91-466: Quarrendon or Quarrendon Leas is a medieval English village near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire , England , which has been depopulated since the 16th century and is now a scheduled monument . Quarrendon's site is now a large area of fields and riverside meadows that provide green space between Meadowcroft and Central on the outskirts of the town of Aylesbury. Visible in these fields and meadows are
182-663: A secondary modern school . Catchment area primary schools in High Wycombe Buckinghamshire College Group is a further education college located near High Wycombe at Flackwell Heath , with campuses also at Aylesbury and Amersham . High Wycombe is home to the main campus of Buckinghamshire New University . It is located in the centre of the town on the former site of the High Wycombe College of Art and Technology. It received its university charter in summer 2007. High Wycombe has been featured in
273-520: A council to govern itself. The right to establish a council was opposed by the prominent local landowner Thomas Pakington , and it seems likely that this element of the charter was not put into effect at that time. In 1650, following the English Civil War , the town did establish a degree of self-government under the auspices of the 1554 charter. However, in 1664, in the aftermath of the Restoration ,
364-400: A drove way. The second village site is to the east of the smaller site and it is thought that the villagers of the original settlement shifted to this site. The village was probably abandoned around 1485. The layout of streets and houses is clearly represented by the visible earthworks and show a village which covers 25 acres (10 ha) with the streets and crofts radiating out from a pond with
455-696: A few large duck farms. Shortages of duck food in the Second World War caused further disruption to the industry, and almost all duck farming in the Aylesbury Vale ended. A 1950 "Aylesbury Duckling Day" campaign to boost the reputation of the Aylesbury duck had little effect; by the end of the 1950s the last significant farms had closed, other than a single flock in Chesham owned by Mr L. T. Waller, and by 1966 there were no duck breeders remaining in Aylesbury. As of 2021
546-647: A local board. The situation was partially simplified in 1880 when the local board was abolished and the borough boundaries were extended to cover the more built-up parts of Chepping Wycombe parish. The parish boundaries were not changed at the same time to match, making the Chepping Wycombe Borough Council responsible for all of the Wycombe parish area and part of the Chepping Wycombe parish area. When parish and district councils were established under
637-637: A meeting place for local dignitaries and a hotbed of political intrigue. The guild was influential in the outcome of the Wars of the Roses . Its premises at the Chantry in Church Street, Aylesbury, are still there, though today the site is used mainly for retail. Aylesbury was declared the new county town of Buckinghamshire in 1529 by King Henry VIII : Aylesbury Manor was among the many properties belonging to Thomas Boleyn ,
728-449: A mill and a sunken main street, which runs westwards from the village up the hill to the manor. The ruins of a small 13th-century church, St Peters Chapel can also be made out Henry VII confiscated the lands around Quarrendon from the Earl of Warwick in 1499 and a Crown lease of Quarrendon was granted to Richard Lee. Sir Robert Lee, Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, was Richard Lee's son, and he had
819-454: A new moated house and garden built on the site, the moat survives and is still partially flooded. Sir Robert's grandson, Sir Henry Lee created an elaborate series of gardens delineated by canals and banks after he inherited Quarrendon in 1549. Sir Henry replaced parts of the deserted medieval village with an elaborate rabbit warren as well as a grand water garden with elevated embanked walkways. After Sir Henry died in 1611 Quarrendon declined and
910-407: A population of 133,204. This is an increase of 13% since the 2001 population of 118,229. Notes: According to the 2011 census , the parliamentary constituency of Wycombe consists of approximately 108,000 people. White British people comprised 67.2% of the constituency's population. The next largest group in the constituency were Pakistanis , who comprised 11.8% of the population. 52.3% of
1001-413: A single medieval settlement which shifted, during the medieval period, from a less suitable location. The smaller of the two sites is west of the ruined building of Church Farm and consists of some platforms used to build houses on and a trackway which runs from east to west across the pasture. On the western edge of the pasture is a considerable flat area crossed by a wide street, this may represent pens and
SECTION 10
