The Hatton family were the principal Lords of The Manor in Longstanton, from c 1620 until 1812, when Sir Thomas Dingley Hatton was killed in an accident. Following Sir Thomas’ death, the Hatton Mansion House fell into disrepair and was torn down. In 1874, the Hatton estate was broken up into lots and sold off. Many of the lots were purchased by the local farmers like the Lintons and the Phyphers. The rise of local families, and the decline of the Hatton family, may mirror a social trend which occurred throughout England. The rise of the educated “middle classes” eg: lawyers and architects, in the 18th and 19th Centuries, meant that local families rose in social status and eventually had accumulated the wealth from “trade” to start purchasing land for themselves.
Although the Hatton family no longer have connections in the village, they have left a legacy behind them. The family emblem, a golden hind, can be seen on the village sign and in many places throughout All Saints church. Below are some of the traces of the Hatton family that can still be found in All Saints’ church.
