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Sir John Schorne (died 1313) was
thought to be the origin
of the child's jack-in-the-box toy. However, the toy did not come about until over 500 years after Schorne's time. When he died, his shrine in the church at North Marston became a popular place of pilgrimage and he was regarded by many as a
Sir John Schorne (died 1313) was rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of North Marston
North Marston is a village and also a civil parish in the Buckinghamshire district in the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about three miles south of Winslow, and four miles north of Waddesdon
Waddesdon is a vill ...
in the English county of Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
. He was a very pious man and was said to have effected many miraculous
A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by physical laws, natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the ...
cures for gout and toothache.
During a drought, he discovered a well, whose waters were reputed to have miraculous properties. His reputation for holiness was such that he is believed to have cast the devil into a boot
A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is cle ...
. He is often pictured holding a boot with a devil in it, which wathought to be the origin
of the child's jack-in-the-box toy. However, the toy did not come about until over 500 years after Schorne's time. When he died, his shrine in the church at North Marston became a popular place of pilgrimage and he was regarded by many as a
saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...
, although he was never canonised. His remains were later moved to St George's Chapel, Windsor, the burial place of English monarchs. Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, who was buried there, went on pilgrimage to Schorne's Well in July 1511 and May 1521. The Holy Well was renovated in 2004/2005 and may still be seen in North Marston.
There was a rector in Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough () is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England, about south of Aylesbury and north west of High Wycombe. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns, the south end ...
in Buckinghamshire called John de Schorne ''circa'' 1289, according to the list of rectors in the front of the parish register. It is likely to be the same person, though this is difficult to confirm for certain.Princes Risborough Parish Register, held at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies
Buckinghamshire Archives (prior to 2020 the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies) is the county record office for Buckinghamshire, England. It houses the former Buckinghamshire Record Office and the former Buckinghamshire Local Studies Library. It is ...
One of the two team benefice
A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
s in Claydon Deanery is named after Schorne to this day.
References