#17328802539331092-580: A small sporting event for World War II veterans known as the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games (WWAG) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Rehabilitation Facility in Aylesbury. This eventually led to the growth of the phenomenon of the modern Paralympic Games that has been held immediately after every Summer Olympic Games since 1988, and the WWAG was held most years at Stoke Mandeville until 1997, when it has been held in other countries and cities ever since. During
1183-511: Is a large educational establishment, which has its own premises adjoining Aylesbury High School and rivals the Royal College of Music , having produced members of national orchestras. High Wycombe High Wycombe , often referred to as Wycombe ( / ˈ w ɪ k əm / WIK -əm ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire , England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye surrounded by
1274-527: Is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Waterside Theatre . It is located in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wycombe and Milton Keynes . Aylesbury was awarded Garden Town status in 2017. The housing target for the town is set to grow with 16,000 homes set to be built by 2033. The town name is of Old English origin. It is first recorded in the form Æglesburg in
1365-631: Is provided by BBC South and ITV Meridian . Television signals are received from the Oxford transmitting station . Aylesbury Waterside Theatre , a new £42 million theatre, with 1,200-seat auditorium, opened in October 2010. In addition to this, the surrounding area has been redeveloped a £100 million project known as the 'Waterside project'. When this is completed, there will be 260,000 sq ft (24,000 m ) of new retail floor space and 1,100 new jobs created, although when this will be completed now
1456-542: Is the town local newspaper. The town's nearest motorway is the M40 , which has two junctions serving Wycombe: junction 3 for Loudwater and High Wycombe (east) and junction 4 at Handy Cross roundabout for central Wycombe, Marlow and Maidenhead . Junction 4 is a major interchange between the M40 and A404 trunk road which provides a link to the M4. It had suffered from heavy congestion but
1547-518: Is thought to be because one of the raided houses contained dangerous liquid chemicals. A three miles (five kilometres) no-flight zone over the town was ordered. Other raids and arrests were also made in East London and Birmingham . King's Wood to the north of the town was cordoned off for four months to be searched by police, and many suspicious items were allegedly found including explosives , detonators, weapons and hate tapes. Other woodlands in
1638-610: Is unclear. A Waitrose supermarket opened opposite the theatre in August 2013, along with a Travelodge Hotel. Branches of Wagamama and Nando's restaurants opened on 'The Exchange' in February 2014, next to the Odeon cinema on Exchange Street. This included luxury and high-end studio apartments, new restaurants including Zizzi, The Grill Steakhouse and Rococo Lounge, as well as a new public square including metal statues that represent Aylesbury as
1729-570: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , a text which took its present form in the later ninth century. The word Ægles is a personal name in the genitive case , meaning "Ægel's" and burg means "fortification". Thus the name once meant "Fort of Ægel" — though who Ægel was is not recorded. Nineteenth-century speculation that that the name contained the Welsh word eglwys meaning "a church" (from Latin ecclesia ) has been discredited. Excavations in
1820-514: The 2012 Paralympics , the official mascot was called 'Mandeville' after Stoke Mandeville Hospital. The Rothschild Family acquired many large country estates and stately homes around and near the town, including Waddesdon Manor in nearby Waddesdon Village, Halton House near Wendover and Tring Park in Tring across the border in Hertfordshire , although today most of these properties belong to
1911-494: The Booker area of the town and the M40 at High Wycombe as well as nearby woods were also under observation. Explosives officers were called to the motorway, as were forensic officers. A lane of the motorway was closed as a precaution. On 21 December 2009, heavy snowfall hit the town, paralysing its road network (which is mainly on steep hills), and causing major disruption to refuse services for several weeks. Staff and customers of
SECTION 20
#17328802539332002-509: The Chiltern Hills , it is 29 miles (47 km) west-northwest of Charing Cross in London , 13 miles (21 km) south-southeast of Aylesbury , 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Oxford , 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Reading and 8 miles (13 km) north of Maidenhead . According to the 2021 United Kingdom census , High Wycombe's built up area has a population of 127,856, making it
2093-677: The Local Government Act 1894 , it was stipulated that parishes could not straddle district boundaries. The Chepping Wycombe parish was therefore split again in December 1894, with the part within the borough becoming "Chepping Wycombe Urban" and the part outside it becoming "Chepping Wycombe Rural". Chepping Wycombe Rural was placed in the Wycombe Rural District , whilst the Chepping Wycombe Municipal Borough covered
