| High Wycombe |
Article Index for High |
Limousines in High Wycombe |
Articles about High Wycombe |
Website Links For High Wycombe |
Information AboutHigh Wycombe |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT HIGH WYCOMBE | |
| towns in buckinghamshire | |
| market towns in england | |
|
High Wycombe, (previously '''Chepping Wycombe''' or '''Chipping Wycombe''') South Buckinghamshire , is 29 Mile s (46.4 Kilometre s) WNW of London , England . According to the 2001 census the High Wycombe Urban Area had a population of 118,229, making it the largest town in Buckinghamshire now that Milton Keynes is a unitary authority. High Wycombe is mostly an Unparished Area in the Wycombe district. Part of the urban area constitutes a Civil Parish of Chepping Wycombe, which had a population of 14,455 according to the 2001 census. Wycombe is a combination of industrial and market town. There has been a market held in the High Street since Medieval times. There is also a craft market found in between the Octagon shopping centre and the bus station. The town has always had a presence of industry, which in the 17th century exceeded the market town and now Wycombe remains more industrial in character. HISTORY The name Wycombe comes from the river Wye, and the old English word for a valley, Combe. Wycombe appears in the '' Domesday Book '' and was noted for having six mills. The town once featured a Roman Villa (2 A.D) which was excavated three times, most recently in 1954. Mosaics and a bathhouse were uncovered at the site on what is now the Rye parkland. High Wycombe was the site of a minor English Civil War battle featuring John Hampden , and the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli . The town received market borough status in 1237. A traditional ceremony of the town since the medieval period is the weighing of the mayor, where at the beginning and end of the mayors serving year, they are weighed in full view of the public to see whether or not they have gained weight at the taxpayers' expense. This custom is still in order, and the same weighing apparatus are used as in the 19th century. POPULATION Wycombe also houses a large Asian community from various parts of the sub-continent, and a West Indian community almost exclusively from Saint Vincent . Over a quarter of the residents in Wycombe are of minority ethnic backgrounds. Wycombe is a town with a very diverse population; all kinds of different races and classes are housed in a small geographical area. There is a considerable wealth gap between the rich and poor in the town. The population of High Wycombe: (1991) 71,700. (2006) 81,117 according to the world gazetteer which contains census information {Link without Title} TRANSPORT The town has a central bus station, with bus routes to suburbs and surrounding areas. There is a railway station on Chiltern Line between London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill which has plans for expansion. It is possible to get to London in 35 minutes from Wycombe station on the faster trains. The M40 has two junctions for High Wycombe. Junction 3A "High Wycombe east" is to the southeast of town and is restricted as you can only leave westbound, and join eastbound (towards London). At this junction, the M40 passes over the Loudwater viaduct, a large construction across a chiltern valley on the Wycombe by-pass. Junction 4 "High Wycombe and Marlow" is to the southwest of Wycombe near the John Lewis outlet, and is home to the infamous Handycross roundabout. Although this is not a restricted junction, work is set for a multi-million pound redevelopment to ease traffic congestion, especially during the rush hour. The nearest airport to High Wycombe is Heathrow which is approximately 20 miles away. FACILITIES AND PLACES OF INTEREST There is a modern town centre, revamped at the beginning of the nineties, with arcades and many brand name shops. The High Street, with a number of 18th and 19th century buildings, ends at the colonnaded Guildhall. Opposite stands the large medieval parish church of All Saints , which was founded in 1086. There is a large well-equipped theatre, the Wycombe Swan , which hosts many acts and shows prior to or following the West End . High Wycombe is currently undergoing a massive reconstruction of the town centre whereby relocation of the Bus station is taking place along with the relocation of the cinema which is currently based in Cressex near the M40. The new development named "Project Eden" will also include a new shopping centre, bowling alley, housing and restaurants. To the east of the town centre is the extensive Rye park (and the River ) and dyke. The park has an open-air swimming pool and the River Wye winds through the green space, which is particularly attractive during the summer. There is a museum on Priory Avenue in the town centre situated in its own grounds which include a Norman Castle mound. The theme of the museum is the history of Wycombe, but the main focus is the Chair industry. Wycombe town centre is home to many public houses and bars especially in the Frogmoor area, there is a recently refurbished nightclub called Pure & Obsession. There is also a nightclub called the Blue Room in the suburb of Hazlemere. The town also features the Wycombe Summit, the largest dry ski slope in the UK. This has currently closed after a fire, but is soon to re-open The local council attempts to maintain two locally beloved landmarks — the statue of a red lion (above Woolworths) and the replacement fountain in Frogmoor Square (the cast iron original was removed in WW2) Local schools include the Wycombe Abbey School, Wycombe High School , John Hampden School and the Royal Grammar School . The site of the ancient Desborough castle is situated between the Desborough and Castlefield suburbs of the town (hence their names), and appears some what out of place due to the surroundings. INDUSTRY Wycombe was once renowned for Furniture making (the town's football team is nicknamed the 'Chairboys') and furniture design remains an important element of the town's university, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College . The River Wye runs through the valley, where Beech trees were cut down by the furniture industry, forming the town centre (circa 1700), with housing along the slopes (some areas still surrounded by woods). More recent industries in the town include the production of paper, precision instruments, clothing and plastics. Many of these are situated in an industrial area of the Cressex district, to the south west of the town centre. RECREATION There is a gliding club, two flying schools and a voluntary aviation museum at Wycombe Air Park , the modern name for Booker Airfield, to the south of the M40 motorway on the western edge of the town. Many of the replica aircraft used in the film industry, for example in films such as '' Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines '' and '' The Blue Max '' were built and flown there. There is a restaurant (Happy Landings) with outdoor picnic tables that is open to visitors beneath the Control Tower . Wycombe Air Park is one of the busiest General Aviation airfields in the UK. There is also a large leisure centre to the south of town at the top of Marlow Hill. Many sporting activities take place here and there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool. HOUSING A new experimental scheme to knock down old council flats in Micklefield and replace them with Housing Association properties was approved by John Prescott in 2003 after overwhelming approval by residents. There are many different housing areas within the town, some of which such as the Castlefield district have gained a bad reputation for crime and drug related problems. SPORT The town's football team, Wycombe Wanderers F.C. , play at The Causeway Stadium, originally called Adams Park, named after Frank Adams who donated the old Loakes Park ground to the club, and are currently in Football League Two . In 2001 they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup under Lawrie Sanchez, with Keith Ryan scoring in a 2–1 defeat to Liverpool at Villa Park. However, their most prolific era was in the early '90s under the management of Martin O'Neill, who went on to Leicester City and Celtic football clubs. The London Wasps rugby team also rent The Causeway Stadium for home games. NEARBY SETTLEMENTS The only cities within 30 miles of High Wycombe are London and Oxford . Towns close to Wycombe include: Beaconsfield , Uxbridge , Slough , Maidenhead , Reading , Aylesbury , Amersham , Chesham , Hemel Hempstead , Watford . Small towns and villages within the Wycombe district include: Marlow, Princes Risborough, Flackwell Heath, Bourne End, Walters Ash, Lane End, and Hazlemere which is now a suburb of High Wycombe. EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|