DORTON
Dortone (xi cent.); Durton (xiii cent.).
This parish contains 1,477 acres, of which 122
are arable land and 1,108 permanent grass. (fn. 1) The
land, of which the surface is clay on a subsoil of
Kimmeridge Clay and Portland Beds, varies from
about 250 ft. above the ordnance datum on the
eastern boundary to over 450 ft. at Dorton Hill.
In the west of Dorton, on the borders of Brill, is
a chalybeate spring, and a pump room and baths, now
demolished, were erected here about the middle of the
19th century. (fn. 2) The village, approached by a road from
Chilton, is of small size. At its south end, on low
ground, are the church of St. John Baptist and the
parsonage built in 1849. Near them Dorton House,
the seat of Mr. Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, stands
surrounded by 18 acres of pleasure grounds in which
there is a lake. The house, a brick building of the
half-H type with stone quoins and tiled roofs, dates
from 1626, though it was much altered in the 18th
century and has been restored at a modern period.
The screens, placed in the centre of the main block,
are entered from the forecourt on the east, through
an 18th-century portico which forms the main
entrance. To the north of the screens are the original
hall, the main staircase opening off the hall and
projecting into the forecourt, and the library and
Queen Elizabeth's room, the last two being in the
north wing. To the south of the screens are the
morning room, a corridor leading to a second staircase,
the offices and the dining room, the latter, which
is in the south wing, being the original kitchen.
Above the hall is the drawing room, with two small
rooms and an ante-room to the north of it, the latter
entered from the main staircase, while the whole of
the first floor of the north wing is occupied by the long
gallery. The north front, with its three bay windows,
has been little altered, and elsewhere many original
mullioned windows remain. The hall has a panelled dado
and a wide moulded fireplace with an overmantel
enriched with strapwork, in the centre of which is a
modern shield, incorrectly painted, showing the quartered coat of Sir John Aubrey, sixth baronet (1786–1826), with those of his two wives, Mary Colebrooke
and Martha Catherine Carter, in pretence. Above
is the eagle's head, the crest of Aubrey. The screen,
at the south end of the hall, is an elaborate piece of
Jacobean work. It is pierced by two doorways and
the panelled bays are divided by fluted Ionic pilasters,
the whole being surmounted by an entablature and
open-work cresting. Opening into the main staircase
is a round-headed stone doorway with a panelled soffit.
The principal stairway, which bears the date 1626 on
one of the plaster soffit panels and rises by easy flights
from an oak screen in the staircase hall, is of the doglegged type, and has chamfered newels with urnshaped finials, moulded handrails and turned balusters;
the staircase hall has a plaster frieze with grotesque
and foliated ornament in relief and a rich plaster
ceiling. The room over the morning room is panelled
and has a moulded fireplace with an elaborate overmantel, and both this and the drawing-room have
rich coved ceilings, the latter displaying the Dormer
badge, an eye with rays issuing from it. The ceiling
over the long gallery is plain, but of barrel form.
The staircase to the south of the hall rises in easy flights
and has square newels with moulded finials and square
balusters, the mouldings of which follow the rake of
the stairs. The Boarstall horn, a black silver-mounted
cow-horn, 1 ft. 10 in. long, dating from the 15th
century, is preserved in the house, as well as the
private chartulary of the manor of Boarstall and
other manors belonging to Edmund Rede. The
stables, which are contemporary with the house, were
considerably repaired about the end of the 18th
century.
