80-623: Waddesdon / ˈ w ɒ d z d ən / is a village in Buckinghamshire , England, 6 miles (10 km) west-north-west of Aylesbury on the A41 road . The village also includes the hamlets of Eythrope and Wormstone . Waddesdon was an agricultural settlement with milling , silk weaving and lace making enterprises. The name 'Waddesdon' means 'hill of a man named Wott'. The parish church of St Michael and All Angels dates from 1190 with medieval and Victorian additions. Waddesdon
160-688: 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
240-731: A (ceremonial) Mayor of Milton Keynes. On 1 April 1997, the Borough became a self-governing unitary authority , independent of the County Council. Following award of Letters Patent in 2022, the Borough became the City of Milton Keynes , and its council became Milton Keynes City Council . The remit of the City Council extends beyond the Milton Keynes urban area , encompassing a significant rural area with villages, hamlets, and
320-545: A bathhouse were unearthed at the site on what is now the Rye parkland. The name Wycombe would appear to come from 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";
400-473: A helicopter, with four fatalities. Waddesdon Village Primary School is a mixed, community , primary school , which has approximately 200 pupils from the age of four through to the age of eleven. The village is also home to Waddesdon Church of England School , a secondary school which holds over 1000 students and staff. It has over 600 students. Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire ( / ˈ b ʌ k ɪ ŋ ə m ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / , abbreviated Bucks )
480-673: 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
560-511: A market hall being built later in 1476. The 1841 census reports the population that year 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
640-407: 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
720-407: A population of 840,138 at the 2021 census. Besides Milton Keynes, which is in the north-east, the largest settlements are in the southern half of the county and include Aylesbury, High Wycombe , and Chesham . For local government purposes Buckinghamshire comprises two unitary authority areas, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes . The historic county had slightly different borders, and included
800-471: A unitary authority, the Borough of Milton Keynes; for ceremonial purposes Milton Keynes remains part of Buckinghamshire. The administration of the remainder of the county continued to be called Buckinghamshire County Council. Buckinghamshire County Council was a large employer in the county and provided a variety of services, including education (schools, adult education and youth services), social services, highways, libraries, County Archives and Record Office,
880-519: Is a ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties . It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the east, Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, and Oxfordshire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Milton Keynes , and the county town is Aylesbury . The county has an area of 1,874 km (724 sq mi) and had
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#1732772214318960-520: Is a principal train operating company in Buckinghamshire, providing the majority of local commuter services from the centre and south of the county, with trains running into London Marylebone . Great Western operates commuter services from Taplow and Iver into London Paddington . West Midlands Trains provides these services from Milton Keynes Central into Euston or Birmingham New Street , and Southern operates commuter services via
1040-489: Is now a Grade II listed building . From 1974 (following the Local Government Act 1972 ) local administration was run on a two-tier system where public services were split between the county council and five district councils ( Aylesbury Vale , Chiltern , Milton Keynes , South Bucks and Wycombe ). In 1997, the northernmost part of Buckinghamshire, until then Milton Keynes District, was separated to form
1120-613: Is served by four motorways, although two are on its borders: Six important A roads also enter the county (from north to south): Also less important primary A roads enter the country: The county is poorly served with internal routes, with the A413 and A418 linking the south and north of the county. As part of the London commuter belt , Buckinghamshire is well connected to the national rail network, with both local commuter and inter-city services serving some destinations. Chiltern Railways
1200-434: Is the home of various notable people in connection with whom tourist attractions have been established: for example the author Roald Dahl who included many local features and characters in his works. Artists William Callow and Harriet Anne Smart Callow produced many paintings of the area in the late 19th century. Sports facilities in Buckinghamshire include half of the international Silverstone Circuit which straddles
1280-551: 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
1360-524: 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
1440-406: The 2021 United Kingdom census , High Wycombe's built up area has a population of 127,856, making it 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
1520-498: 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
