Thatched Cottages Wendover
Christmas this year has come with a vengeance to the Chiltern Hills and as England has suffered transport paralysis with the heavy snowfall the Hills and the Vale of Aylesbury north of them have been transformed into a snow covered winter wonderland. Indeed some would argue that the Chilterns never look lovelier than when their Beech topped hills are covered in snow and their valleys are framed in a magical winter snowscape.
Regular blogistas who follow the Sage know our enthusiasm for the Vale of Aylesbury and the Chiltern Hills as the Sage’s Castle is about 2 miles from Chequers, the Prime Ministers country home. Buckinghamshire is one of the loveliest of the Home Counties - some say the loveliest - and its Chiltern Hills and beech woods, beautiful River Thames and the rolling acres of Aylesbury Vale make it a place for visitors to enjoy. Country walks run between picturesque villages with a host of welcoming pubs. We are overlooked by the Chiltern Escarpment whose edge marks the southern border of the Midlands of England which continue to Wolverhampton (an unlovely place with unlovely people) and the Quantock Hills.
The Chilterns lie 30 miles north-west of London and yet they are an unspoilt area of rolling chalk hills, magnificent beech woods, quiet valleys and charming brick and flint villages. They provide a wonderful mosaic of woods, fields, hedges, sunken lanes and clear streams and are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). (http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2009/03/rupert-brooke-and-chilterns.html ) AONB is one step down from a National Park designation and provides tight control on development and farming. This was an aspect you can readily appreciate heading down the lovely Missbourne Valley towards Prestwood, a hamlet in the hills about a mile from Great Missenden (http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/01/roald-dahl-museum-and-story-centre.html )
Village Sign on the green
Church of St. Mary the Virgin
Train ariving at Stoke Mandeville
The village of Stoke Mandeville today is largely a commuter town with a railway station for London, three pubs and numerous thatched cottages. Like all the fertile Vale of Aylesbury it is overlooked by the Chiltern Hills and was formerly an important market gardening centre. Indeed the Sage’s Castle is built on old plum and greengage orchards. The first part of the name Stoke Mandeville derives from the old English word stoc, and means “outlying farmstead or hamlet”. The second
part, “Mandeville”, derives from the Norman family of that name which held the manor in the 13th century. The suffix Mandeville was first recorded in 1284 when the manor was listed as being in the hands of the powerful Norman de Mandeville family. Stoke Mandeville Station serves the village of Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. The station lies on the London Marylebone-Aylesbury line and is served by Chiltern Railways trains. It is situated between Wendover and Aylesbury stations. The station first opened on 1 September 1892, and was served by both the London Underground Metropolitan Line and the Great Central Railway.
Thatched cottages in Stoke Mandeville
Traditional houses were of wychert (flint / straw / earth) construction with characteristic "dog ear" thatched roofs which oversailed by at least two feet to keep running water off the walls. There are still many wychert and thatch buildings as well as later wood frame and infill thatched cottages throughout Bucks and in Stoke Mandeville village. The parish church of St. Mary the Virgin and the village common with the village sign both look hugely attractive clothed in their winter garment of repentance.
The Woolpack
The newly refurbished village pub, the Woolpack, reopened for business on the 6th November 2009, less than 6 months after it was a 100% loss in the disastrous fire. This is in itself a minor miracle of project management, particularly as the woolpack was both a thatched and listed building. Inside it looks much as before but there is a distinct improvement externally and internally. The toilet annexe on the left hand side of the front elevation always had a “stuck on look.” This has been now tidied up with the exterior showing a traditional looking dark weatherboarding and improved toilets inside with the side corridor gone.
The crossroads & duckpond at Dunsmore
The road through the woods to Dunsmore
One of the most typical hilltop villages remaining is Dunsmore. This is a hamlet in the parish of Ellesborough, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located on the hilltop of one of the Chiltern Hills, about 2 miles south of Wendover. It is one of the remotest places in the whole of Buckinghamshire, accessible only by two steep, single-track hillside lanes. The place name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means literally Dunna's moor. Today the village is extremely picturesque as it is surrounded by mostly National Trust owned woodland. However due to its location it is occasionally cut off because of bad weather or bad road conditions, and retains its small community atmosphere. Central features of the hamlet are the village pond, the village hall and the Church of the Resurrection, Dunsmore. There were two public houses, the Fox and the Black Horse, but these have closed and been converted into dwellings in recent years.
Wendover
Xmas Tree & War Memorial
Red Lion Pub
Wendover is embraced by woodlands and with its atmospheric high street with thatched cottages and antique shops it is an attractive and busy town which has much of interest and has maintained its sense of community. Just 45 minutes from central London it continues to be a fine place to live and to attract walkers and visitors to ramble over the hills, browse the shops and replenish themselves in the many restaurants and fine old pubs. And as you leave these establishments you may think you hear the wheels of the London stage coach and its weary passengers relieved to have travelled unharmed through the notorious highwayman infested Chiltern Hundreds and looking forward to bed and board in the coaching inns lining the High Street.
Coombe Hill Memorial
A War memorial was erected and unveiled on Coombe Hill, near Wendover in 1904, in memory of the men from Buckinghamshire who had died in the Boer War. Standing on a high hill it can be seen from a great distance, and an excellent panoramic view can be seen from it. But, being built in such a lofty position did cause one problem, when in the late 1930s it was struck by lightning and virtually demolished. However, the Buckinghamshire County Council decided to restore it, and by 1939 it had been repaired. During the Second World War it had to be camouflaged, so that it could not be used as a guide for enemy aircraft.
World's End Santaworld
For many years, Worlds End garden centre has put on an excellent Christmas display. Santa's Grotto is excellent and kids come from far and wide to enjoy the animatronics displays and meet the man himself. The entrance looked good and the interior was decorated to appeal to the kids. As well as the grotto the centre specialises in Xmas Trees and has a large Christmas shop as well as the usual attractions.
Aylesbury
War Memorial in the Market Square - setting for Marillion's "Market Sq. Heroes"
Old County Courthouse
Clock Tower Market Square
As well as our proximity to Wendover and the Chiltern Hills we are close to Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire. This is a lively market town steeped in history located at the foot of the Chiltern Hills and at the heart of the rich agricultural Vale of Aylesbury. The town was a focal point in the English Civil War in the 17th century. As the popularity of the famous Aylesbury Duck grew in the 19th Century, the town's fat stock markets attracted visitors from far and wide. If you would like to see the real Aylesbury Ducks then why not visit Oak Farm Rare Breeds Park. Nowadays, the award winning Roald Dahl children's Gallery, and the world famous Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Guttmann Sports Centre help ensure that Aylesbury is still internationally renowned. The market, a part of Aylesbury life since the 13th century, is complemented by modern shopping areas.
Dancing Bears
Santa's Boots
Friar's Square Aylesbury
The charming conservation area around St. Mary's Church lies in sleepy lanes and cottages above the town. Around every corner is a tale - Henry VIII reputedly wooed Anne Boleyn at the King's Head, Roald Dahl invented his classic children's tales in the Aylesbury area, and his imagination is now celebrated in the town's County Museum. In the cobbled market square, stands the imposing figure of John Hampden - a local hero and key figure in the defeat of the Royalists in the English Civil War. Market days are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Xmas at the Sage's Cottage
Murty the Moose welcoming visitors
Xmas Tree
The candle powered crib
The Xmas table
So this year as a white Xmas looks more likely I am glad not to be travelling at Xmas but am rather looking forward to good fare and drink not to mention good company in our own little corner of this green and pleasant land. More explorations are available under “Chiltern Hundreds and Buckinghamshire” in the Blog Sidebar.
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