Welcome to the THORNHILL family web site !

This is where you get to meet the dad, Marvin, his daughters, Shelby and Natalie and his son, Tyler.

Each one of us has our own page and each page is done the way that each person wants it. Wild music and some great pictures are in store for you as you visit our pages and find out who we are and what we are like.

Scroll down to find out more about our family Coat of Arms and about where we originated from in Thornhill, Scotland and Stalbridge, England.

Coats of Arms were developed in the Middle Ages as a means of identifying warriors in battle and tournaments. The present function of the Coat of Arms, although still one of identity, serves more to preserve the traditions that arose from it's earlier use.

The early tribes of Northern Europe and the British Isles were a warring lot. Nomadic tribes were constantly on the move expanding their property base by taking from other tribes. It was necessary during these battles to be able to identify foe and friend. The need for identifying marks was very real.

 The earliest markings were probably daubs of color which quickly evolved into stylized artistic designs and were painted on warriors shields, which led to the shield shape of later Coats of Arms. It was the development of armor which helped name these designs. In the midst of a battle the difference between an armored person and one without armor would be quite obvious. The enemy would then attack unarmored men while avoiding the armored. To camouflage the armor soldiers would wear tunics or coats called tabards over their armor, their identifying designs were then painted on these coats. Thus, the ‘Coat’ of Arms developed.

By medieval times ‘heraldry’ (the identification by visual markings) had become very complicated with its own language or terms called Blazon. It’s military development and use in the crusades spread the practice throughout western Europe. Since most of the nobility of the era were still ‘unlettered’ an individual crest or Coat of Arms provided a means of guaranteeing a persons authenticity by means of a stamp or seal, possibly engraved on a signet ring used to seal a contract or letter.

Heraldic artists of old developed their own unique language to describe an individual Coat of Arms. Our family Coat of Arms hereby illustrated is officially documented in BURKES GENERAL ARMORY.

Sir James Thornhill, born 1675, died May 4, 1734, was an English painter in the baroque tradition. Although his early training remains obscure, he clearly had a knowledge of architecture and may have mastered the painting techniques of the Italian and French artists then working in England. He excelled in large-scale decoration of palace interiors in the grand manner--that is, grandiose compositions of figures in animated or rhetorical postures. His first major commission was the ceiling decoration (1707-14) of the Painted Hall at Greenwich, and it was followed by commissions at Hampton Court (1714-15) and Blenheim (1716). He was also responsible for the decorative work on the cupola, lantern and whispering gallery of St. Paul's Cathedral. His best known work in Dorset is the reredos at St. Mary's Church, Weymouth, depicting the last supper.

While painting the ceiling in the Painted Hall at Greenwich, Sir James took time out to do a self portrait. His self-portrait stands at the bottom right hand corner of the west wall.  He was paid £6,685 two shillings and fourpence for his work - £3 a square yard for the ceilings and £1 for the walls.  The payment was small and grudgingly given.  This portrait gives more than a hint that he would have been glad of  "a little something extra ..."

Sir James Thornhill

( Click on a painting to enlarge it )

Painted Hall at Greenwich

In 1721, Sir James was the first English-born artist ever to be Knighted. By 1725 Sir James had made enough money to buy back his families ancestral estate just to the south of Stalbridge and here built Thornhill House which he probably designed himself in the Palladian manner. In the grounds is a tall obelisk that Thornhill erected in 1727 to honor the accession of George II - from whom he no doubt expected royal patronage.

Sir James Thornhill also ran a private art academy where one of his students was William Hogarth, who went on to be a far more famous painter than his master, and in 1727 married Sir James' daughter, Jane.

Previous to Sir James Thornhill, it is believed that our ancestors originated in Thornhill, Scotland prior to the 1300's. Thornhill, Scotland is located about 14 miles northwest of Dumfires, Scotland. Maybe one day we'll go there to visit our heritage.