The Parish of Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards in Buckinghamshire can be found to 1 the north-west of Chesham. It stretches almost 4 ⁄2 DIRECTIONS miles and at its highest point rises to over 230m Jubilee Walks within the Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Aylesbury Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is evidence of in the Tring prehistoric settlements and the area is mentioned A41 Wendover in 8th century records. The four ‘hilltop villages’ Buckland Common Hilltop Villages Cholesbury that make up the present-day Parish (Buckland St Leonards Berkhamsted Common, Cholesbury, Hawridge and St Leonards) HAWRIDGE THE VALE evolved during Saxon times from upland A416 A413 pastureland of so called ‘strip-parishes’ associated 3 with villages downhill in the Aylesbury Vale, Chesham subsequently becoming detached hamlets and then 2 villages. Together with the outlying areas of Amersham Braziers End, Heath End, Lanes End and The Vale they have constituted the civil parish since 1934. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Manors and Field Systems At the time The support of the following is appreciated in the making of this leaflet: of William I, the lowest level of administrative unit Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards:- Terraces Local History Group was the manor. Although these predated the 15 Black START Norman Conquest the effect of the Domesday Book Millennium Committee Parish Map Artists Horse Inn 1 was the reassignment via royal patronage of most The Walking Team and Field Name Advisers manorial properties. During the medieval period the The Landlord of The Black Horse Inn existence of open or common fields was typical in Design - Roland Carlin - [email protected] this part of the Chilterns. These were cultivated on Production - The Print Centre, Chesham a communal basis although tenants of the manor worked the Lord’s land in addition to their own ‘strips’. Fields not in manorial ownership were known as closes and they were usually enclosed by hedges. Woodland was valuable as it provided fuel THE VALE & and building material and could support swine. HAWRIDGE MOUNTAIN Much of the land in The Vale was organised on the medieval open-field system with common fields and narrow strips farmed individually. The terraces seen How to contact us - For further information about towards the end of this walk, comprising steep banks this walk and the Local History Group please contact 4 with wide hedges, are remnants of this method of us on 01494 758890 or visit our website at 1 cultivation, once common in this area. www.cholesbury.com Time: 2 ⁄2 to 3 hrs Distance: 4 miles or 6 km ©Copyright Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Local History Group April 2003 Jubilee Walks in Beating the Bounds is a custom that The Black originated in Britain at least 2000 years ago evolving Horse Inn is from the integration of distinct Pagan, Saxon and probably one of the the Hilltop Villages Christian traditions. Part of reinforcing Anglo Saxon oldest pubs in the parish, charters involved perambulation of manorial or civil dating from the 1600s. This is the fourth in a series of walks produced lands once a year on ‘gangen days’ (from the Norse ‘to Until 1952 the only to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of HM Queen walk’). When literacy was not widespread, these annual lighting was provided by oil lamps. Today visitors have inspections served to ensure boundaries were known Elizabeth II in 2002 and the 40th Anniversary of a choice between bumping into the low beam or the by local people and land was not appropriated by the Local History Group. These walks aim to incumbent poltergeist! illustrate the local and natural history of the neighbours. In the 9th century the Christian Liturgy Hawridge Court is enclosed within a circular Parish. A particular feature of this walk is the incorporated these customs as part of Rogentide (from earthwork which has been dated variously, either as continuity of ancient rights and customs in the Latin ‘to intercede’). In the original ceremonies boundary marks were Bronze Age or as a medieval construction. The original present day life in the parish. beaten with ‘rods’ or part of the Court was a 16th century timber framed Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards ‘wands’ made of Tudor cottage occupied periodically by the Lords of the birch or willow with Manors of Hawridge and Cholesbury. Additional Local History Group was founded in 1962 the bark removed buildings were constructed around 1700. to stimulate interest in the Hilltop Villages. There is a exposing the white St Mary’s Church was first recorded in 1227. monthly programme of talks from October to May. The wood beneath. The During the 17th century it group also carries out research and maintains an English folk-song fell into decay and was archive of items of historical interest. New members “Stripping The then fully restored in 1856 and visitors are always welcome. Willow” is a reference by William White, re-using The Wildlife in this part of the to these practices. the original flint-and-brick Chilterns is typical of its rural Until recently materials. It has retained its character and the relatively large adolescent boys might 13th century circular font. areas of woodland, heath and also be ‘switched’, i.e. In 1644 Cromwell ordered scrub habitats that survive. beaten with the willow wands or thrown over hedges or that church organs be Amongst the larger mammals foxes into ponds. Alternatively, as a painful reminder they removed. Churches then and muntjac deer abound. The beech might have been held upside down and have their woods support a large population of grey squirrels and heads ‘bumped’ on a marker stone. Hence the relied on bands comprising there is much evidence of badger activity. Rabbits are expression ‘Beating the Bounds’. local musicians to provide everywhere and hares may be seen ‘boxing’ in open The location where three or more parish boundaries accompaniment until fields in Spring. The glis glis or edible dormouse, met was particularly significant to Christians and the organs were reintroduced in the 19th century. introduced by the Romans, finds its way into the roof sign of the crucifix might be cut into the turf. It is A bassoon made around 1800 and played in Hawridge space of many houses. At nightfall, bats leave their thought that Nut Hazel Cross in this parish might signify church is now in Aylesbury Museum. roost to feed on nocturnal insects. The red kite, re- one such local site. Vale Road which connects Hawridge to Chesham introduced elsewhere in the Chilterns, is now seen The custom was revived in these villages in 1974, the was constructed during the 19th century and follows overhead. At least one pair of barn owls patrols the 40th anniversary of the civil parish. It has occurred as a the original course of a seasonal bourne and is field edges on early summer evenings. Typical Chiltern decennial celebration since then, with a special notorious for its frequent flooding. butterflies which benefit from unimproved meadows ‘Beating’ for the Silver Jubilee in 1977. The pumping station at Nut Hazel Cross was built by For a fuller account of Beating the Bounds visit the include Chalk Hill Blues and Marbled Whites. The Bucks Water Company on the site of an earlier Local History Group Website. clay-lined ponds provide a natural habitat for frogs, waterworks. toads and newts.