2184-527: The National Trust . They have brought in increased tourism to the town and the surrounding areas. In the 18th century selective breeding of white common ducks led to a white domestic duck, generally known as the English White. Since at least the 1690s ducks had been farmed in Aylesbury, and made Aylesbury known throughout England and beyond. They were bred and brought up by poor people, and sent to London by
2275-475: The Peerage of Scotland was created 1st Earl of Ailesbury . The grade II* listed Jacobean mansion of Hartwell adjoining the southwest of the town was the residence of Louis XVIII during his exile (1810–1814). Bourbon Street in Aylesbury is named after the king. Louis's wife, Marie Josephine of Savoy died at Hartwell in 1810 and is the only French queen to have died on English soil. After her death, her body
2366-401: The conservation area around St. Mary's Church and Queens Park , particularly facing onto the canal. Aylesbury has also been extended to completely surround the hamlets and former farms at: Anticipated developments are expected to raise the urban population of Aylesbury from its current approximation of 75,000 to over 100,000 between 2018 and 2023. Aylesbury is immediately southeast of
2457-415: The constituents of Aylesbury town itself. Surrounding villages and some recent developments on the outskirts of Aylesbury like Fairford Leys & Watermead have their own parish council . In 2010 the district council decided that the new developments of Berryfields and Weedon Hill , both to the north of Aylesbury, should also join to form a new parish as of May 2011. The town council also elects
2548-449: The incubator , and inbreeding had dangerously weakened the breed. Meanwhile, the cost of duck food had risen fourfold over the 19th century, and from 1873 onwards competition from Pekin and Pekin cross ducks was undercutting Aylesbury ducks at the marketplace. The First World War devastated the remaining duckers of Buckinghamshire. By the end of the war small-scale duck rearing in the Aylesbury Vale had vanished, with duck raising dominated by
2639-501: The 1950s/1960s as 16th–18th century houses (many in good repair) were demolished to make way for new, particularly retail, development. Aylesbury's population in the ten-year period since 2001 has grown by two thousand primarily related to the development of new housing estates which will eventually cater for eight thousand people on the north side, between the A41 ( Akeman Street ) and the A413 and
2730-667: The 26th dirtiest in the whole UK . The survey found litter on 28.5% of streets and highways. Data for the survey were taken from the Government's 2005/06 Audit Commission . The town has undergone major redevelopment, including development of the town's existing shopping centre, completion of the Eden Shopping centre , and redevelopment of the Buckinghamshire New University with a large student village and new building on Queen Alexandra Road. These developments prompted
2821-739: The British painter and etcher , lived at Aylesbury and produced a number of works relating to the town including the church, canal, Walton, Aylesbury Gaol , the King's Head Inn and views of the town during the 1940s and 1950s, examples of which can be seen in the Buckinghamshire County Museum in Aylesbury. The town is the birthplace of the Paralympic Games. During the 1948 Olympics in London, German-British neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann , set up
Quarrendon - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-466: The Chilterns' in the 1980s) along with many new multi-storey car parks , office blocks, flyovers and roundabouts . High Wycombe comprises a number of suburbs including Booker , Bowerdean, Castlefield, Cressex, Daws Hill, Green Street, Holmers Farm, Micklefield, Sands, Terriers, Totteridge, Downley and Wycombe Marsh , as well as some nearby villages: Hazlemere and Tylers Green . Particular areas in
3003-605: The County Museum buildings in Church Street and has grade II* architecture; other grammar schools now include Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School and Aylesbury High School . Other notable buildings are the King's Head Inn , (which, with the Fleece Inn at Bretforton , is one of the few public houses in the country owned by the National Trust and still run as a public house) and the Queens Park Centre . James Henry Govier ,
3094-675: The John Lewis department store were stranded overnight, leading to national news reports and interviews from GMTV and other radio stations on the morning of 22 December. Television signals are received from the Crystal Palace and local relay transmitters, placing High Wycombe in the BBC London and ITV London areas. Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio on 98.0 FM and community radio stations such as Awaaz Radio on 107.4 FM and Wycombe Sound on 106.6 FM. The Bucks Free Press
3185-585: The Labour Party was voted in during the May 2024 general election. High Wycombe has been home to two Prime Ministers : High Wycombe was also in the constituency represented by John Hampden (1594-1643), a leading MP and Parliamentarian commander who was killed in action during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . The town is represented by Labour MP Emma Reynolds. The town until the 4th July 2024 General Election
