Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire, often called "Bucks," is a county in South East England. It is surrounded by several other counties, including Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire, with Greater London to the southeast. The largest city in Buckinghamshire is Milton Keynes.

The county covers an area of 1,874 km² and is home to around 884,656 people. Besides Milton Keynes, other important towns include Aylesbury, High Wycombe, and Chesham. Buckinghamshire is known as one of the home counties, meaning it is close to London.

Natural beauty can be found in the Chiltern Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which are located in the south of the county. The hills are the source of the River Ouzel, which flows through the Vale of Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. The Thames River also forms part of the county’s southern edge.

Buckinghamshire has many famous places, such as Pinewood Film Studios, Dorney rowing lake, and part of the Silverstone race track. Many big companies have offices in Milton Keynes, and the area is mostly known for its services and farming rather than heavy industry.

History

Main article: History of Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire's name comes from old Anglo-Saxon times and means "The district of Bucca's home." This refers to the town of Buckingham, named after a landowner named Bucca. The county has existed since the time of the kingdom of Mercia and has a long history that goes back to Brittonic and Roman times.

Later on, Buckinghamshire became important in politics. In the 16th century, King Henry VIII got involved in local matters, and in the 17th century, the English Civil War began there. In the 19th century, problems like disease and lack of food caused many people to move to towns for work. This change made land cheaper, and the county became a favorite place for wealthy people living near London. Today, many people from London live in Buckinghamshire, though some areas are still less wealthy. The growth of London and railways helped towns like Aylesbury, Amersham, and High Wycombe grow, while Milton Keynes became an important place for county affairs.

Geography

Buckinghamshire can be divided into two main areas. In the south, you'll find the River Thames flowing gently up to the Chiltern Hills, before reaching steeper slopes that lead to the Vale of Aylesbury and the City of Milton Keynes. This area is mostly flat and forms the southern part where the River Great Ouse begins its journey.

The county has parts of two very long rivers in England. The Thames marks the southern edge with Berkshire, even though it has moved a bit past places like Eton and Slough. The Great Ouse starts just outside Buckinghamshire in Northamptonshire and flows through Buckingham, Milton Keynes, and Olney.

The main branch of the Grand Union Canal runs through the county, with smaller parts reaching Slough and Aylesbury, as well as unused sections to Wendover and Buckingham. In Milton Keynes, the canal is part of the city's design.

The southern part of Buckinghamshire is shaped by the Chiltern Hills. The two highest points are Haddington Hill in Wendover Woods and Coombe Hill near Wendover.

Historically, people have taken materials like chalk, clay, gravel, and sand from the river valleys for building. Some old quarries that are now filled with water have become beautiful nature reserves.

Demography

Buckinghamshire is home to people from many different backgrounds, especially in its bigger towns. In the past, families from Wales lived in the north part of the county. Later, many people from London moved to Milton Keynes. Some towns, like Aylesbury and Chesham, have many people of Asian backgrounds. High Wycombe has the most diverse groups, including many people of Asian and Afro-Caribbean heritage. During the Second World War, people from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Albania also settled in Buckinghamshire, and some of their descendants still live there today.

Politics

See also: List of Parliamentary constituencies in Buckinghamshire

The ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff. Since November 2020, the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire is The Countess Howe and the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire is Dame Ann Geraldine Limb, DBE of Stony Stratford.

Buckinghamshire has two main local governments: Buckinghamshire Council, which looks after most of the county, and Milton Keynes City Council, which looks after the rest.

Buckinghamshire Council became a single local government in April 2020, joining together several older local groups.

Milton Keynes started as a district council and became its own city council in 2022 after receiving special permission. It includes both the busy city area and quieter countryside around it.

The traditional flag of Buckinghamshire shows a chained swan on red and black. It was officially recognized in May 2011.

The old coat of arms for Buckinghamshire shows a white chained swan, which reminds us of times when swans were raised for kings. The design also includes a gold band with Whiteleaf Cross, a beech tree for the Chiltern Forest, and animals on either side representing the county’s name and symbol.

