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230

HIG H W YCOMBE.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

[ k i l l y ’s

Institute, established in 1844, and in 1915 had about vicinity of the town. In 1724 a Roman pavement w»«
90 members.
discovered in a meadow called “Penn’s Mead,” situated
The Church of England Club for men, established in about half a mile from the town at the east end of the
Rye; it forms in shape an irregular triangle and is
1897, under the control of the vicar.
There is an Odd Fellows’ Lodge, styled the “Loyal bounded on the north by a very clear and rapid stream,
Bud of Hope,” founded in 1845 ; and a Foresters’Lodge, let flowing from the ancient spring called Holywell, and
on the south by a piece of ornamental water: this site
the “Court Centenary,” No. 2,028, founded in 1845.
was again and more extensively excavated in 1822-3 bv
The Wycombe Savings Bank, in Church street, was Mr. E. J. Payne, who discovered in the centre of’the
established in 1818.
field a villa, consisting of several apartments with a
The Free Library, with librarian’s residence attached, portico, and surrounded, at a distance of about 80 yards
was founded in 1874 by the late James Olliff Griffits by a massive wall, fortified at intervals with turrets•
esq. Q.C. a native of Wycombe, and recorder of Read­ remains of larger apartments were also met with at the
ing 1870-94. who gave £250 towards an endowment southern angle of the inclosure; the principal apartment
fund; the library comprises two spacious and well- on the north side contains a splendid tesselated pavement
lighted rooms, containing about 2,500 volumes, about with female busts at the angles, and oblong compart­
1,100 of which were presented by the founder. Mr. ments at each end, filled up with twisted sea monsters
Griffits also presented the freehold premises (valued at the whole being inclosed by bands of double and single
2,000 guineas) to the town, on condition of their main­guilloche ornament; it is 15 feet by 25 feet in area
tenance without aid from therates, and their permanent and is executed with very fine tesserae of black, blue’
endowment; the requisite sum for this purpose, esti­ red, yellow and white on a solid basis of flints and rub­
mated at £3,000, was raised in 1882, and in November, ble• another pavement (now destroyed) exhibited a do?
1882, the library and endowment fund were transferred standing by a tree; this pavement was 14 feet square,
to the Mayor and Corporation in trust for the inhabit­ and portions of others have been discovered with re­
ants.
mains of fresco paintings, a Roman statera or steelyard,
A weekly newspaper, the “ South Bucks Free Press,” with leaden counterpoise and some mediaeval English
and German coins. British remains and encampments
established in 1856, is published on Friday.
A market is held on Friday. A pleasure fair is held are numerous on the eminences surrounding the town.
Frogmore Gardens, a piece of ground in the centre of
in a meadow at the west end of the town, on the Monday
and Tuesday preceding Michaelmas day. The hiringfair the town, was purchased, in 1877, by the late James 0.
G
r
i
ffits esq. Q.C. and by him laid out, adorned with a
is continued as formerly near the Town Hall.
fountain, and presented to the town.
Chair making is the chief trade of the town and ad­
The Rye ds a commonable pasture of 30 acres, which
joining districts, and has of late years greatly increased,
nearly a million and a half being annually made : those has belonged to the town since the 13th century, and
manufactured here are the lighter sort of cane and rush which, prior to the incorporation of the borough, was the
bottomed chairs; a common sort being made from the common pasture of the tenants of the ancient demeshe of
beech wood with which the neighbourhood abounds, and Wycombe; all the inhabitants have, by ancient prescrip­
the better kinds, such as church, drawing-room, folding tion, common of pasture here for two cows and a heifer,
and hall chairs, from walnut, birch, oak, cherry, and in the day time only; at its eastern end, and included in
other ornamental woods. Antique and artistic furniture itis Pound Mead, and beyond this is Great Penn’s Mead.
is also made. There are, in the district, about 150 Near the Rye are two mills of great antiquity, one of
firms of chair manufacturers, over 5,000 hands being which is mentioned so early as 1380, and several of the
employed. Paper making is also carried' on to a con­ mills on the Wye stream are representatives of those
