The ancestral seat of the Dutton family was
Sherborne, Gloucestershire. In 1883 the Dutton estate consisted of: 3rd Baron Sherborne, 15773 acres in Gloucestershire (including the townships of
Bibury, Windrush, Standish and Sherborne) and 150 acres in Hampshire; the Hon. John Thomas Dutton of Hinton Ampner (brother), 5124 acres in Hampshire; the Hon. Ralph Heneage Dutton of Tisbury Manor (brother), 3470 acres in Hampshire and 1280 acres in Somerset [the Wootton Courtenay estate]. The remaining estate of more than passed to the
National Trust after the 7th Baron's death. In particular,
Ralph Stawell Dutton, the 8th Baron, created the gardens at
Hinton Ampner in
Hampshire. Thomas Dutton, acquired the manor of Sherborne in 1551 from Sir Christopher Alleyn. In 1574 and again in 1592 Thomas Dutton entertained
Queen Elizabeth I at Sherborne, each time for six days. In 1657, at the death of John Dutton of Sherborne he was pronounced "... a learned and prudent man; and as one of the richest so one of the meekest men in England." In 1743 Sir John Dutton, (2nd) Baronet of Sherborne, the last in the Dutton male line at Sherborne, died. The Sherborne estate devolved to his sister Anne's son, James Lenox Naper (1712–1776), who changed his surname to Dutton in order to inherit. Thus, the Barons Sherborne are members of
Clan Napier through their notable patrilineal ancestor,
Sir Robert Napier, an eminent lawyer and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland. Sherborne's contribution to the world of thoroughbred horse racing was also important due to the close horse-breeding ties between Sir John Dutton and the
Earl of Godolphin who owned
Godolphin Arabian. A number of exchanges and transactions regarding mares and foals took place between them. After Sir John's death in 1743, the horse breeding connection with Godolphin was continued by Sir John's brother-in-law James Naper, and his son James Lenox Dutton. The first
Baron Sherborne continued the tradition of his father and grandfather. He bred the foundation sire, Baronet, grandson of
Eclipse, later owned by the Prince of Wales (later
George IV) who won every race he entered in 1791. ==Barons Sherborne (1784)==