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Home , Ley Hill, Pednor, River Chess

Shefford Shillington

Ampthill Pirton Ickleford Barton-le-Clay LETCHWORTH Toddington Harlington 17 Streatley HERTS 18 HITCHIN Lilley Chalton Upper Sundon Great Offley STEVENAGE M1 BEDS Preston Mangrove Green HOUGHTON LEIGHTON REGIS LUTON BUZZARD Breachwood Green DUNSTABLE Whitwell

WELWYN 16 Edlesborough BEDS GARDEN CITY 21 Caddington 12 Peters Green Wing Ivinghoe Aston 11 Whipsnade Cheddington East Hyde Ivinghoe Dagnall Markyate SPORTS & LEISURE LOWNDES PARK HISTORIC OLD TOWN VILLAGES & COUNTRYSIDE HOW TO GET9 TO CHESHAMM1 Pitstone BUCKS Studham Flamstead HARPENDEN VISIT

Church Street was the commercial hub of TRING . B until the 19th century. Today, the rows of grocers’ stores from . N AYLESBURY . O and artisans’ workshops of the old town have been The countryside around Chesham has been A A4146 S A41 converted into picturesque cottages and yards, nestled designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural N BERKHAMSTED HEMEL from J8 ST ALBANS CHESHAM R beside a public house and attractive allotment gardens. Beauty. The rises in Chesham and E HEMPSTEAD Askett T A41 flows out of the town along the picturesque L M1 Notable buildings are St Mary’s Church, the earliest 4 I th Chess Valley. The villages of Latimer and THAME H A413 parts of which date back to the 12 century, and the B4505 Bledlow C A416 Bury – a grand house with gardens and lake, occasionally are popular with visitors. Chenies 5 A41 Loosley B485 CHESHAM Row GREAT Manor House and Gardens are regularly openedChinnor J6a opened for the Buryfields Festival. MISSENDEN A416 J21 to the public. Out in the , theM4 ridge-0 J20 Latimer A404 top villages of Chartridge, Bellingdon,Chalgrove Asheridge Radnage Chenies For further information on the history of the town, Lewknor from Euston Stokenchurch A404 and Hawridge are criss-crossed by a network of 3 Chesham Library has a large local history section and a OXON J18 footpaths. The hilltop villages of Ashley Green Studley Green A355 Chesham Museum display board and cabinet. Watlington CHALFONT from Berrick 9 Ibstone Piddington ST GILES M25 and Ley Hill have extensiveSalom woodlandse and A413 10 Northend Turville Fingest from HARROW J4 there are large areas of commonland at CookleyLey Hill Lane End 1 Rail: Less than an hourBEACONSFIELD direct from Baker Street Benson Ewelme Green A40 and Hawridge. At the source of the River Chess, from Marylebone Skirmett WALLINGFORD Chisbridge () and Marylebone (Chiltern Line,and Baker with Street Crowmarsh J2 GERRARDS is an area of rolling farmland closeMaidensgrove to Cross Gifford a change at ChalfontM40 & Latimer).CROSS BUCKS from Marylebone the town. Walkers Are Welcome havePark published Corner Stonor Road: Less than 30 miles from Central and easily Nuffield from MARLOW J1a Fawley Hambleden J16 a range of leaflets Cholseon y walks 15around Chesham,Nettlebed and MAIDENHEAD from UXBRIDGE and LONDON Bix accessible from thefrom M1, SLOUGH M25 and M40 motorways, with available from the Town HallOXON and Library and2 as Lower Medmenham 2 Assendon scenic drives through countryside to the town. Checkendon Stoke Row Hurley a downloadable app.Moulsford Greys Green Chesham offers a good variety of sporting facilities. Woodcote HENLEY On foot or by bicycle: The Chiltern Hills are an ideal Swim in the heated, open air pool at Chesham Moor Streatley GORING location for ramblers, cyclists and outdoorKEY TO THE enthusiasts. CHILTERN WAY MAP Sonning Common Gym & Swim in Moor Road year round. Nearby 16 Chiltern Society area 19 Sheet area of CS Footpath Cane Kidmore incorporating the AONB Map with reference number End 4 OXON The Moor is used today as playing fields and is very Whitchurch End Lower Hill Shiplake County boundary Route of the Chiltern Way Basildon Mapledurham Wargrave Useful Publication popular with dog walkers. Public tennis courts are Large town showing Course of the River Thames River Thames Pangbourne comparative size and the Thames Path Sonning TWYFORD The Chesham Town Guide is a free booklet with listings also available. Swim indoors at Chesham Leisure CAVERSHAM of places to eat and drink, public amenitiesChiltern and town leisure Motorway Centre’s 25-metre pool or enjoy the sports hall, READING Chiltern village Main roads River Thames opportunities, as well as descriptions of the town’s history, fitness studio and gym. 3 Chiltern Way Treasures (see book above) The people of Chesham are proud of the politics and culture. Collect a copy from the Town Hall or There is an 18-hole golf course at Chartridge Park magnificent 28-acre Lowndes Park, which was find online atwww.chesham.gov.uk and a 9-hole course at Ley Hill Common. The area donated to the town by the Lowndes family Visitor Information abounds with well-marked bridleways and there in 1953. Its gentle grassy slopes run down to Further advice and information can be found at Chesham are several local riding stables. The Chiltern hills are Skottowes Pond, once an ornamental lake Town Hall, via Baines Walk in the High Street and at an ideal location for ramblers, cyclists and outdoor and now the home of ducks, swans and other Three Chalk streams rise in the town and Chesham Library. Check out www.chilternspass.com for enthusiasts. The Chess Valley walk is a 10 mile wildfowl. Just two minutes walk from the converge, when flowing, to form a clear mineral the latest local offers and discounts. riverside walk in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding town centre, the lower park is ideal for family rich river, The River Chess. It can be seen at In Saxon times, Chesham was known as ‘Ceasteleshamm’ Natural Beauty. Chesham also has thriving football, entertainment, with its enclosed toddlers’ various sites around the town, mainly by The Tourist Guide to Chesham meaning the heap of stones by the watermeadow. The rugby, cricket and bowling clubs. play area, picnic site, skatepark, playground Queens Head in Church Street, flowing down Published and funded by the Mary Portas Fund. town was founded on the banks of the River Chess, and multi-sports court. Colourful flower beds, Water Lane along Duck Alley into Meades Concept and design © Sophie Honeybelle and originally known as the Isene because of its iron-rich ornamental trees and seating areas give way Water Gardens. Across the main road there is Hawkes Design & Publishing, 2020 springs, and the large ‘puddingstones’ in the foundations to a more informal landscape in the upper a tree-lined path along the river at Moor Road of St Mary’s Church are thought to have been part of a park, with areas of long grass, community to Kitty’s Bridge in Waterside, a popular spot site of pre-Christian worship. Chesham is known as the orchard and mature trees leading out to the for feeding the ducks and swans. Look out for town of 5 Bs: boots, beer, brushes, bricks and baptists - open countryside. herons, kingfishers and grey wagtails. the social and industrial foundations of Chesham. Historic Market Town in the Heart of the Chilterns WELCOME SHOPPING IN THE HIGH STREET FOOD & DRINK ENTERTAINMENT MARKETS

The town of Chesham lies in a steep- Chesham has a variety of establishments offering a There is a twice weekly market (Wednesdays and sided valley, where the River Chess rises and beech trees range of food and drink to suit all tastes and needs, Saturdays) held in the High Street, including a large grow in abundance on the Chiltern hillsides. With over including several town centre public houses, craft Events and festivities are organised fruit and veg stall, flower stall, fish, meat, freshly 1,000 years of recorded history, the town has an ancient beer tasting bars and country inns – some with patios throughout the year to entertain residents baked bread, olives, bric a brac, shoes, clothes, street Parish Church, with surrounding buildings dating from the and family beer gardens. There is an unusually varied and visitors alike. The Elgiva Theatre is food and much more. Middle Ages to the 21st-century. The pedestrianised High selection of restaurants with flavours from around the a 300-seater multi-arts venue, offering Street has shops to suit all tastes, from well-known national world. Chesham has a wide range of take-aways and theatre, films, live streaming, music and On the fourth Saturday of each month there is a retailers to family-run specialist stores. There are excellent plenty of cafés, teashops and sandwich bars. Diners can community events as well as a superb local produce market held in Market Square, offering public amenities on offer: the open air swimming pool at choose from Mediterranean, European, Tapas, Thai and annual Christmas pantomime. The Little everything from honey, chilli, chocolate, ceramics to Chesham Moor Gym & Swim, the Elgiva Theatre & Cinema, Vegan/Vegetarian, with the usual Indian and Chinese. Theatre by the Park is an intimate theatre local heritage items and locally made apple juice! and the magnificent 28-acre Lowndes Park. Whether you’re Fine dining and Polish tasting evenings are also a must. seating 90, based at the Temperance Hall in looking for a day out with the children, a quiet day walking A full list of venues appears in the Chesham Town Church Street. Music in the Park features ACCOMMODATION in beautiful countryside, refreshments at a charming venue, Guide. live jazz and ethnic music throughout the or a wander around the shops of a country town – Chesham summer in Lowndes Park. Buryfields is There are many options to stay in Chesham to suit has it all! a regular summer festival of music and all budgets from B&Bs and Airbnbs to hotels such as comedy. They also host a Heritage Open The Chartridge Lodge in Chesham, and more in the Day in September, when The Bury is open surrounding area. NOTABLE HISTORIC DATES for visitors. The Drawingroom offers live music indoors and outside in Francis Yard. 970 Chesham’s emergence into recorded history, Chesham Comedy Club offers monthly events at Chesham Cricket Club. The in the will of Lady Elgiva Chesham town centre is the characterful alternative Annual Schools of Chesham Carnival takes 1086 Description of the town and its mills in the Domesday to uninspiring indoor shopping centres, and, with its place in the early summer and Christmas book pedestrianisation, a refreshing change from fume-filled th in Chesham takes place at the end of 12 C Earliest evidence of St Mary’s Parish Church High Streets shared with passing traffic. The Broadway, November when the Christmas lights are 1257 King Henry III grants Chesham a regular market with the War Memorial, is at the centre of town, by the th turned on in the High Street during an 14 C Date of the earliest surviving house, no. 54 Church station, car parks, main bus stops and taxi rank. From here, evening of shopping and entertainment. Street the brick-lined High Street runs north to the shops and 1621 Roger Crab, the ‘Mad Hatter’ of Chesham, born cafés and south to the Market Square clock tower, past a 1843 Arthur Liberty, founder of Liberty’s stores, born in wonderful mixture of shop fronts, façades and restaurants. Chesham Look out for numerous yards, alleys and side streets. 1889 The Metropolitan railway reaches the town Chesham boasts a high volume of independent retailers 1953 Lowndes Park given to the town by the Lowndes and unique specialist stores. family 1990 Pedestrianisation of the town centre 1998 Opening of the new Elgiva Theatre 2014-6 Chesham wins gold in Britain in Bloom 2017 Chesham wins silver medal in RHS Britain in Bloom competition