The motto, in Latin, means 'no steps backwards'.

Main articles: Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, and Ceremonial counties of England

Economy

Buckinghamshire has a modern economy focused on services. It is part of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire NUTS-2 region, which was one of the richest areas in the European Union in 2002. The southern part of the county is a wealthy area where many people live and travel to work in London. The county has rich farmland and many large historic homes.

Important industries in Buckinghamshire include making furniture, especially in High Wycombe, creating medicines, and processing food from the farms. Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath is a famous place where many films and TV shows are made.

Places of interest

Main article: Places of interest in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire is known for its beautiful countryside and natural areas, including the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Stowe Landscaped Gardens near Buckingham, and the River Thames. The Ridgeway Path, a long walking trail, goes through the county. Many historic houses can be visited, some open to the public by the National Trust, like Waddesdon Manor, West Wycombe Park, and Cliveden. Others, such as the Prime Minister's country home Chequers, are private homes.

Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes was important during World War II for breaking secret codes and was home to Colossus, one of the first electronic digital computers. Nearby is the National Museum of Computing. The Chiltern Open Air Museum near Chalfont St Giles shows historic buildings saved from being torn down. The town of Olney has a museum about the poet William Cowper and John Newton, who helped end the slave trade and wrote the hymn Amazing Grace.

Sports fans can visit part of the Silverstone Circuit, Adams Park Stadium, Stadium MK, and Dorney Lake, which hosted rowing events in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Media

Buckinghamshire is shown on television by three different regions. The western part gets BBC South and ITV Meridian, the north and east watch BBC East and ITV Anglia, and the southern area sees BBC London & ITV London.

Local radio stations include BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Berkshire for Marlow, Heart South, Heart East, Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts, and Wycombe Sound for High Wycombe.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire has many roads and railways to help people travel. Four main motorways serve the area, with two running along its edges. The M1 motorway helps connect Milton Keynes. The M25 motorway passes through with one junction. The M4 motorway runs along the southern edge, and the M40 motorway goes through towns like High Wycombe and Beaconsfield.

The county also has six important A roads, such as the A4, A40, A41, A421, A5, and A509. Other smaller roads like A404, A413, A418, A428, A4010, and A4146 serve local villages and towns.

Buckinghamshire is well connected by trains, especially for people traveling to and from London. Trains run from places like Milton Keynes Central to big cities such as London, Birmingham, and even further north. Four main railway lines go through the county, including the West Coast Main Line, the London–Aylesbury line, the Chiltern Main Line, and the Great Western Main Line.

Other smaller lines, like the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line and the Marlow Branch Line, also help people get around. New train projects, such as the Elizabeth line and plans for High Speed 2, will bring even more connections in the future.

Settlements

For a full list of towns, villages, and small settlements called hamlets in Buckinghamshire, see List of places in Buckinghamshire. Over time, the borders of Buckinghamshire have changed.

Education

Further information: List of schools in Buckinghamshire and List of schools in Milton Keynes

In the 1850s, a person named Harriet Anne Smart started a school in Buckinghamshire to help local workers learn to read. Today, schools in Buckinghamshire are managed by two groups: Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes City Council.

Buckinghamshire uses a special way of deciding which school students go to after primary school, based on a test they take. Some students go to grammar schools, while others go to different types of secondary schools. Milton Keynes, however, uses a system where all students go to the same kinds of schools. There are also many universities and special colleges in the area, like the University of Buckingham and the Open University.

Notable people

Buckinghamshire has been the home or resting place of many famous people throughout history. In ancient times, St Osyth was born in Quarrendon and buried in Aylesbury, while Saint Rumbold was buried in Buckingham. During the medieval period, important figures like Roger of Wendover and Anne Boleyn owned property in Buckingham.

Later, the county became a home for famous writers. John Milton lived in Chalfont St Giles, and Roald Dahl lived in Great Missenden. During World War II, many leaders from Europe found safety in Buckinghamshire due to its closeness to London.

The area has also been home to many politicians, artists, and sports figures, contributing to its rich history and cultural importance.