a scheme of the Charity
Commissioners of 24 September 1912 applied in
relief to the poor of the parish with preference
to widows.