3276-510: The Parliamentarians. Its proximity to Great Hampden , home of John Hampden has made of Hampden a local hero: his silhouette was used on the emblem of Aylesbury Vale District Council and his statue stands prominently in the town centre. Aylesbury-born composer, Rutland Boughton (1878–1960), possibly inspired by the statue of John Hampden, created a symphony based on Oliver Cromwell . On 18 March 1664, Robert Bruce, 2nd Earl of Elgin in
3367-771: The Roberts Bridge after a local councillor) opened in March 2009 connecting Southcourt to Aylesbury town centre. The focus of the footbridge is a central concrete pillar with four suspension cables supporting the structure. This bridge forms a central part of the Aylesbury Hub project. Bourg Walk was nominated and won the Engineering Excellence Award 2009 awarded by the Institution of Civil Engineers – South East England branch. There are two tiers of local government covering
3458-542: The Waller family's farm in Chesham remains in business, the last surviving flock of pure Aylesbury meat ducks in the country. Although, there are still many hobbyists who keep the breed. The Aylesbury duck remains a symbol of the town of Aylesbury. Aylesbury United F.C. are nicknamed "The Ducks" and include an Aylesbury duck on their club badge, and the town's coat of arms includes an Aylesbury duck and plaited straw, representing
3549-489: The area today. At this time the village consisted of farmsteads which were clustered around irregularly shaped greens, linked to each other, to their fields and to Aylesbury by sunken roadways. This village had developed over a long period, centuries, during which time the layout and social structure may have changed. The earthworks which form the visible remains are important but below these there are probably more remnants and artefacts which could be excavated by archaeologists in
3640-532: The borough council met at the Guildhall . The council built Town Hall on Queen Victoria Road in 1904 as a public assembly hall and entertainment venue, with the intention of later extending it to also serve as council offices and meeting place, but the extension was never built. Instead, the council built the Municipal Offices on Queen Victoria Road in 1932, which then acted as its meeting place and offices until
3731-566: The building of larger blocks of flats, a multimillion-pound hotel in the centre, and a Sainsbury's store on the Oxford road next to the Eden shopping centre and bus station . High Wycombe's population figure differs with the varying definitions of the town's area. That of the town not including its suburbs was 77,178. However, Hazlemere is now regarded as part of Wycombe, which makes the population of High Wycombe town 92,300. The High Wycombe urban area (the town with some surrounding settlements) had
Quarrendon - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-402: The council's abolition in 1974. From 1974 to 2020, High Wycombe formed part of Wycombe District , with its council being based at the former borough council's Municipal Offices (renamed District Council Offices) on Queen Victoria Road. Following further local government reorganisation in 2020 Wycombe District was abolished to become part of Buckinghamshire Council . A ceremony carried out in
3913-498: The country under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , the town became a municipal borough on 1 January 1836, under the name of Chepping Wycombe. The borough only covered the built-up area of the town, rather than the whole parish. The borough council was therefore responsible for the secular elements of local government within its area, whereas the Chepping Wycombe parish vestry was responsible for secular matters in
4004-483: The county. Aylesbury is home to one college of general further education ( Aylesbury College on Oxford Road), three grammar schools , two community upper schools , an academy , a university technical college and a host of primary schools . The secondary schools are: There are also the following special schools : The Aylesbury Vale Secondary Support Centre is a Pupil referral unit (PRU), which caters for permanently excluded pupils. Aylesbury Music Centre
4095-530: The culprits responsible for the Great Train Robbery (1963) were tried at Aylesbury Rural District Council Offices in Walton Street and sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court . The robbery took place at Bridego Bridge, a railway bridge at Ledburn , about six miles (9.7 km) from the town. A notable institution is Aylesbury Grammar School which was founded in 1598. The original building is now part of
4186-533: The early medieval period, Aylesbury became a major market town , the burial place of Saint Osgyth , whose shrine attracted pilgrims . Aylesbury was a royal manor with eight attached hundreds in 1086, and some historians have supposed that it was already a royal manor before the Norman conquest . Some lands here were granted by William the Conqueror to citizens upon the tenure that the owners should provide straw for
