| Official Name: | Thornton |
| Static Image: | River Ouse, Thornton - geograph.org.uk - 1042659.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | River Ouse, Thornton, 2008 |
| Label Position: | bottom |
| Coordinates: | 51.997°N -0.918°W |
| Os Grid Reference: | SP7536 |
| Population: | 194 |
| Population Ref: | (2011 Census including Foscott)[1] |
| Civil Parish: | Thornton |
| Unitary England: | Buckinghamshire |
| Lieutenancy England: | Buckinghamshire |
| Region: | South East England |
| Country: | England |
| Post Town: | Milton Keynes |
| Postcode District: | MK17 |
| Postcode Area: | MK |
| Dial Code: | 01280 |
| Constituency Westminster: | Buckingham |
Thornton is a village and civil parish on the River Great Ouse about 3.5miles north-east of Buckingham in the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire.
The toponym is derived from the Old English for "thorn tree by a farm". The Domesday Book of 1086 records the village as Ternitone.
It was formerly thought that the "lost" Domesday manor of Hasley formed part of Thornton[2] but it is now established that this was incorrect and that Hasley was part of Radclive.[3]
The earliest record of the Church of England Church of Saint Michael and All Angels dates from 1219.[4] The present building is 14th-century, but was dramatically restored between 1770 and 1800[4] and largely rebuilt by the Gothic Revival architect John Tarring in 1850.[5] The restorers retained mediaeval features including the 14th-century belltower, chancel arch and clerestory and 15th century clerestory windows.[4]
The Tudor Revival Thornton Hall (now Thornton College) was also built to John Tarring's designs in 1850.[5] It incorporates parts of a medieval house modernised in the 18th century.[5] The manor was home to Richard Cavendish (1794–1876)[6] [7]
Thornton College, an independent day and boarding school for girls, occupies the former Manor House Thornton Hall. The school educates girls aged 4 – 18 and has a nursery for boys and girls aged 2½ to 4. Since the Sisters of Jesus and Mary (a Catholic religious order), purchased the site in 1917, there have been a significant number of new developments at the school, most recently an award-winning Science and Prep Classroom wing (AVDC Outstanding Design Award). A new Sixth Form department opened in 2016. The school now has over 400 pupils.[8]