Park Farm, in the north-east of the parish, was
probably part of the Dorton Woods inclosed by the
Dormers in the 16th century. (fn. 3) On the summit of
Dorton Hill in the south are traces of an ancient
encampment. (fn. 4)
Manors
DORTON, held by Alric before the
Norman Conquest, and by Walter
Giffard in 1086, (fn. 5) came from the
Giffards through the Marshals (fn. 6) to the Earls of
Gloucester. (fn. 7) After 1284, when the whole fee belonged
to Gilbert Earl of Gloucester, (fn. 8) the overlordship seems
to have been divided between the descendants of Isabel
and Joan, the sisters of Anselm Marshal, (fn. 9) one half-fee
being retained by the Earls of Gloucester and their
heirs of the house of Stafford until 1459, (fn. 10) the other
belonging to Aymer de Valence in 1302 and 1324, (fn. 11)
and to Richard and Gilbert Talbot respectively in
1346 and 1419. (fn. 12) Both, however, were held of
Thomas Earl of Stafford in 1392, and of his brother
and heir Edmund ten years later. (fn. 13) From 1545 to
1627, when the last mention of its overlordship
occurs, the manor of Dorton was held of the king as
of the honour of Gloucester. (fn. 14)
No certain record of the sub-tenancy of Dorton
before the 13th century survives, though possibly the
knight's fee which Pain de Dorton held of Walter
Giffard in 1166 was in this parish. (fn. 15) By 1255 the
manor had been divided into
two parts. (fn. 16) One of these,
then owned by Sibyl de Birmingham, (fn. 17) came afterwards
to William de Birmingham
and followed the descent of
the manor of Hoggeston (q.v.)
until 1383, when the manor
was either mortgaged or conveyed in trust by Sir John de
Birmingham and his wife
Elizabeth to Richard de Piriton, clerk, and others. (fn. 18) Sir
John and Elizabeth had no
childern. (fn. 19) In 1419 Elizabeth,
then widow of another husband, John Lord Clinton,
held the manor as half a knight's fee in Dorton, (fn. 20)
but it was not accounted for amongst her lands at
her death four years later. (fn. 21) Her heirs were the
descendants of Thomas de Birmingham, younger
brother of John, who had died before him leaving a
daughter Elizabeth. She married Thomas Roche and
had two daughters and co-heirs, (fn. 22) between whom the
manor was divided. Ellen the elder, wife of Edmund
Lord Ferrers in 1423, (fn. 23) with her second husband, Sir
Philip Chetwynd, granted her moiety of Dorton to
her younger son, John Ferrers, who surrendered his
right to it in 1443, (fn. 24) probably to the trustees of his
elder brother, William Lord Ferrers. (fn. 25) William was
seised the following year and at his death in 1450,
when he left an only child Anne, then wife of Walter
Devereux. (fn. 26) In 1544 their grandson, another Walter
Devereux Lord Ferrers, (fn. 27) who had included Dorton
in a settlement more than thirty years before, (fn. 28) sold
his moiety to Sir Michael Dormer. (fn. 29)
Birmingham. Party indented argent and sabel.
The other moiety of the Birmingham inheritance
in this parish came through Elizabeth, younger
granddaughter of Thomas de Birmingham and wife
of George Longville, (fn. 30) to Richard son of their son
Richard, (fn. 31) passing at his death in 1458 to his infant
son and heir, John Longville, (fn. 32) lord in 1497. (fn. 33) By
the said John, then Sir John Longville, and his son
Arthur (fn. 34) it was sold in 1541 to Michael Dormer and
his son Geoffrey. (fn. 35) Sir John was dead a year later,
when John Cheyne, son and heir of his daughter
Anne, wife of Drew Cheyne, renounced all right to
his grandfather's estate in Dorton. (fn. 36)
The manor thus united was settled by Sir Michael
Dormer in 1545 on his second son William and his
wife Elizabeth, (fn. 37) to whom it
passed the same year. (fn. 38) In
1552 William Dormer made
a life settlement of Dorton on
Henry Grey and his wife
Anne, who then leased the
manor to him for ninety years.