1600-735: The County Museum and the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery in Aylesbury, consumer services and some aspects of waste disposal and planning. Buckinghamshire Council is a unitary authority covering most of the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire. It was created in April 2020 from the areas that were previously administered by Buckinghamshire County Council and the district councils of South Bucks, Chiltern, Wycombe, and Aylesbury Vale. A local authority for North Buckinghamshire
1680-644: 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
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#17327722143181760-781: The River Thames up the gentle slopes of the Chiltern Hills to the more abrupt slopes on the northern side leading to the Vale of Aylesbury and the City of Milton Keynes UA, a large and relatively level expanse of land that is the southern catchment of the River Great Ouse . The county includes parts of two of the four longest rivers in England. The Thames forms the southern boundary with Berkshire , which has crept over
1840-660: The River Thames . The Ridgeway Path, a long-distance footpath, passes through the county. The county also has many historic houses. Some of these are opened to the public by the National Trust , such as Waddesdon Manor , West Wycombe Park and Cliveden . Other historic houses are still in use as private homes, such as the Prime Minister 's country retreat Chequers . Claydon House (near Steeple Claydon ), Hughendon Manor (near High Wycombe), Stowe Landscaped Gardens, and Waddesdon Manor (near Aylesbury) are in
1920-626: The Rothschild banking family of England in the 19th century (see Rothschild properties in England ). The county has several annual agricultural shows, with the Bucks County Show established in 1859. Manufacturing industries include furniture-making (traditionally centred at High Wycombe ), pharmaceuticals and agricultural processing. Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath is a principal centre of operations for film and TV production in
2000-625: The West London Line from Milton Keynes Central to East Croydon . Avanti West Coast operates inter-city services from Milton Keynes Central to Euston, North West England , the West Midlands , the Scottish Central Belt , and North Wales . Great Western operates non-stop services through the south of the county from Paddington to South West England and South Wales . There are four main lines running through
2080-535: The 19th century, when a combination of cholera and famine hit the rural county, forcing many to migrate to larger towns to find work. Not only did this alter the local economic situation, it meant a lot of land was going cheap at a time when the rich were more mobile, and leafy Bucks became a popular rural idyll: an image it still has today. Buckinghamshire is a popular home for London commuters, leading to greater local affluence; however, some pockets of relative deprivation remain. The expansion of London and coming of
2160-557: The 2001 census – this parish represents that part of the ancient parish of Chepping Wycombe which 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
2240-692: 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
2320-666: The Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire border, the Adams Park Stadium in the south and Stadium MK in the north, and Dorney Lake (named 'Eton Dorney' for the event) was used as the rowing venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics . The county is covered by three overlapping TV regions Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio , BBC Radio Berkshire (covering Marlow ), Heart Thames Valley (now Heart South ), Heart Four Counties (now Heart East ), Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts (formerly Mix 96) and Wycombe Sound (covering High Wycombe ). Buckinghamshire
2400-541: The Chiltern Forest that once covered almost half the county. Either side of the shield are a buck , for Buckingham, and a swan, the county symbol. The motto of the shield is Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum . This is Latin and means 'no stepping back' (or 'no steps backwards'). Buckinghamshire has a modern service-based economy and is part of the Berkshire , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire NUTS-2 region, which
2480-471: 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
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2560-694: 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
2640-651: 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
2720-539: The Milton Keynes UA, is home to Cowper and Newton Museum which celebrates the work and lives of two famous figures: William Cowper (1731–1800) a celebrated 18th-century poet; and John Newton , a prominent slave trade abolitionist who was curate in the local church. Together, Cowper and Newton wrote the Olney Hymns , including one of the world's most popular hymns, Amazing Grace . Buckinghamshire
2800-590: The UK. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Buckinghamshire at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of Pounds sterling (except GVA index). Buckinghamshire is notable for its open countryside and natural features, including the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , Stowe Landscaped Gardens near Buckingham , and