4277-423: The expansion of Fairford Leys estate. According to the 2011 Census, the religious groupings in Aylesbury were: Christianity (55.7%), no religion (26.9%), Islam (8.3%), Hinduism (1.4%), other (0.4%). 6.7% of respondents did not state their religion. Housing estates in or neighbourhoods of the modern Aylesbury include: Distinct whole areas that have a notably high property price in the town are Bedgrove ,
4368-563: The father of Anne Boleyn , and it is rumoured that the change was made by the King to curry favour with the family. The plague decimated the population in 1603/4. The town played a large part in the English Civil War when it became a stronghold for the Parliamentarian forces, like many market towns a nursing-ground of Puritan sentiment and in 1642 the Battle of Aylesbury was fought and won by
4459-454: The future. There are also areas that were significant to the village which are outside the boundaries of the scheduled monument, these areas should also be under appropriate management. An example is that of a field containing ridge-and-furrow, which is an indicator of a medieval open field system of farming situated between the scheduled monument and Quarrendon House Farm. There are two deserted village sites which are considered to both belong
4550-685: The home of the Paralympics, as well as poetry covering the ground. Prior to this a Wagamama restaurant and a Nando's restaurant have also opened on the site of the new square at the Exchange, known officially as 'Festival Square'. Also, a new campus of the [Bucks New University] opened on the Waterside site next to the Waterside Theatre. The Bourg Walk Bridge (also called the Southcourt Bridge or
4641-539: The houses were condemned as unfit for human habitation. However, some areas such as St. Mary's Street contained beautiful old buildings with fine examples of 18th and 19th century architecture. From 1940 to 1968 High Wycombe was the seat of the RAF Bomber Command . Moreover, during the Second World War , from May 1942 to July 1945, the U.S. Army Air Force 's 8th Air Force Bomber Command, codenamed "Pinetree",
SECTION 50
#17328802539334732-408: The largest town in the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire. The High Wycombe Urban Area , the conurbation of which the town is the largest component, has a population of 140,684. Part of the urban area constitutes the civil parish of Chepping Wycombe , which had a population of 14,455 according to the 2001 census – this parish represents that part of the ancient parish of Chepping Wycombe which
4823-414: The mansion was replaced by a farm. The Royalist forces in the Battle of Aylesbury on 1 November 1642 used an earthwork in the area of Quarrendon. Aylesbury 51°49′00″N 0°48′45″W / 51.8168°N 0.8124°W / 51.8168; -0.8124 Aylesbury ( / ˈ eɪ l z b ər i / AYLZ -bər-ee ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire , South East England . It
4914-415: The mayor has not gained weight or "And some more!" if they have. Their actual weight is not declared. Buckinghamshire is one of the few counties that still has a selective educational system based on the former tripartite system . Pupils in their last year at primary school take what is commonly known as the 11+ exam . Their score in this exam determines whether they are accepted into a grammar school or
5005-533: The middle of a busy dance floor at a town centre venue. The town appeared in national and international media after anti-terrorism raids were carried out across the town on 10 August 2006 as part of the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot . Five arrests were made at three different houses in the town's Totteridge and Micklefield areas. A small number of houses in High Wycombe were evacuated in Walton Drive, which
5096-519: The monarch's bed, sweet herbs for his chamber and two green geese and three eels for his table, whenever he should visit Aylesbury. The town includes an Early English parish church, St. Mary the Virgin's (which has many later additions). In 1450, a religious institution called the Guild of St Mary was founded in Aylesbury by John Kemp , Archbishop of York . Known popularly as the Guild of Our Lady it became
5187-466: The more prominent buildings in Aylesbury is the "Blue Leanie" office block, home to Lloyds Bank . When first built it was thought to be a potential hazard to passing motorists, due to the sun reflecting off its large mirrored surface. As a result, a line of mature trees was planted alongside the main road to prevent dazzling. BBC local radio station that broadcast to the town is BBC Three Counties Radio on 94.7 FM. Local news and television programmes
5278-485: The name " Chepping Wycombe " which covered the rural parts of the old parish outside the borough. By that time, the urban area was starting to expand beyond the old borough boundaries into the newly separated parish of Chepping Wycombe, particularly in the Wycombe Marsh area. To deal with growing urbanisation in its area, the parish of Chepping Wycombe was declared to be a local government district in 1868, governed by