The remainder of this lease
was granted by William to
Hugh Hollingshed in 1561
and his reversion of the manor
itself mortgaged to Henry
Reynolds shortly after. (fn. 39)
William Dormer died two
years later, having settled Dorton on his wife Elizabeth, with
contingent remainder to Michael son of his brother
Ambrose. (fn. 40) In 1565 his son and heir John (fn. 41) agreed
that Henry Grey should hold the manor for life with
remainder, also for life, to Elizabeth wife of Hugh
Hollingshed and remainder to Hugh himself after the
death of the longer survivor of these two for seven
years. (fn. 42) All these interests had expired or been
bought out by 1594, when John Dormer, being sued
in Chancery for payment of an old debt of his
father's, was able to say that his inheritance in
Dorton had come to him 'for great sums of money
and for good considerations.' (fn. 43) He was lord in
1616 (fn. 44) and 1617, and settled Dorton in the latter
year on the marriage of his son Robert with Mary
daughter of Thomas Read. (fn. 45) Dorton henceforward
descended with the Dormers' manor of Long Crendon (fn. 46)
(q.v.) until the death, probably early in 1694, of
Robert Dormer, who by his will left land and rent
to the value of £200 a year from his estates in Dorton
and Brill to each of his step-brothers, Charles, Robert,
William, Philip, James, and Clement Dormer, settling
the residue in equal proportions on his three uncles,
Peregrine, Charles and Henry Bertie, and Henry
Cane. (fn. 47) Peregrine Bertie in 1695 sold his quarter to
Richard Harvey and Richard Adams to be disposed
of by them according to his directions. (fn. 48) In 1713
a settlement of a quarter and half another quarter of
the manor of Dorton on John Burgh was made by
Charles Bertie and Henry Bertie and his wife Mary, (fn. 49)
but Charles Bertie was still lord of one quarter a year
later. (fn. 50) One part of the Bertie property in Dorton
is said to have been acquired by the Mitchell family, (fn. 51)
whilst another came into the possessions of Sir Clement
Cottrell Dormer. (fn. 52) Both were purchased between
1773 and 1783 by John, afterwards Sir John, Aubrey, (fn. 53)
who seems to have made Dorton House his seat from
1774. (fn. 54) The manor has followed the descent of
Boarstall (q.v.) from that time, the present lord being
Mr. Henry Aubrey-Fletcher.
Dormer. Azsure billety or and a chief or with a demi-lion sable therein.
The other part of the original manor of Dorton (fn. 55)
belonged to Robert Beauchamp of Hatch in Somerset
in 1255. (fn. 56) He was succeeded
by his son John, (fn. 57) whose son
and heir, another John Beauchamp, (fn. 58) was intrusted to the
custody of Peter Corbet, a
connexion by marriage of this
family, (fn. 59) in 1284. (fn. 60) In 1302,
however, and in 1316 the
Beauchamp half-fee in Dorton
was held by Simon de Aston, (fn. 61)
whether by marriage with the
elder John's widow or as
trustee does not appear. It
was again in the hands of the
Beauchamps in 1327, when William younger son of
the above John Beauchamp was engaged in litigation
with his late bailiff here. (fn. 62) John Beauchamp was
succeeded in 1336 by his son and heir John Beauchamp, (fn. 63) whose widow Margaret received her dower
in Dorton in 1343. (fn. 64) Margaret and her tenants were
holding in 1346. (fn. 65) She died fifteen years later, (fn. 66)
and in 1362 Dorton passed from her son John Beauchamp, who had survived her only a few months, (fn. 67)
to Cecily, one of his sisters and heirs. (fn. 68) In 1392,
when Cecily, then widow of Richard Turbeville, was
lately dead, (fn. 69) licence was granted for the alienation of
the reversion of her moiety of Dorton Manor, which
Sir John Clinton and his wife Elizabeth then
held for the life of Elizabeth, to the Warden and
scholars of St. Mary's College of Winchester in
Oxford. (fn. 70) There does not seem to be any evidence
for the completion of this alienation and the subsequent
history of the Beauchamp fee is obscure.
Beauchamp of Hatch. vair.
A manor in Dorton called COTESMORES was
settled in 1456 by Matthew Haye and John Cotesmore
on Robert Danvers and his wife Katherine with reversion to Matthew and John and the heirs of John on
Katherine's death. (fn. 71) Another John Cotesmore was
seised of this property in 1490 and 1491, when he
claimed as his villein and imprisoned one Simon Mascall, a freeman. (fn. 72)
A windmill was an appurtenance of the manor in
the 16th century, one or more dovecotes in the 18th
century. (fn. 73) In 1616 Sir John Dormer and his heirs
received a grant of park, liberty of park and free
warren here, with licence to stock the park with all
kinds of game. (fn. 74)
Church
The church of ST. JOHN BAPTIST consists of a chancel measuring
internally 16 ft. 6 in. by 15 ft., nave
46 ft. by 18 ft. 6 in. at the east end and 16 ft. 6 in.
at the west end, south aisle 17 ft. 6 in. by 7 ft. 6 in.,
south porch, and timber bell-turret. It is built of
stone and roofed with tiles.
