The Disney Family
Swinderby, like all of England, was profoundly affected by the coming of the Normans from 1066. Many longstanding local landowners were dispossessed and Normans appointed in their place
Amongst the new Norman owners in this area of Lincolnshire was Lambert, from d'Isigny in Normandy - famous now for its dairy products. His descendents married into the other important local families and the family prospered - as landowners, lawyers and clergymen. The nearby village of Norton Disney was one of their early strongholds, but they had interests across the wider area.
Om 1544, once the interests of the Knights Hospitaller were liquidated by Henry VIII, Richard d'Isigny or Disney purchased the manor and church of Swinderby for £1012 1 shilling and 8 pence, plus an annual rent of 30 shillings and 1 penny. Records show that the Disneys were leading supporters of the Reformation in Lincolnshire - which profoundly changed the churches, but which also released vast amount of former monastic land for families like the Disneys to buy. Richard Disney became High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1556.
In 1628, Richard's grandson, Sir Henry Disney, (1569-1641) organised the enclosure of the open fields of Swinderby (about 929 acres) plus a further 1100 acres of common, moorland and wasteland). Enclosures such as these often led to great poverty in rural areas as commoners rights to collect wood and berries, and graze livestock on the common land were extinguished; most land was set aside for the sole use of wealthy landowners. The enclosure created the field boundaries and much of the rural landscape around Swinderby which we see today.
So it is not surprising that Sir Henry's son, John Disney, built a number of homes for the poor in Swinderby. The fortunate beneficiaries also received grazing rights for their livestock at nominal rents, along the roadsides and in 20 acres of field set aside for the purpose. These cottages and their grazing land were sold off in the 18th century and the money used to creata a Poor Trust, which still operates for the benefit of parishioners today.
Rev. John Disney (1746-1816) became Vicar of Swinderby in 1770. Increasingly however, he disagreed with the Church of England and began to miss parts of the authorised Anglican liturgy from his services. In 1782 he left the Church of England altogether, and became minister of the Unitarian Church in The Strand, London.
John Disney was however concerned about his parishioners and during his time in the village created a survey (an early form of census) which is most helpful to us now to learn how the previous inhabitants of Swinderby lived.
Amongst the new Norman owners in this area of Lincolnshire was Lambert, from d'Isigny in Normandy - famous now for its dairy products. His descendents married into the other important local families and the family prospered - as landowners, lawyers and clergymen. The nearby village of Norton Disney was one of their early strongholds, but they had interests across the wider area.
Om 1544, once the interests of the Knights Hospitaller were liquidated by Henry VIII, Richard d'Isigny or Disney purchased the manor and church of Swinderby for £1012 1 shilling and 8 pence, plus an annual rent of 30 shillings and 1 penny. Records show that the Disneys were leading supporters of the Reformation in Lincolnshire - which profoundly changed the churches, but which also released vast amount of former monastic land for families like the Disneys to buy. Richard Disney became High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1556.
In 1628, Richard's grandson, Sir Henry Disney, (1569-1641) organised the enclosure of the open fields of Swinderby (about 929 acres) plus a further 1100 acres of common, moorland and wasteland). Enclosures such as these often led to great poverty in rural areas as commoners rights to collect wood and berries, and graze livestock on the common land were extinguished; most land was set aside for the sole use of wealthy landowners. The enclosure created the field boundaries and much of the rural landscape around Swinderby which we see today.
So it is not surprising that Sir Henry's son, John Disney, built a number of homes for the poor in Swinderby. The fortunate beneficiaries also received grazing rights for their livestock at nominal rents, along the roadsides and in 20 acres of field set aside for the purpose. These cottages and their grazing land were sold off in the 18th century and the money used to creata a Poor Trust, which still operates for the benefit of parishioners today.
Rev. John Disney (1746-1816) became Vicar of Swinderby in 1770. Increasingly however, he disagreed with the Church of England and began to miss parts of the authorised Anglican liturgy from his services. In 1782 he left the Church of England altogether, and became minister of the Unitarian Church in The Strand, London.
John Disney was however concerned about his parishioners and during his time in the village created a survey (an early form of census) which is most helpful to us now to learn how the previous inhabitants of Swinderby lived.
All Saints Church, Swinderby contains the impressive plaque above, commemorating members of the Disney family who are buried in the church.
These days, the name of Disney is indellibly linked with Walt Disney (1901-1966), whose films have enchanted generations of young and old. It is widely believed that his ancestry reaches back to the Disneys of our area. Surviving records do not allow us to prove that conclusively. But Walt himself certainly beleived it was true and came to visit Norton Disney and other places in the area in 1949, ;ooking for traces of his ancestry.
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