5369-590: The name "The Duck" in recent years; one in Bedgrove that has since been demolished and one in Jackson Road that has recently been renamed. The town's population has grown from 28,000 in the 1960s to almost 72,000 in 2011 due in the main to new housing developments, including many London overspill housing estates, built to ease pressure on the capital. Indeed, Aylesbury, to a greater extent than many English market towns, saw substantial areas of its own heart demolished in
5460-456: The national media in recent years for a number of different reasons, including seasonal coverage of the local library's refusal to display a Christmas carol service poster and other stories such as the triple shooting of three young Asian men, a small-scale riot between feuding families and gangs in which knives, metal poles, and an axe were used whilst a gunman sprayed bullets; and the shooting and murder of Natasha Derby at point-blank range in
5551-482: The neighbouring parish of West Wycombe , the parish was historically known variously as East Wycombe, Great Wycombe, High Wycombe, Much Wiccomb, Chipping, Chipping Wycombe, or Chepping Wycombe. The latter version eventually became the official name of parish, despite the town itself being more usually known as High Wycombe. The town does not appear to have been a borough at the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, but
SECTION 60
#17328802539335642-538: The northern half of Buckinghamshire, succeeded continuously by younger rocks to the south of the Chilterns. The town centre is home to many pubs and bars. The Queens Park Centre , which is the UK's largest independent arts centre is also based in the town centre. The local newspaper is the Bucks Herald , which started publishing in January 1832. Local radio stations was named Mix 96 , which first broadcast in April 1994, and eventually ceased operations in September 2020, being replaced by Greatest Hits Radio . One of
5733-401: The part of the parish outside the borough, whilst being responsible for ecclesiastical matters across the whole parish, including the borough. In 1866, under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1866 , the old parish of Chepping Wycombe was split into two civil parishes: one called "Wycombe" or "Wycombe Borough" which covered the area of Chepping Wycombe municipal borough, and another parish which retained
5824-531: The population were Christians , 24% were no religion and 13.4% were Muslim . Wycombe is home to the largest population of Vincentians in the United Kingdom. 65.7% of the constituency owned their own home either outright or with a mortgage. 14.6% were social renters and 17% were private renters. 15.8% of households in the constituency did not own an automobile. Wycombe's political history extends back to 1295. The Wycombe Constituency had continuously elected Conservative Members of Parliament since 1951 until
5915-421: The remains of a medieval village, a church, a manor house and its moat and a Tudor water garden. These historic features are now nationally-protected as a scheduled monument. The area also has wildlife value with a mixture of habitats and the River Thame forming the southern boundary of the site. The layout of the village of Quarrendon in the late middle ages is preserved among the earthworks which can be seen in
6006-405: The river Wye and the old English word for a wooded valley, " combe ", but according to the Oxford English Dictionary of Place-Names the name, which was first recorded in 799–802 as "Wichama", is more likely to be Old English "wic" and the plural of Old English "ham", and probably means "dwellings"; the name of the river was a late back-formation. Wycombe appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 and
6097-402: The suburbs of Castlefield, Micklefield, Terriers and Totteridge have high levels of deprivation compared to the rest of the urban area. Although situated in the county of Buckinghamshire , which is one of the most affluent parts of the country, Wycombe contains some considerably deprived areas. In 2007, a GMB Union survey ranked the Wycombe district as the 4th dirtiest in the South East and
6188-413: The town centre in 1985 found an Iron Age hill fort dating from the early 4th century BCE. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle portrays Aylesbury as being captured from the Britons by one Cuthwulf following the Battle of Bedcanford ; the historicity of this event is doubtful, but the portrayal at least indicates that in the early Middle Ages the settlement was thought to be of some strategic importance. During
6279-399: The town in 1877, the council organised an arch of chairs to be erected over the High Street, with the words "Long live the Queen" printed boldly across the arch for the Queen to pass under. Wycombe Museum includes many examples of locally made chairs and information on the local furniture and lace industries. The town's population grew from 13,000 residents in 1881 to 29,000 in 1928. Wycombe