2880-582: The border at Eton and Slough so that the river is no longer the sole boundary between the two counties. The Great Ouse rises just outside the county in Northamptonshire and flows east through Buckingham, Milton Keynes and Olney . The main branch of the Grand Union Canal passes through the county as do its arms to Slough and Aylesbury , as well as the disused arms to Wendover and Buckingham . The canal has been incorporated into
2960-545: 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
3040-622: 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
3120-659: The care of the National Trust . Mentmore Towers , a 19th-century English country house built by the Rothschilds is located the village of Mentmore . It is the largest of the English Rothschild houses and is known for its Jacobean-styled architecture designed by Joseph Paxton . Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes is the site of World War II British codebreaking and Colossus , the world's first programmable electronic digital computer . Together with
3200-601: The co-located National Museum of Computing , it is a nationally important visitor attraction. Examples of historical architecture in the Chiltern region are preserved at the Chiltern Open Air Museum , an open-air folk museum near Chalfont St Giles . The 45-acre (180,000 m ) site contains reconstructed buildings which might otherwise have been destroyed or demolished as a result of redevelopment or road construction. The market town of Olney , in
3280-402: 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
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3360-509: 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
3440-480: The county and two-thirds of its population, and Milton Keynes City Council , which administers the remainder. Buckinghamshire County Council was founded in 1889 with its base in new municipal buildings in Walton Street, Aylesbury (which are still there). In 1966, the council moved into new premises: a 15-storey tower block in the centre of Aylesbury (pictured) designed by county architect Fred Pooley . It
3520-581: The county's southern boundary. Notable service amenities in the county are Pinewood Film Studios , Dorney rowing lake and part of Silverstone race track on the Northamptonshire border. Many national companies have head offices or major centres in Milton Keynes. Heavy industry and quarrying is limited, with agriculture predominating after service industries. The name Buckinghamshire is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means The district (scire) of Bucca's home . Bucca's home refers to Buckingham in
3600-765: The county. The ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire consists of both unitary authority areas combined. The ceremonial county has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff . Since November 2020, the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire is The Countess Howe and the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire is Dame Ann Geraldine Limb , DBE of Stony Stratford The office of Custos rotulorum has been combined with that of Lord Lieutenant since 1702. The ceremonial county has two top-level administrations – both are unitary authorities – Buckinghamshire Council , which administers about four-fifths of
3680-632: The county: There are the following additional lines: 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 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
3760-543: The greatest impact on Buckinghamshire: the geography of the rural county is largely as it was in the Anglo-Saxon period. Later, Buckinghamshire became an important political arena, with King Henry VIII intervening in local politics in the 16th century, and just a century later the English Civil War was reputedly started by John Hampden in mid-Bucks. Historically, the biggest change to the county came in
3840-555: 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",
3920-531: The landscaping of Milton Keynes. The southern part of the county is dominated by the Chiltern Hills. The two highest points in Buckinghamshire are Haddington Hill in Wendover Woods (a stone marks its summit) at 267 m (876 ft) above sea level and Coombe Hill near Wendover at 260 m (850 ft). Quarrying has taken place for chalk, clay for brickmaking and gravel and sand in
4000-757: The last quarter of the 20th century, a large number of Londoners in Milton Keynes. Between 6 and 7% of the population of Aylesbury are of Asian or Asian British origin. Likewise Chesham has a similar-sized Asian community, and High Wycombe is the most ethnically diverse town in the county, with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean populations. During the Second World War there were many Polish settlements in Bucks, Czechs in Aston Abbotts and Wingrave, and Albanians in Frieth. Remnants of these communities remain in
4080-587: The manors were granted to Maud. Between 1897 and 1936, Waddesdon had train services on the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway (later part of the Metropolitan ) at Waddesdon railway station , two miles from the village. There was also a halt on the Brill Tramway . In 1874, Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild bought a large estate in the area and built the mansion of Waddesdon Manor on a hill-top above
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#17327722143184160-476: The market town of Olney. The traditional flag of Buckinghamshire comprises a chained swan on a bicolour of red and black. The flag was registered with the Flag Institute on 20 May 2011. The coat of arms of the former Buckinghamshire County Council features a white mute swan in chains. This dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, when swans were bred in Buckinghamshire for the king's pleasure. That
