Dorney Court

Dorney Court is a Grade I Tudor manor house in Buckinghamshire that was first referenced in the Domesday Book (1086) and is designated as being 'of outstanding architectural and historical interest'. The current house mainly dates from around 1440.

Background[edit]

Home of the Palmer family since the 17th century, when Sir James was Gentleman of the Bedchamber to both James I and Charles I.

The exterior of the main part of Dorney Court appears to be the original Tudor facade, with red herringbone brickwork and half-timbering, but much of it is a Victorian reconstruction<ref>Victoria County History of Buckinghamshire s.v. Dorney (vol 3, 1925) pp 221–225.</ref>. Much of the recent work occurred at a time when the Victorians and Edwardians were rediscovering Tudor styling and architects like Norman Shaw where building Tudor style houses from scratch. To have the core of a 15th century building to work from was a huge bonus. How much of the work at Dorney was 'restoration' and how much was 'recreation' is to be debated.

Poirot & Other Media Coverage[edit]

Dorney Court has a strong screen CV including Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Tom Hardy’s Taboo and the BBC’s Dracula extravaganza And Armando Ianucci’s ‘Personal History of David Copperfield’. Dorney Court has featured in a variety of TV episodes including Marple, Morse and Midsummer Murders; and a long list of movies including 'A Man For All Seasons' and 'The Other Boleyn Girl'. It featured in two episodes of ITV's adaptation of Agatha Christie's Poirot. It was used in Season 2, Episode 9 'The Adventures of the Western Star' as Yardly Chase, the home of Lord and Lady Yardly, who are hosting the 'renowned Belgian actress Marie Marvelle' owner of the 'Western Star' jewel. It also doubled as The Hunterbury Arms Hotel where Poirot stays in Season 9, Episode 2 'Sad Cypress' from 2003. It appeared in three episodes of Midsomer Murders - 'Strangler's Wood', 'Bantling Boy', 'Secrets & Spies' & 'Not in my Backyard'.

Full Film Listings: http://dorneycourt.co.uk/filming/film-listings/

IMDB - 'The Adventures of the Western Star' - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402444/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

YouTube - 'The Adventures of the Western Star' - Full Episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCVeTJ1eHx4

IMDB - 'Sad Cypress' - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402444/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

YouTube - 'Sad Cypress' - Full Episode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5V0wlji7A

Dorney Court was used as the location for Mr Wickfield’s school in ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ where David meets Steerforth.