The chancel and nave are probably of the 12th
century; the south porch was added in the following
century, and in the middle of the 14th century a
small aisle was thrown out on the south side. The
aisle was restored towards the close of the 15th
century and the porch was partly rebuilt at the same
time. In the 16th century the south wall of the
chancel was rebuilt further to the south, and about
a century later the bell-turret was erected. In 1904
the north wall of the nave was partially renewed and
the whole fabric was restored.
The chancel has a two-light east window, and a
wide light in the south wall with a pointed inner and
square outer head; both windows are of the 16th
century, while the two-light window inserted in the
north wall is probably of the same period. The
responds and moulded bases of the chancel arch date
from the 14th century, but the arch and a portion of
the north respond are modern.
On the south side of the nave is a 14th-century
arcade of two pointed arches with a restored octagonal
pillar and responds. To the west of the arcade,
opening to the porch, is a moulded 15th-century
doorway, on the east side of which is a stoup with a
pointed head and round bowl; near the doorway,
which retains the old studded oak door, is a 13th
century lancet window. The north wall was partially
rebuilt in 1904, and has two modern windows with
wood lintels made from old beams. In the west wall
is a restored 15th-century window of two lights. The
south wall of the aisle is gabled, and is pierced by a
square-headed two-light window of about 1480, the
label of which forms part of an external string course.
In the east wall is a restored 14th-century window of
two trefoiled lights, and on the south is a trefoiled
piscina of the same period, part of the bowl of which
has been cut away. In the east wall of the porch,
now looking into the aisle, is a blocked 13th-century
window; the entrance archway, which dates from the
15th century, has a pointed head of two orders, and
semi-octagonal responds with moulded capitals. The
bell-turret is supported by three wood arches which
project into the nave and spring from moulded corbels
and two heavy posts; it is weather-boarded and
covered with a pyramidal tiled roof.
The font has a 12th-century circular bowl placed
on a 15th-century octagonal base; the cover, which
has a finial and scroll-work brackets, bears the inscription, 'A gifte to butyfie the house of God Francis
Harryson anno domnie 1631.' Some 17th-century
panelling remains at the west end of the nave, and the
chancel has a panelled dado of the same period which
was brought from Dorton House when the church was
restored in 1904. The communion rails also date
from the 17th century, as do two legs re-used in the
credence table and two panels in the pulpit, while a
seat at the west end of the nave may be of the 16th
century.
There is a ring of three bells, and a small bell, the
latter undated; the treble is by Taylor & Sons, 1828,
the second by Robert Atton, 1626, while the tenor,
by Bartholomew Atton, is inscribed 'God save King
James 1604.'
The communion plate consists of a chalice and cover
paten with the date letter of 1568, and the date
1569 inscribed on the paten, and a chalice, paten
and large flagon in Sheffield plate.
The registers begin in 1694.
Advowson
The church was originally a chapel
of Chilton, with which it was given
by Walter Giffard to Nutley Abbey. (fn. 75)
It belonged to that house until its surrender, (fn. 76) and in
1542 and 1546 was granted by Henry VIII to the
Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, (fn. 77) since
which time it has descended with the church of
Ashendon (q.v.), Earl Temple being now patron. (fn. 78)
The tithes of the demesne of Dorton, granted by
Walter Giffard to Longville Priory, (fn. 79) descended after
the suppression of the alien priories with the manor
of Little Pollicott in Ashendon (q.v.).
In 1586 two roods in Dorton fields, which had
been given for the maintenance of light and lamp in
this church, were granted to John Walton and John
Cresset. (fn. 80)
There do not appear to be any endowed charities
subsisting in this parish.