Robert Thoroton

Dr. Robert Thoroton (4 October 1623 – c. 21 November 1678) was an English antiquary, mainly remembered for his county history, The Antiquities of Nottinghamshire (1677).

Life

He belonged to an old Nottinghamshire family, which took its name from Thoroton, near Newark. He resided mainly at another village in the same neighborhood, Car Colston, where he practised as a physician and where he lived the life of a country gentleman. He took very little part in the Civil War, although his sympathies were with the royalists, but as a magistrate he was very active in taking proceedings against the Quakers.

In 1667 Thoroton, aided by a band of helpers, began to work upon his great county history, The Antiquities of Nottinghamshire. This was published in London in 1677; it was dedicated to the eminent antiquarian William Dugdale and was illustrated by engravings by W. Hollar. It was Dugdale who had urged Thoroton to complete the work of history begun by Thoroton's father-in-law.

Preparing for his death, Dr. Robert Thoroton had ordered made, some six years before his death, an elaborate carved stone coffin with the various heraldic shields of his ancestors incised upon it. He was buried in the coffin, but during restoration work on the chancel of St. Mary's Church in Car Colston in 1845, Thoroton's stone coffin was unearthed. The coffin, made of red Mansfield stone, was opened and Dr. Thoroton's skull was removed and placed in a shop in the village as a 'curiosity.' The vandalism was subsequently discovered, and the local vicar ordered the remains to be collected, replaced within the coffin and reinterred.

Thoroton

Coordinates: 53°00′N 0°52′W / 53.0°N 0.86°W / 53.0; -0.86

Thoroton is a small village located in the parish of Thoroton in Rushcliffe, Nottingham, England, and lies along the banks of the River Smite, about 15 miles (24 km) east of Nottingham and 4 miles (6.4 km) miles northwest of Bingham, and adjacent to Scarrington, Hawksworth, Sibthorpe, Orston and Aslockton.

Thoroton has a population of 110 and was granted conservation area status in 1974. It is served by St Helena's Church. It is bounded by the A46 3 miles (4.8 km) to the west, the A1 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east and the A52 road 2 miles (3.2 km) to the south.

Charles Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton takes his name from part of his wife's name and her family home is near Thoroton. The family also owns property in the village, which they let.

References

External links

Media related to Thoroton at Wikimedia Commons