6370-457: The town mayor from the serving town councillors every year. The process culminates in a formal "Mayor Making" ceremony where the new mayor takes over from the preceding mayor. The role of mayor is mainly a ceremonial role representing the town at various events and acting as an ambassador for the town. Aylesbury was made a borough by a charter from Mary I in 1554, which gave the town the right to elect two members of parliament and to establish
6461-432: The town since 1678 involves the weighing of the mayor . At the beginning and end of each year of service, the mayor is weighed in full view of the public to see whether or not he or she has gained weight, presumably at the taxpayers' expense. The custom, which has survived to the present day, employs the same weighing apparatus used since the 19th century. When the result is known, the town crier announces "And no more!" if
6552-492: The town's short-lived council was abolished and the rights it had held reverted to the Pakington family which had exercised them prior to the civil war. Thereafter the town was governed by its vestry in the same way as most rural areas, although it remained a parliamentary constituency . In 1849 a local board of health was established to govern the town. This board was replaced by Aylesbury Urban District Council in 1894, which
6643-438: The town, at parish and unitary authority level: Aylesbury Town Council, based at Aylesbury Town Hall at 5 Church Street, and Buckinghamshire Council , which is also based in Aylesbury, having its headquarters at The Gateway on Gatehouse Road. Aylesbury Town Council is the parish council for the town. As at May 2021 it comprises 25 councillors , 20 of whom are Liberal Democrats and 5 Conservative . The council represents only
6734-455: The town, however nearest villages range from 85m-90m to the north or from 85m to 115m on a narrow ridge to the southwest at Stone and towards the Chilterns to the southeast (Weston Turville, Stoke Mandeville and North Lee). The town centre's higher terrain is accurately described by Samuel Lewis in 1848 as a "gentle eminence". The county's oldest rocks of Jurassic age cover the whole of
6825-457: The two historic industries of the town. The Aylesbury Brewery Company, now defunct, featured the Aylesbury duck as its logo, an example of which can still be seen at the Britannia pub . Duck Farm Court is a shopping area of modern Aylesbury located near the historic hamlet of California , close to one of the main breeding grounds for ducks in the town, and there have been two pubs in the town with
6916-491: The two parishes of Wycombe and Chepping Wycombe Urban. The two parishes within the borough merged on 30 September 1896 to form a single parish called High Wycombe, although the official name of the borough council which governed that parish remained "Chepping Wycombe Borough Council" until 1 August 1946, when it changed its name to "High Wycombe Borough Council". The surrounding Chepping Wycombe Rural parish changed its name to Chepping Wycombe parish in 1949. From 1757 until 1932
7007-450: The unitary authority of Buckinghamshire Council . The former High Wycombe Borough Council was abolished in 1974. Instead of a town council, the councillors elected to Buckinghamshire Council to represent the unparished part of High Wycombe also act as charter trustees , meeting to choose the town's mayor . The ancient parish of Chepping Wycombe covered both the town of High Wycombe and a large rural area around it. To distinguish it from
7098-524: The upper River Thame that flows past Thame to Dorchester on Thames and is partly sited on the two northernmost outcrops of Portland stone in England bisected by a small stream, Bear Brook which gives a relatively prominent position in relation to the terrain of all near, lower, fields and suburbs, which have largely slowly permeable Oxford Clay and Kimmeridge Clay soils . Elevations range from 72.5m above mean sea level to 95m AOD in contiguous parts of
7189-543: The weekly carriers. They went on to be known as the Aylesbury duck . The duck business in Aylesbury went into decline in the 19th century. By the time Beatrix Potter 's 1908 The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck —about an Aylesbury duck although set in Cumbria —caused renewed interest in the breed, the Aylesbury duck was in steep decline. The duckers of Buckinghamshire had generally failed to introduce technological improvements such as
7280-418: Was 3,184. High Wycombe remained a mill town through Medieval and Tudor times, manufacturing lace and linen cloth. It was also a stopping point on the way from Oxford to London, with many travellers staying in the town's taverns and inns. The paper industry was notable in 17th and 18th century High Wycombe. The Wye's waters were rich in chalk , and therefore ideal for bleaching pulp. The paper industry
7371-457: Was based at a former girls' school at High Wycombe. This formally became Headquarters, 8th Air Force, on 22 February 1944. In the 1960s the town centre was redeveloped and many old buildings were demolished. The River Wye was culverted under concrete between 1965 and 1967 from and demolishing most of the old buildings in Wycombe's town centre. Two shopping centres were built (the Octagon in 1970 and