siderable extent. Many of the poorer female inhabitants named in Domesday Book.
formerly occupied in making pillow and beaded lace are ■Several mediaeval houses and halls still exist in the
borough. Among the eminent natives of this town may
now chiefly engaged in chair caning.
mentioned William Alley, Bishop of Exe‘er, 1560-70,
The principal hotels are the “Red Lion ’’ and “The be
and
Jonn Munday, lord mayor in 1522.
Falcon.” From the portico over the chief entrance to
Wycombe Abbey, formerly the manor house ofLoake’s
the “Red Lion,” the late Earl of Beaconsfield (then Mr.
Manor and the seat of the Marquis of Lincolnshire K.G..
Benjamin Disraeli) made his first political speech.
.O.. G.C.M.G., D.L., J.P. is a handsome mansion of
The High Wycombe and Earl of Beaconsfield Memorial P
stone, rebuilt by Robert, 1st Baron Carrington (d. 1838),
•Cottage Hospital was established about 1875 and has 12 i
n a species of Late Gothic style, after designsbyJames
beds and 2 cots.
Wyatt: it stands in a hollow in a park of about 200
Previous to 13th Henry III. (1228-9) a hospital, dedi­ acres in extent, ornamented by a large piece of water:
cated to St. Margaret and St. Giles, and called “The in 1896 it was purchased together with 30 acres of land
Loke,” was founded in this town, and one in the reign by the Girls’ Education Company Limited, and is now
-of Stephen for lepers in St. Mary street.
used as a girls’ school.
Queen Elizabeth’s Almshouses, in Easton street, eight
The Priory, north of the church, now the property
in number, were endowed out of the property of the and residence of Lewis William Reynolds esq. J.P. isan
dissolved guild or fraternity of St. Mary by letters interesting house of the 14th century.
patent, dated 21st July, 1562, and are now regulated
Daws Hill Lodge is the seat of the Marquis of Lin­
by a scheme of the Court of Chancery, dated 26th July,
colnshire K.G., P.C., G.O.M.G., D.L., J.P. and lord of
1856: there are 14 almspeople, 4 receiving 8s. and the the
manor.
remainder 4s. each weekly. Waller’s Almshouses, for­
Loudwater, Hazlemere and Tyler’s Green, belonging
merly in Newland, six in number, have been rebuilt,
and are now situate in Lower Gordon road. Lane’s to this parish, will be found under separate heads.
Almshouses, Crendon street, were founded by the will The area of High Wycombe civil parish and municipal
of John Lane esq. of Hammersmith, Middlesex, dated borough is 1,603 acres of land and 17 of water; rateable
2nd Jan. 1674, for two poor persons, each of whom value, £77,730; the population in 1911 was 20,387.
receives 6s. a week and £2 at Christmas. There are The population of the Wards in 1911 was:— Eastern,
other charities, most of which are administered by the 4.9
07; East Central, 5,385; Western, 6,560; West
municipal charity governors, including a gift by Philip, Cent
ral, 3,535.
4th Baron Wharton, of twenty-five Bibles yearly. The
gift of Mary Bowden, dated Oct. 30th, 1790, that of The population of ecclesiastical parishes in 1911 was
William Littleboy, in or before 1633, together with All Saints' (parish church), 18,188; Christ Church,5°°eight other charities, have been appropriated to the Parish Clerk, Ralph Coles.
Grammar School and Almshouse foundation. A scheme
for the re-administration of the charities was issued
WYCOMBE MARSH. St. Anne’s chapel of ease isa
by the Commissioners in 1877.
building of flint with stone dressings in the Early Gothic
The neighbonrhood of Wycombe abounds in anti­ style, from the designs of the late G. E. Street esq. EA.
quities. The Roman station at the east end of the and consists of chancel and nave: the foundation stone
ancient common pasture, known as “The Rye,” proves was laid 23rd Sept. 1858, and the edifice consecrated in
it to have been the head quarters of a large district. i86r. and it affords 100 sittings. The Rev. John Fredk.
A British fortification closely adjoins the station. Cas­ Nuthall M.A. Oxford and Cuddesdon, has been curate
tle Hill, close to the church, has on its summit a forti­ in charge since 1913. Here is a Baptist chapel and a
fication of Roman origin, and the camps of Desborough Congregational chapel.-erected in 1899.
and West Wycombe to the south-west of the town are The area of Chepping Wycombe Rural parish is 4*®*!1
well known : in the latter stands West Wycombe church. acres of land and 14 of water; rateable value, £ 1 2 ,9 0 4 !
Roman remains have been found in abundance in the the population in 1911 was 2,424.