4240-415: 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
4320-545: 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
4400-492: 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
4480-423: The name of the river was a late back-formation. Wycombe appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 and 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
4560-456: 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
4640-427: 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
4720-418: The north of the county, and is named after the Anglo-Saxon landowner, Bucca . The county has been so named since about the 12th century; however, the county has existed since it was a subdivision of the kingdom of Mercia (585–919). The history of the area predates the Anglo-Saxon period and the county has a rich history starting from the Brittonic and Roman periods, though the Anglo-Saxons perhaps had
4800-401: 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
4880-531: 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
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#17327722143184960-401: The railways promoted the growth of towns in the south of the county such as Aylesbury , Amersham and High Wycombe , leaving the town Buckingham itself to the north in a relative backwater. As a result, most county institutions are now based in the south of the county or Milton Keynes , rather than in Buckingham. The county can be split into two sections geographically. The south leads from
5040-424: The river valleys. Flint, also extracted from quarries, was often used to build older local buildings. Several former quarries, now flooded, have become nature reserves. The administration of Buckinghamshire is further sub-divided into civil parishes. Today Buckinghamshire is ethnically diverse, particularly in the larger towns. At the end of the 19th century some Welsh drover families settled in north Bucks and, in
5120-402: 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
5200-413: The swan is in chains illustrates that the swan is bound to the monarch , an ancient law that still applies to wild swans in the UK today. The arms were first borne at the Battle of Agincourt by the Duke of Buckingham . Above the swan is a gold band, in the centre of which is Whiteleaf Cross , representing the many ancient landmarks of the county. The shield is surmounted by a beech tree, representing
5280-399: 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
5360-432: 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
5440-446: The towns of Slough and Eton . The Chiltern Hills , an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , occupy the south of the county and contain its highest point, Haddington Hill (267 m (876 ft)). The Chilterns are the source of the River Ouzel , which flows across the lowland Vale of Aylesbury in the north of the county and through Milton Keynes before meeting the River Great Ouse at Newport Pagnell . The Thames forms part of
5520-491: 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
5600-450: 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
5680-441: The village. He transformed Waddesdon into an estate village, with new houses for employees and tenants, a school , a public house , cricket pavilion and village hall. Waddesdon Manor and grounds are now the property of the National Trust , and Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild retains the estate and a house at nearby Eythrope . On 17 November 2017, near Waddesdon, there was a mid-air collision between an aeroplane and
5760-462: 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
5840-434: 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
5920-443: 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
6000-589: Was formed by the Local Government Act 1972, styled as the "Milton Keynes District Council" and subordinate to Buckinghamshire County Council. Its (district) council was first elected in 1973 , a year before formally coming into its powers and prior to the creation of the District of Milton Keynes on 1 April 1974. The council was granted borough status on its foundation, entitling it to be known as "Milton Keynes Borough Council" and to annually appoint
6080-987: 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
6160-497: Was involved in the marriage of Maud Holland in the 1360s. Edward the Black Prince agreed with Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd/10th Earl of Devon that Maud would marry Devon's grandson Hugh Courtenay . Devon promised to award Maud an annuity of 200 marks and the manors of Sutton Courtenay and in Buckinghamshire. The arrangements were approved by Pope Urban V and Edward III . The wedding had taken place by February 1365, when
6240-662: 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
6320-446: 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
6400-493: Was the seventh richest subregion in the European Union in 2002. As well as the highest GDP per capita outside Inner London, Buckinghamshire has the highest quality of life, the highest life expectancy and the best education results in the country. The southern part of the county is a prosperous section of the London commuter belt . The county has fertile agricultural lands, with many landed estates , especially those of
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