Buckingham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Buckingham | |
  Buckingham shown within Buckinghamshire |
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| Population | 11,572 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Aylesbury Vale |
| Shire county | Buckinghamshire |
| Region | South East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BUCKINGHAM |
| Postcode district | MK18 |
| Dialling code | 01280 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| European Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | Buckingham |
| List of places: UK • England • Buckinghamshire | |
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) from the border with Northamptonshire. The town has a population of 11,572 (United Kingdom Census 2001), (2007 est. 13,200).
Historically, Buckingham was the county town of Buckinghamshire, it was declared county town in the year 888 by Alfred the Great. (Aylesbury took over this role in the 16th century).
Buckingham has a variety of restaurants and pubs, typical of a small market town. It has a small number of local shops, both national and independent. Market days are Tuesday and Saturday, with a Farmers' Market held on the first Tuesday of each month. Buckingham is twinned with Mouvaux, France.
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[edit] History
In the 7th century AD, Buckingham, literally "meadow of Bucca's people" is said to have been founded by Bucca, the leader of the first Anglo Saxon settlers.[1] The first settlement was located around the top of a loop in the River Great Ouse, presently the Hunter Street campus of the University of Buckingham. Between the 7th century and the 11th century, the town of Buckingham regularly changed hands between the Saxons and the Danes, in particular, in 914 King Edward the Elder and a Saxon army encamped in Buckingham for four weeks forcing local Danish Viking leaders to surrender. Subsequently a fort was constructed at the location of the present Buckingham parish church.
The town received its charter in 1554 when Queen Mary created the free borough of Buckingham with boundaries extending from Thornborowe bridge (now Thornborough) to Dudley bridge and from Chackmore bridge to Padbury Mill bridge. The designated borough included a bailiff, twelve principal burgesses and a steward.[2]
[edit] Geography
The town is centred on the historic market place and contains many 18th century buildings. There are three main roads crossing Buckingham, namely the A413, the A421 (the southern bypass) and the A422. Capability Brown's historic formal garden design at Stowe (on the A422 westbound) is an important attraction in the care of the National Trust.
There is a medieval well on the south side of the dismantled railway which borders the town. The well, which is now dry for much of the year, was positioned to exploit the spring line below the crest of a north facing slope overlooking the town.
Suburbs of Buckingham include Mount Pleasant, Page Hill, Bourton, Castle Fields, Maids Moreton (a village which has become contiguous with the Buckingham urban area).
Nearby towns include Aylesbury, Winslow, Bicester, Brackley, Milton Keynes, and Towcester.
[edit] Education
The town is home to one of the UK's two private universities, the University of Buckingham. Unlike other UK universities, most of its students are from overseas.
Buckingham operates the selective/rejective system of state secondary education. The local state secondary schools are the Royal Latin School (a grammar school) and the Buckingham School (a secondary modern). Stowe School and Akeley Wood School, just outside the town, are independent schools. There are three community, primary schools serving different areas of the town: Buckingham Primary School, Bourton Meadow School and Grenville Combined School.
[edit] Sport
There are two local football teams, a rugby union club and a cricket club. These are Buckingham Athletic F.C. based at Stratford Fields, Buckingham Town F.C. based at Ford Meadow, Buckingham Rugby Club based at Floyd Field, Maids Moreton, and Buckingham Town Cricket Club based at Bourton Road.
[edit] Saint Romwald
The town is said to be the final resting place of St Rumwold a little known Saxon saint and the grandson of Penda King of Mercia; the parish church at Strixton (Northants) is dedicated to him and the small northern town of Romaldkirk is also thought to be named after him. He was apparently born at King's Sutton, Northants, where he died 3 days later. During his short life, he repeatedly professed his Christian faith and asked for baptism. He is also called Rumwald or Rumbold,[3] the latter being the most common, as it can be found being used on a local road name and recent booklets about the subject.
[edit] Places of interest
- Buckingham Chantry Chapel (owned by the National Trust)
- Stowe
- Stowe School
- There is a Confluence point on the edge of the town (here), at exactly
[edit] Places of worship
- St Bernardines Catholic Church, Buckingham
- St Peter and Paul Anglican Church, Buckingham[4]
- United Reform Church, Well St, Buckingham
[edit] Notable people
- David Pickering (writer)
[edit] References
- ^ Buckingham town & region - The beginning to the Norman Conquest
- ^ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica Buckingham
- ^ Shirley, