London
Green Belt Way 
London
Green Belt Way
[Home]
Stage 4
- Bourne End
to West
Wycombe (10.7 miles)
Start: Grid Reference SU 89467 87256
Post Code
SL8 5QH
StreetMap
(Details are for Bourne End Railway Station)
To get
to the start of the stage from Bourne End Station. On leaving the station turn
right, then right again past an auction room and through the station car park.
Go through a gate onto a footpath next to the railway. Then down some steps to
the river. Turn right
under Bourne End
Railway Bridge
and continue straight on along an enclosed path (signed Thames Path).
ROUTE
DESCRIPTION
The first 2
miles are flat, following the Thames Path and then through Spade Oak Nature
Reserve to Little Marlow. The rest of the stage is tough and very hilly with
many steep climbs and mostly off-road through the
Chiltern Hills.
The route goes up around the back of High Wycombe to finish just past the
National Trust owned village of West Wycombe at Pedestal Roundabout at junction
of A40 and A4010.
The
route passes some pleasant dwellings, then comes out onto an open area next to
the river with a level crossing away to the right. Continue straight on along
the Thames Path, soon crossing a footbridge over the entrance to a
small marina.
And follow
signs
for Thames Path.
At
times the path becomes enclosed between houses and their small riverside
gardens. This eventually leads to an opening next to the river (at 0.62 miles).
Bourne End Marina
was redeveloped during 2003/4. It contains a first-floor restaurant (closed
December 2023) with a balcony and views over the river.
The riverside
at
Bourne End
is a mixture of old and modern buildings, many squeezed in between the railway
and the
We soon pass
Upper Thames Sailing Club. It was founded in 1884. To mark the occasion of Queen
Victoria's
Golden Jubilee, in 1887, the club founded a sailing regatta and since then
continues hold the Bourne End Sailing Week in June each year. According to the
club's
website:
"In 1893 HRH the Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria, accepted the Presidency of Upper Thames Sailing Club and in the same year the Queen presented to the club a challenge cup for the First-Class Boats. Whilst such "Queen's Cups" are not unusual among the coastal-based "Royal" sailing and yacht clubs, Upper Thames is believed to be unique in that it is the only inland club to be so honoured."
On reaching the
open area next to the river, it does feel like a breath of fresh air. There are
usually a few boats moored at the riverbank. In summer this is a popular spot
with picnickers, walkers and people paddling in the river. At the upstream end
of this open area the Thames Path continues through a kissing gate and around a
large riverside meadow (we don't).
There are benches in the meadow, along the path to sit and enjoy the views
across the river to Cock Marsh and Winter Hill. However, a sign next to the
kissing gate blatantly states
"Beware
of the Bull"
and next to this another sign shows the
"flood
mark"
from 1947. A week before I wrote these lines, I visited this area. It was late
July 2007 and the river was in
flood.
It was a beautiful sunny day, the huge meadow was completely under water with
only the tops of the benches in view, the bull and cows were nowhere to be seen,
plus the 1947 flood mark was still about 4 feet above that day's
water level.
The enclosed
path between the houses does go through gates at times and soon resembles an
unmaintained lane,
with houses to our right and their gardens to our left and adjacent to the
river. You'll
also notice most of the houses are elevated with many on stilts. This is help
protect them from flooding.
Up to then the
route had always continued along the towpath through the meadow, past the bull
and just into the next field. There it turned right on a footpath next to the
hedgerow, away from the river and over a level crossing to a lane past a sewage
works and into Little Marlow. As for the bull, he always appeared very sedate,
possibly due to the number of cows he has to occupy him.
Due to many
complaints over the years about the bull, the floods (see a
later photo
of kissing gate and meadow, from February 2014), plus the smell of the sewage
works, since 2008 the course follows a new route to Little Marlow. It was
suggested to me by Phillip Emmet, owner of Wilton Farm and Emmett's
Farm Shop at Little Marlow. Like most others met on this journey around
A ferry ran
from here for hundreds of years and an old
Ferry Cottage
still sits across the river. Though this was probably not the original cottage.
According to
Discover Britain
website:
"There was a wharf here as long ago as the Middle Ages when it was run by the Benedictine Nuns from the Priory at Little Marlow. This is also one of those places where the towpath switched banks but it was not until 1824 that the Thames Commissioners provided a horse ferry. Mr Rose of Spade Oak Wharf had the exclusive right to tow barges from here to Marlow. He even made a charge to barge owners who used their own horses. The ferry was located about 50 metres upstream and crossed to the white cottage on the opposite bank. Across the river is a large flat meadow called Cock Marsh. This is on the inside of the river as it sweeps round a large bend. The marsh has been used for grazing animals since medieval times but a number of burial mounds from the Bronze Age are evidence of even earlier use. Cock Marsh now belongs to the National Trust and is a popular place for people to walk and enjoy the riverside. The ferry was still in operation when Enid Blyton was writing in the 1930s and it features in some of her books. It was particularly popular at weekends and Bank Holidays when thousands of people would use it to reach Cock Marsh. The ferry became uneconomic and was discontinued in 1956. It was then almost 40 years before the towpaths were linked together again to create the Thames Path National Trail. This was achieved by attaching a footbridge to the side of the railway bridge in Bourne End and extending the path on this side of the river."
If you enjoy
train journeys you can watch through the window of the train as it goes from
Marlow back to Bourne End at
YouTube. The video wasn't taking at a time of flooding, but as you will see,
parts of some fields are under water. The train from Marlow to Bourne End is
known as the Marlow Donkey as it does not travel at speed. It also makes no
noise, so be very careful as I once almost walked out in front of it as I couldn't hear it coming.
At the
open area, next to the river, turn right, through a
metal pedestrian
gate,
over a
level crossing
(with great care) and straight on along a road (Coldmoorholme Lane) past Spade
Oak Farm to your RHS.
Spade Oak Farm is a scattering of old and modern buildings. The farmhouse is 17th
Century and is
grade II listed.
All the buildings have now been converted to residences.
Continue along the lane, soon past a car park, next to a wooded picnic area, and
then past the
Spade Oak Pub.
Just past the
pub is "Old
Thatch"
a 17th Century thatched cottage. This was once a beer house called
the Rose and Crown with stabling and rooms for the night. One person who is said
to have stayed a several times is highwayman Dick Turpin (1705
-1739).
From here, he would ride out on his horse Black Bess and rob coaches on the
nearby London to Bath road.
It became a
private home in the 19th Century, and from 1929 to 1938 it was home
to the well-known children'
novelist
Enid Blyton,
she described the house as
"perfect
both outside and in"
and "like
a house in a fairy tale".
According to
Discover Britain:
"The
landscape around here was to be a big influence on Enid Blyton's
writing. While she lived here she wrote 16 books known as the Old Thatch Series,
one of which was called
'Tales
of Old Thatch'.
Enid Blyton later moved to Green Hedges in the nearby town of Beaconsfield and
it was there that she wrote her Mystery Series of books. Anyone who has read
these will know that they are about five children called Fatty, Larry, Daisy,
Pip and Bets and a dog called Buster. They are the five Find-Outers and they
have fun investigating crimes in a riverside village called Peterswood. This is
the fictional name Enid Blyton used for Bourne End where we are now. It is
possible to identify many places round here from the stories. The river and
railway appear frequently and the pub next door featured in one of the books. It
is now the Spade Oak but it was once called Ye Ferry Hotel. In 1895 it was
advertised as "a
riverside hotel for boating, fishing and launch parties"".
By the 1990s
the house and gardens had fallen into decay. However, the house was bought by
garden designer, Jacky Hawthorne and her husband David in 1994, who lovingly
redesigned the surrounding gardens to reflect the history and peacefulness of
the setting. The gardens featured on BBC Gardeners'
World and gained publicity throughout the world. You can see very little from
the road by looking through the
lychgate
(it's
almost secret). Up until 2015, when the property up put up for sale,
the gardens and cottage with its small
tea room were open to the public on certain days throughout the summer.
Immediately opposite the entrance to Old Thatch turn left onto a path through
the trees and a
metal kissing gate
and across a small field to another kissing gate. Go through and over a
footbridge
to enter a nature reserve. Turn right to follow a path around the edge of what
was an old gravel pit and is now a lake. After another 550 yards turn right onto
a path which goes away from the lake and through a wood. Be careful not to
follow the main path which continues around the lake as it is only used by
anglers and soon reaches a dead-end.
Follow the path through the wood to cross a
footbridge
and out into a large field. Turn left along the edge of the field.
According to an
information board,
Spade Oak Lake started life as agricultural land belonging to Spade Oak Farm. In
1966 excavation of 33 acres of this land was began by, local company, Folley
Brothers. Aggregates from here were used for the extension to the M4 and M40
motorways. In the 1990s the lake was acquired by Lafarge Aggregates. In recent
years they have only used it for the storage and washing of aggregates.
Since
extractions stopped a wide variety of plants and trees have grown, which in turn
has attracted much insect and bird life. This has been encouraged by the
Buckinghamshire Bird Club
who maintain the main habitat areas and manage the five Tern nesting rafts which
it funded. The footpath around the lake was Little Marlow Parish Council's
Millennium Project and was inaugurated in 2001, by the then, Lord Lieutenant of
the County, Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher.
Spade Oak Nature Reserve
is a great place for
bird watchers,
especially around the lake. Also, birds of prey are often seen hovering above
the lake and the large open fields to the north. The paths around the lake are
popular with ramblers. Marlow Angling Club have negotiated fishing rights.
Recently there has been a lot of work here to improve the paths through the
Nature Reserve. It's
a beautiful and secluded place.
Updating this
in May 2020, I have read Wycombe District Council
acquired
Spade Oak Lake in August 2019. Also, since 2020 there have been plans to develop
a
Little Marlow Lakes Country
Park.
The area includes seven ex-gravel
pits which are now lakes and bounded by Coldmoorholme Lane, the River Thames and
the A404. There are a lot of proposals including more access, cycleways,
parking, accessibility, sports, etc. Let's
see what happens.
Follow
the path as it enters another field and continues straight on. At the far end of
the field, cross over a road. There are also a few industrial buildings to the
left owned by Lafarge Aggregates
-
a gravel extraction company. The
road
has no public right of way so cross straight over, and if a weekday be careful
of the large trucks.
Continue straight on along the edge of a third field, with a small stream on
your left, for 170 yards. Turn left to cross a wooden footbridge over the stream and
then along a path above next to a stream / marsh. After 150 yards cross over
another
wooden footbridge
and
then
follow the path around to the right, through a meadow and then some trees.
To the right is an attractive
old house
with a well-manicured
lawn with a pond and a stream flowing through the grounds. This is The Old
Vicarage. The tower of Little Marlow Church is also
visible
above the hedgerow.
Where
the
path comes out
onto a lane (The Moor) turn right
towards Little
Marlow,
soon past the church to your LHS and stay straight on through the village.
Thanks to
Phillip Emmett' suggestion,
the danger from the bull and the smell of the sewage works have been avoided.
However, with the floods of 2007 the changed route was usable, but the higher
floods of 2014 no route would be usable. It is worth a mention that both the
sewage works and the Lafarge Aggregates sites were used as locations in the
making of the Dr Who story
"The
Ambassadors of Death"
in 1970. In Norman times and the early Medieval period, the area around the
sewage works were used to cultivate vines, although it seems there wasn't
always a successful harvest.
When I
originally went to check Phillip Emmett's
suggestion on the route through the nature reserve, I didn't
have a map of the paths, However, a delightful young lady accompanied by two
children dressed in pyjamas entered the nature reserve at the same time. I ask
her about the path to Little Marlow and she replied, just follow us. I owe her a
debt for showing myself and two friends the route from Spade Oak to Little
Marlow. It was late July 2007 and a hot sunny day. We found it tough to keep
pace with them as they seemed to be in a hurry and I enjoy taking photos of the
route. We last spoke to them as we entered Little Marlow and I thought they must
have been local. However, after taking a few more photos and rejoining our
driver in the car we saw them again, this time about a mile from Little Marlow
and on the pavement along the main road heading towards Marlow, and still at
speed. I'm
still confused to this day why they had come so far and still seemed to have so
far to go in such a hurry and why the children were dressed in pyjamas.
The peaceful
village of
Little Marlow
is off the beaten track and most of it designated a
conservation area.
It is laid out in the form of a cross, being mainly based around Church Road,
running north from the church to the A4155 (Marlow Road) with two roads, Pound
Lane and School Lane, going off to the west and east from the centre.
On entering the
village, the route passes a few cottages on the lane and come out into an area
around a
small green
with a chain around it and a bench in the centre. On the south side is a 17th
Century black and white manor farmhouse. To the right is the Old Vicarage built
in 1770 and to the left is the
The
Church of St John the Baptist
is of Norman origin and originally built in the late 12th Century. It
was mostly rebuilt in the 14th & 15th Centuries. The tower
dates from the 14th Century. The church is a popular location for
film companies and has featured in many TV series including, Poirot, Miss
Marple, Midsomer Murders and Lewis
Edgar Wallace
(1875 -
1932) the novelist, playwright and journalist is buried in the churchyard
at Fern, a hamlet of Little Marlow and just north east of the village. He died
in
In September
1998 the world's
attention once again focused on Little Marlow and the
The village has
many other interesting buildings and things to see, including the remains of a
14th Century Benedictine Nunnery of the Virgin Mary. There are two
inviting old English country pubs, the 16th century Queen's
Head, in
In October 1920
the body of Kate Bailey, age 22, was discovered in Barn Cottage, in Little
Marlow village. The famous Home Office pathologist
Dr Bernard Spilsbury
was called into the investigation and concluded the cause of death was cyanide
poisoning -
the inquest was conducted in the King's
Head. Police soon arrested a suspect, George Arthur Bailey, the woman's
husband, well-known
in the district as the whistling milkman. Bailey's
trial dominated the local and national press during the following months, and
was of legal significance in that it was the first occasion on which women
served on a jury at a murder trial. Despite a history of mental illness Bailey
was found guilty of murder and was hung at
Another famous
resident of the village was
Ivor Novello,
the Welsh composer, singer and song-writer
who lived at Walnut Tree Cottage on the north of Church Road.
Little Marlow
won Bucks best kept small village in 2012 and has got to the final many times.
For lots more information and to find out what is presently going on in the
village, visit the
Little Marlow Parish Council
website. Also, for a full history of the village, see the entry for Little
Marlow at
British History Online
and the Little Marlow (and Marlow) entry in the
Domesday Book
of 1086.
After
passing the King's
Head Pub at (2 miles), cross straight over the busy A4155 (with care) into
Wilton Farm and past Emmett's
Farm Shop
If time permits, why not divert slightly off course to
Marlow
(see
map
for a scenic and short route). Marlow is a pleasant Thameside, Georgian town
with a white suspension bridge, built by Tierney Clarke between 1831 and
1836. There is much more to see including,
Shelley's
house in West Street, where his wife
Mary Shelley,
created
Frankenstein
and where he wrote
"The
Revolt of Islam".
"Emmett's
Farm Shop"
has produce from the farm, and lots more local produce, is on display and for
sale. Philip Emmett, owner of Wilton Farm, is always obliging, a wealth of
suggestions for the path and gave permission for many years to park marshal's
cars in the car park and start a stage of a long-distance
run, I used to organise. Recent additions to the farm have been a butcher and
fishmonger, a sports store, plus
"Home Barn Vintage Treasures"
selling furniture and antiques.
Go
directly north (away from the main road)
through the farmyard
and onto a track uphill along the right edge of a field. After 800 yards the
track veers slightly left past a
barn
and across a field to veer right again, with the edge of the field now to the
left.
There are
good views
behind and to the left over the Thames Valley, the surrounding countryside and
the town of Marlow.
On
reaching a
metal kissing-gate,
on the left, go through it and then turn right with the hedgerow now to your
RHS. Follow the well-defined path along the edge of the field into
Bloom Wood
/ Warren Wood. After 400 yards (at 3 miles), and as the main track goes straight
on,
veer left
along another path, then at next junction, turn left onto a signed path
(Chiltern Way). Continue on this path through the woods and eventually down a
very steep hill to come out onto
Winchbottom Lane.
Note: This
steep downhill is really steep (about 25%).
If wet it can be dangerous, but there is an alternative by using a wide path to
the right (just before reaching the steep hill) and after about 100 yards
turning sharp left.
The main track
through Bloom Wood leads to and past the aptly named Hard to Find Farm
-
I have never been able to find the farm, but we don't
really need to.
On the right
just before the steep hill down is a circular bank and ditch. This is believed
to have been a medieval enclosure for animals and a
noticeboard
placed here by "The
ROMADAM Project"
(The Recording of Marlow and District's
Ancient Monuments) give some
information
on the
Warren Wood Earthwork.
It's
also along this path from Bloom Wood to Winchbottom Lane where we join up with
the route of the
Chiltern Way.
This is a 134 mile circular walk through the Chiltern Hills and was created by
the
Chiltern Society
as its Millennium Project. We follow the Chiltern Way for the next two miles and
rejoin it again later, just after Flaunden Village on stage 6 of this walk.
On
reaching the lane turn left and follow, gradually downhill, for 600 yards.
Winchbottom
Lane is quiet, wooded and hilly on both sides. Be wary of cars as it is very
narrow with only a few places for cars to pass each other.
Turn
right past a metal barrier, signed Chiltern Way, and straight on along the LHS
of a car park. The path goes straight on through the woods and after 700 yards
comes out onto a lane (Monkton Lane
-
at just over 4 miles).
Turn left along the
lane and after
350 yards the lane passes under the A404. 125 yards later turn right, off
Monkton Lane and onto a narrow lane, to Wood Barn Farm, signed Chiltern Way.
Apart from the
A404 being so close and the hum of the traffic on the dual carriage-way,
this is a lovely and peaceful backwater. Wood Barn Farm has some beautiful
buildings and an interesting
Facebook
page and
website with live camera feeds of the animals.
After
passing the farm, to your LHS, stay straight on for 200 yards. Then turn left on
a path between fields and after
another 310 yards out through a wooden kissing
gate onto a road (Pump Lane). Turn right along the lane.
There is no
pavement along Pump Lane, but it's
a quiet country lane with very little traffic. Note: To the left, a quarter of a
mile, along the lane is an award-winning,
family run vineyard,
Harrow & Hope.
After
220 yards Pump Lane leads to a T-junction
with Wycombe Road. Stay on along the RHS for just a few yards, then cross the
road onto a
footpath
going straight across a crop field, signed Chiltern Way.
Just to the
left, at the junction, is the
Three Horseshoes
public house. It dates from the 1840s and serves locally brewed beers. The real
ales come from the
Rebellion Brewery
which is just half a mile south along Wycombe Road. The brewery was opened in
1993 and uses the chalky waters of the local Chiltern Hills.
At the
other side of the field turn right along an enclosed bridleway (at 5 miles).
Follow the bridleway, in a northerly direction for 1,450 yards out onto a lane
(Ragmans Lane).
The enclosed bridleway can get overgrown in places. The route is mainly north, but a few degrees west of north. It also climbs over 200 feet before reaching the lane. Half way along the bridleway we pass an isolated property named Wymers Lodge to our LHS. This old bridleway was investigated by Marlow Archaeology in 2010 looking for evidence of a Roman Road.
On
reaching Ragmans Lane veer slightly right, then straight on along the lane. Be
careful as it is a very narrow road.
On maps, in the
field to the left of the lane, is marked Ragman's
Castle. I can find very little about its apart from the fact it's
mentioned in the 1851 Buckinghamshire census. There is an old isolated house, 40
yards along the lane to the left, where we come out onto Ragmans Lane. Also, at
the high point of this area and near the western edge of the field is a spinney
of trees clustered around a pond or moat. It can be seen from the lane through
double gates 100 yards after joining the lane.
After
190 yards, and as the road turns sharp right, stay left onto a gravel lane.
After just a few yards, stay right, past an isolated
farmhouse
to your RHS, and onto an enclosed track (at 6 miles).
The
track goes downhill between trees and becomes a
path
between fields. Follow it straight on towards the motorway (M40) in the
distance. On approaching the motorway follow the path as it turns right and then
left through a conveniently situated
tunnel
under the M40.
The motorway
and gaping hole under it can be seen from a long way away. The
tunnel
is a bit of a lonely place and much too large to have been built as a path, it's
big enough to allow large agricultural machinery to pass through it. The area
along the path and around the tunnel does not seem to be looked after by the
local council as it's
obviously used as a bit of a dumping ground.
After passing
through the tunnel a steep path straight ahead leads up to a service road at the
back of a large ASDA. If you feel you need provisions or a break, just climb up,
then turn right and uphill along the road for a short distance to the entrance
to the car park. Turn left into the car park and the entrance to the store is
just to the left.
The route from
here skirts around the town of High Wycombe. It does have a lot of history which
dates back over 2,000 years, with Roman, Saxon, Domesday Book, English Civil
War, furniture making, World Wars and more. However, there is no scenic route
through. You can read about
High Wycombe
by following the link, but one tradition of the town is well worth a mention,
"Mayor Making".
When a new mayor is elected to office they are weighed-in in front of the
townsfolk. After serving their year as mayor they are weighed-out.
If they have gained any weight it is decreed they have done this at taxpayers'
expenses and are jeered and pelted with rotten fruit. The tradition dates back
to 1678 when the then mayor, Henry Shepard was reported as being drunk and
misbehaving himself.
After passing through the tunnel, turn left and uphill along a path. At the top go straight on past a bridleway going off to the right. For the next 0.7 mile follow the path (now classified as a bridleway), mainly straight on, and parallel to the M40, only yards away from the speeding traffic.
The modern out
of town shopping park to the right has a couple of major supermarkets, a multi-screen
cinema, a hotel and a few large American restaurants. Considering the path is
surrounded by the hustle and bustle of modern day society and at points the
people in their cars seem close enough to reach out and touch, it still feels
peaceful and isolated from its surroundings.
The
bridleway soon passes the back of a large John Lewis store and then
narrows,
but keep the motorway to your left.
After
another 375 yards the
path/bridleway turns right.
But just after just a few yards and at a junction, turn
left onto an enclosed bridleway which continues parallel to the motorway. Soon
to the right a large seemingly lifeless office block gives the feeling of being
looked out on from its modern square glass façade. The
tree-lined
bridleway
continues uphill to come out on a grassy area next to Cressex Road (at just over
7 miles).
Here
intermittent small airplanes look as if they are dive bombing the motorway.
However, they are on their final approach to the
Wycombe Air Park
which is just across the motorway.
At the
road, cross straight over into Horns Lane. Continue straight on along the verge
on the LHS of Horns
Lane and after 420 yards turn right to cross the road and onto
a narrow lane (Booker Common). Soon there are houses to your RHS and an open
common to your LHS.
After
340 yards, at a junction, turn left into Willow Avenue. In another 80
yards, at a Y-junction,
veer left along a lane (signed public bridleway).
After
260 yards (and soon after some wooden bollards) turn left, through bollards,
onto a wide path into the woods, signed
public footpath.
The path is not well-defined as there are a few options. However, veer slightly
right and gradually downhill.
After 80 yards turn right onto a path which gradually leads downhill. Then after another 200 yards, on reaching a Y-junction of paths turn sharp left and continue downhill.
At the bottom turn right, and
almost immediately right again, onto another path, still in the woods and
running parallel to a road on your LHS.
There is a more
direct route through these woods, with severe declines and inclines. However,
this has been blocked for a few years now by a fallen tree. Luckily there are
many paths through and this has not proved to be much of a hindrance.
Whilst
previously
updating
this (in 2018), I discovered
The Booker Common & Woods
Protection Society
has recently done much work here. They have cleared paths, created a figure of 8
walk, placed information boards around the common, and more.
The
path parallel to the road is almost flat. Follow it for 200 yards, then turn
left onto a very narrow path (this is not obvious) for just a few yards to reach
a road (Lane End Road). Cross straight over the road and past a metal barrier,
onto a wide track, signed
public footpath.
Follow this path / wide track, directly away from the road and steep uphill.
The path uphill
leads through Spring Coppice to High Barber's
Wood and eventually
Sunter's
Wood.
All three are beautiful, and peaceful, but do feel very lonely. They seem to be
protected by the council yet underused by the locals as in many years of going
through here I have never come across anyone.
The route
through is fairly direct. However, pay attention to the instructions as there
are many options to stray off course. Another event must follow the same route
as shown by painted white arrows on trees. Again, take care as many of these
have faded with age.
The paths
through the woods have some sharp descents and climbs as not much around here is
flat. Underfoot is rough, with flint-stones
making it uneven in places. When wet, these stones can be very slippery
and a lot of care needs to be taken.
At the
top of the climb, at a Y-junction
of paths, go right and follow this for 450 yards to a T-junction
of paths -
at
first this path is flat, but before the T-junction
there is a
steep decline,
immediately followed by a steep incline.
At the T-junction, turn right. After 60 yards, at
another junction, take the left path and follow it through the woods, always
keeping a large open field away to your left. The path winds its way through the
woods and after half a mile, turns right and descends steeply.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Sometimes after the T-junction, mentioned above, is easy to go
off route. However, if you follow some orange and white arrows painted on trees
and use the rule of keeping a field to your left visible through the trees, you
will stay on course until the steep downhill and exit from the woods to the
large field.
Near
the bottom turn left and through a gap, with signs of what was once a wooden
gate, and into a very large field. Go straight across the field on the
well-defined path, signed
public bridleway.
Note: The
broken gate
may have been fixed since I last visited.
Civilisation
does not seem to extend to this place. The rolling field of crops goes on for an
age in both directions and is surrounded by woods on all sides. However, many
years ago I was amazed to see a huge ditch had been cut the length of the field.
There were lots of construction equipment and workmen in hard hats. On
investigation I had a pleasant conversation with an Irishman who informed me
they were laying a service pipe. What service I forget, but a year later there
was no sign of them ever being there and the only scar through the field now is
the well-defined
path which we follow and where the farmer plants no seeds.
After
crossing the field, turn right onto a tree-lined,
sunken bridleway
going uphill (the actual point you join the sunken bridleway has at times
changed over the years, so be careful). This climbs steadily for 600 yards up to
Druid's
Hutt.
The track seems
old and is enclosed with banks on each side. Above the bank to the left is a
wood and on the bank to the right is hedgerow and trees with the odd gap to give
views to the field and industrial estate below. It seems to be used by horses
from time to time as hoof prints are visible in the ground. Half way up look
down to your right, and in the distance into
Adams Park,
the ground of
Wycombe Wanderers Football
Club.
This was also home to
Wasps Rugby Football Club
from 2002 to 2014.
At the
top of the climb the track widens and eventually leads to a lane. On passing a
house on the right,
with usually a
noisy dog, although I have never seen it, follow the lane as it turns left.
Along here is
very private and well off the beaten track but it is also a public right of way.
The route passes a few intermittent tasteful dwellings to the left and then to
the right is a great
view,
at a break in the trees, to a statue of a Roman emperor on horseback and through
the grounds to West Wycombe House in the distance. According to the National
Trust, the statue "is made of fibre glass and was
purchased by the late Sir Francis Dashwood from Pinewood Studios for the price
of a crate of champagne".
After
350 yards follow the main lane (Toweridge Lane) as it turns right. Then after 50
yards stay straight on, past a
road / signed
bridleway
to the left, and downhill.
The lane as it
sweeps
downhill
is lined on both sides with hedgerow and trees and goes on for almost half a
mile with wonderful views of the rolling hills of the Chilterns in the distance.
At the
bottom of the lane, cross straight over the road (A40, Oxford Road) and turn
right along the pavement.
After
200 yards stay on the pavement next to the A40 as it crosses a road, then along
a small green and a second road and into West Wycombe High Street (opposite the
entrance to West Wycombe Park).
During most of
the 18th Century, West Wycombe House and Park was the home of
Sir Francis Dashwood (1708
-
1781). He was born in London in 1708 into a wealthy family and educated at Eton.
His father, also Francis (1st Baronet Dashwood), made the family
fortune through dealings with the
Ottoman Empire
trading in Turkey and China. He was an only son and thus heir to the fortune.
His mother died when he was two and his father when he was sixteen, thus he
inherited the family fortune at a young age. If you read the link below to Sir
Francis'
life by George Knowles you can see, like most
wealthy young men of the time, he travelled a lot. This was known as their
"Grand
Tour".
Dashwood took two Grand Tours and met many influential people around the royal
courts of Europe. His time in Mediterranean countries, especially Italy, was to
have a great influence on him and lay the foundations of what he got up too in
later life. It also was to have a major effect on the layout of the grounds and
the buildings here in West Wycombe.
Although
brought up a Catholic he rebelled against his religion. He became a Member of
Parliament and through his contacts, wealth and personality he reached the high
post of
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Other titles he also held included Master of the Great Wardrobe, Lord Lieutenant
of Buckinghamshire, Postmaster General and Baron le Despencer.
In 1734,
Dashwood was one of the founders of the
Dilettante Society
and its first leader. This was a group of Noblemen who appreciated, studied and
sponsored the recreation of ancient Greek and Roman art. In 1746, or shortly
afterwards, Dashwood formed a secret male society called the
"Order
of the Friars of St Francis at Wycombe"
(also known as the
Hellfire Club).
It consisted of many leading politicians, royalty, writers, artists and other
wealthy men of the time. They all claimed to be lovers of the classical arts,
but behind this were also a love for the immoral, strange rituals, lots of
alcohol and ridicule for religion. Their motto was in Latin and translated to
"Do
as You Please".
Members included the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Queensbury, Sir John Stuart
(later Prime Minister), the Earl of Sandwich, William Hogarth, John Wilkes,
George Selwyn, Robert Lloyd and Charles Churchill. American politician,
Benjamin Franklin
is also supposed to have attended as a guest. Some of the original meetings were
held at West Wycombe House. However, as this was the family home. Dashwood soon
acquired
Medmenham Abbey,
just 6 miles away on the Thames near Marlow. Through great expense he
refurbished the old abbey to form a base where he and his wealthy friends could
act out their desired rituals. Dashwood as leader of the sect was referred to as
the Abbott, other members were known as monks, and the prostitutes, or any high-class
ladies who were willing to partake were called nuns.
As a member of
the government one of Francis'
main objectives was to improve the road structure. He had the caves at West
Wycombe extended, originally to provide work for the villagers after three
unfruitful harvests and to excavate chalk for the building of the new road from
High Wycombe to West Wycombe, but eventually also extended much greater to be
used as a place for the club's
meetings.
On
West Wycombe Hill, above the caves, Dashwood remodeled the old
Norman
Church of St Lawrence.
The interior emulates an Egyptian temple with Corinthian columns, marble floor
and highly decorated ceilings and walls. He reconstructed the tower and above it
added a gilded hollow ball with an entry, seating for six and viewing holes so
he and a few selected friends could meet and enjoy themselves in private. The
church and its grounds are within the confines of an Iron-Age
Fort with the embankment still very visible. He also built an impressive
hexagonal, open top mausoleum next to the church to house the urns which contain
the ashes of the family.
During his
years at West Wycombe, Dashwood had the house and park redesigned in an
Italianate and neo-classical
fashion. Many architects were consulted and employed including Robert Adam,
Nicholas Revett and John Donowell.
Although a
person who seemed to enjoy life to the full, Dashwood did leave a legacy at West
Wycombe most of which we can still see today. In later life he dedicated himself
to charity work, but will always be remembered more for his rituals as founder
and leader of the notorious Hellfire Club. He died in 1781.
West Wycombe
House passed through generations of
Dashwoods but was given to the National Trust in 1934 by Sir
John Dashwood (10th Baronet) as it was proving too expensive to
maintain. Although the structure is owned by the National Trust, the house is
home to Sir Edward Dashwood (12th Baronet) and his family, who still
own the contents. The house as it exists today is very much as
Sir Francis Dashwood
(link written by George Knowles) redesigned it in the early 18th
century, is Grade 1 listed and considered to be one of best examples of
Palladium architecture in Europe.
The grounds were also mainly laid out in the mid-18th century by Thomas Cook, a pupil of Capability Brown. Twenty years after Francis' death landscape gardener Humphry Repton was employed to make minor improvements. The gardens are considered to be one of 18th Century's best landscaped parks in the UK. There is a man-made lake in the shape of a swan, formed by damming the River Wye. Many temples, follies and statues with sexual innuendos add to the scenery. During the last weekend in June the park used to host the two day West Wycombe Music Festival. However, this stopped a few years ago.
The current
Dashwood Family run the estate as a business for filming, private events and
corporate functions. Recent films made here include:
"The Duchess"
(2008) starring Keira Knightley & Ralph Fines,
"The
Importance of Being Ernest"
(2002), starring Colin Firth & Judy Dench, and
"White
Hunter Black Heart"
(2000), staring and directed by Clint Eastwood, plus many more. TV programmes
have included, Dr Who, Midsummer Murders and Top Gear. For a list see
Wikipedia.
Opposite the
entrance to West Wycombe Park the Chorley Road goes north-west with West Wycombe
Hill branching off north east and uphill to the entrance of the
Hell-Fire
Caves
and eventually leading to the
Church of St Lawrence
and the mausoleum at the top of the hill. The caves have a cafe
and gift
shop, are owned by the estate and open to the public from April to October. From
November to March they are open at weekends and during school holidays.
The A40 narrows
as it goes directly through the village along the High Street. This is the old
main road from London to Oxford and extends in total for 256 miles to Fishguard
in south-west Wales. The village provided homes for the estate workers and was
an important stopping off point during the coaching period. There were numerous
coaching inns along the High Street and many of the carriageways on buildings
are still visible. A map dated 1767 shows seventeen public houses in the
village.
With this
passing trade other business grew up in and around the village. From the 18th
to the 20th Century one of the main industries was chair making. This
started as a cottage industry, with turning or
"bodging"
occurring in the surrounding beech woodlands, assembly and polishing took place
in the village. By 1900 small factories in the village were employing hundreds
of men. Women were employed for caning and rushwork. Today both these industries
are still visible here, but on a much smaller scale. One current furniture maker
is
Browns of West Wycombe.
The village was
acquired by the Royal Society for the Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce from the
Dashwood Family in 1929 (see
plaque).
At this time many of the buildings were in bad repair and the village was up for
sale in 60 lots. They Society carried out much restoration work over the next
few years and in 1933 they handed ownership over to the
National Trust
(this link has much information about the house, the grounds and the
village). The buildings date from the 15th to the 19th
Centuries and thanks to the Trust, are superbly maintained. It's
such a shame a village this unique does not seem have a guide to stories about
every building like so many other old villages (Laleham on stage one is a great
example). However, Wycombe Council have produced a page entitled
"West
Wycombe Area Conservation Area Character Survey"
with links to documents which give an in depth write-up
of the local history, layout, geography and industry, including some very good
photos.
The High Street
still has three pubs The Old Plough (or
The Plough Inn)
(1727),
The Swan Inn
(18th century) (photo)
and the
George and Dragon Hotel
(18th century). The latter is an inn which holds many stories and is
still a place to get a bed for the night. It is said to be
haunted
by a few ghosts, but the most famous story is of a local girl called Susan (or
to her friends, better known as Sukie). She was a barmaid who worked in the inn
during the 18th Century and had the attention of many of the local
young men of the time. However, she had great expectations hoping to meet a
wealthy man who would take her away and give her a lavish lifestyle. One well
attired man in particular came to her attention and with often visits to the inn
gave her a lot of time, and she made obvious her interest. Three local lads
feeling a bit aggrieved by this sent her a note, pretending to come from the
wealthy gentleman. It asked her to meet him in the caves. Happy with this Sukie
packed her bags and as instructed dressed in white, hoping to be taken away to
be wed and a better life. On reaching the caves it soon became apparent that she
had been tricked and things all went wrong. When she found out she got very
angry and either through tripping over, or in a rage, or being hit accidentally
by a stone, took a fierce blow to the head. She was taking back to the inn but
died soon afterwards from the injury. There have been many reports since then
about seeing the image of a young lady in white sometimes with a bandage and
blood on her head by staff and visitors to the George and Dragon. Some sources
refer to an old tunnel which runs from the inn to the caves and some claim that
the caves are also haunted. On YouTube you can watch a programme on the
caves from
"Most Haunted",
also follow the links to
Part 2,
Part 3,
Part 4 and
Part 5 to see the whole programme.
The oldest
surviving building in the High Street is the
"Church
Loft".
This is 15th century timber framed and was a rest house for pilgrims.
The overhanging first floor is one large room and was where the pilgrims slept.
The clock is original and was added in 1668. On its left-hand
side is an open carriageway which leads to Church Lane and contains the village
lock-up
and whipping post. Next door is another overhanging building dating from the
early 1600s. It was once the Coach & Horses public house and is now
The Traditional Sweet Shop,
claiming to have one of the largest selections of confectionary in the UK and
still sold from jars. Neither of these two buildings have foundations
Continue along the A40 westwards and out of the village to
Pedestal Roundabout,
named after the
pedestal
erected here on the north side of the A40 to commemorate the construction of Sir
Francis'
new road from High Wycombe.
Peter Goodearl's
website has some excellent photos of the
West Wycombe Village
and
Park.
For more information on the area see the British History Online website which
gives a detailed history of the
Parish of West Wycombe.
The National Trust website
Explore West Wycombe Village.
To see a full
list of films and TV programmes made at West Wycombe see
Wikipedia.
There are many
videos of West Wycombe on the Internet. Ill put links to a few I enjoyed:
John Betjeman's Buckinghamshire
Hellfire Caves - this includes and interview with Sir Edward Dashwood
Turn
left onto the Bradenham Road (A4010) and almost immediately then right to cross
over and finish next to a filling station / car showroom.
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