7462-434: Was being described as a borough by the 1180s. In the 1220s and 1230s there were disputes with the lord of the manor , Alan Basset, as to the extent of the town's independence. These disputes were settled in favour of the town, with its borough rights being confirmed in 1237. Charters confirming the town's borough status were subsequently issued on a number of occasions. As part of the general overhaul of ancient boroughs across
7553-666: Was carried first to Westminster Abbey, and one year later to Sardinia , where the Savoy King of Sardinia had withdrawn during Napoleonic occupation of Turin and Piedmont; she is buried in the Cathedral of Cagliari . Aylesbury's heraldic crest displays the Aylesbury duck , which has been bred here since the birth of the Industrial Revolution , although only one breeder of true Aylesbury ducks, Richard Waller, remains today. The town also received international publicity in 1963 when
7644-443: Was completely dominated socially and economically by the furniture industry. By the 1920s, many of the housing areas of Wycombe had decayed into slums. A slum clearance scheme was initiated by the council in 1932, whereby many areas were completely demolished and the residents rehoused in new estates that sprawled above the town on the valley slopes. Some of the districts demolished were truly decrepit, such as Newland, where most of
7735-969: Was improved by the Highways Agency in 2006. Junction 3 is restricted; only traffic going towards and coming from London can join and exit respectively. The M25 and M4 are also fairly close. Other roads include the A404 towards Marlow and Amersham ; the A4010 towards Aylesbury ; and the A40 towards Beaconsfield and Oxford . High Wycombe Eden bus station is served by Redline Buses and Carousel Buses . Major destinations include Reading , Slough , Aylesbury , Heathrow Airport , Maidenhead , Amersham , Chesham , Uxbridge , Beaconsfield Gerrards Cross and Hemel Hempstead . In November 2013, First Berkshire & The Thames Valley added express route X9 to Maidenhead to its existing X74 express to Slough. Other operators serving
7826-413: Was noted for having six mills. The existence of a settlement at High Wycombe was first documented as 'Wicumun' in 970. The parish church was consecrated by Wulfstan, the visiting Bishop of Worcester , in 1086. The town was described as a borough from at least the 1180s, and built its first moot hall in 1226, with a market hall being built later in 1476. The 1841 census reports the population that year
7917-603: Was outside the former municipal borough of Wycombe. There has been a market held in the High Street since at least the Middle Ages . The market is currently held on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. The town once featured a Roman villa (built 150–170 AD) which has been excavated four times, most recently in 2002. Mosaics and a bathhouse were unearthed at the site on what is now the Rye parkland. The name Wycombe would appear to come from
8008-565: Was re-established in 2001, with its parish council taking the name Aylesbury Town Council. From 2001 to 2020 there were therefore three tiers of local government covering the town, at parish, district, and county level. Aylesbury Vale District Council was abolished in 2020, merging with Buckinghamshire County Council and other district councils to become a unitary authority called Buckinghamshire Council . Since 1 April 2020, when Buckinghamshire Council came into being, it has been responsible for almost all statutory local government functions across
8099-644: Was represented by Conservative MP Steve Baker . He was chairman of the eurosceptic European Research Group and was a junior minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union from 2017 to 2018. In July 2018, Baker resigned alongside Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in opposition to the Chequers plan proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May . Since 2020, there has only been one tier of local government covering High Wycombe, being
8190-446: Was soon overtaken by the cloth industry. Wycombe's most famous industry, furniture (particularly Windsor chairs ) took hold in the 19th century, with furniture factories setting up all over the town. Many terraced workers' houses were built to the east and west of town to accommodate those working in the furniture factories. In 1875, it was estimated that there were 4,700 chairs made per day in High Wycombe. When Queen Victoria visited
8281-455: Was subsequently given municipal borough status on 1 January 1917, becoming Aylesbury Borough Council. The borough council was awarded a coat of arms in 1964. In 1974 Aylesbury Borough Council merged with several neighbouring districts to become Aylesbury Vale . No successor parish was initially created for Aylesbury, and it became an unparished area , directly administered by Aylesbury Vale District Council . The civil parish of Aylesbury
#932067