Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for HORTON

HORTON, a village and a chapelry in Eton district, Bucks. The village stands on the river Colne, at the boundary with Middlesex, 1 mile N of Wraysbury r. station, and 3 ½ ESE of Eton; is a rural place, embosomed in wood; and has fairs on Easter-Monday and WhitMonday.—The parish includes part of Colnbrook chapelry, which has a post office under Slough. Acres, 1, 610. Real property, £4, 728. Pop., 81 0. Houses, 166. The property is divided among a few. The manor belongs to T. P. Williams, Esq. The poet Milton resided here from his 24th till 30th year, and wrote here his "Comus, " his "Lycidas, "his "Arcades, " his "Sonnet to the Nightingale, " and probably also his "Allegro" and "Penseroso." A portion of his house stood till about 1 770, and was known as the poet's house; and is said to have been on or near the site of a recently erected mansion, near the church. An outhouse of his residence stood till even about 1810; and the remnant of an appletree belonging to it stood till within the last few years. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Oxford. Value, £380.* Patron, T. P. Williams, Esq. The church has a Norman arch; is partly covered with ivy; and contains, under the chancel, the grave of Milton's mother. Charities, £420.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village and a chapelry"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Eton RegD/PLU       Buckinghamshire AncC
Place: Horton

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