Disney Films Pay Tribute to Lincolnshire Village Every Year Since 2006

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's famous film studio, known for creating beloved movies. However, what many people don't know is the connection between the founder and a small village in England. The title sequence at the beginning of every Disney movie since 2006 pays tribute to the village of Norton Disney, which has a population of only 242. To learn more about this connection, I met with Disney historian Sebastien Durand at St Peter's Church in Norton Disney. Durand explains that this church is the oldest place in England where traces of Walt Disney's history, including his family tree and coat of arms, can be found. Walt Disney himself visited the church in 1949 during his trip to the UK. He was intrigued by the existence of a village named after Disney as he only knew his great-grandfather was Irish. During his visit, Disney and his family explored the village and even took rare footage, which is now displayed at the Walt Disney Family Museum. Walt Disney made an important discovery at St Peter's Church when the minister explained the history of the De Isigny family, who migrated from France to England and eventually became the Disneys. This discovery influenced Walt Disney's decision to include a coat of arms in Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland, California. Since then, the Disney crest has been featured on every Disney castle in all Disney parks and appears at the beginning of every Disney movie. The inclusion of three lions on the flag pays homage to Norton Disney. One resident, Hilda Kinnersley, still remembers the day Walt Disney visited the village. Although it cannot be definitively proven, it is highly likely that Walt Disney is related to the Disneys of Norton Disney. A charter from 1386, kept in the Lincolnshire Archives, shows that the Disney family's estate was called Disnayland. This predates the popular Disneyland parks by more than 600 years. To commemorate the company's 100th anniversary, a specially commissioned picture of Mickey and Minnie Mouse walking through Norton Disney was presented to the village by Disney historian Sebastien Durand. This visit in 1949 forever links the record-breaking Oscar winner and the small Lincolnshire village, embodying a true Disney fairy tale.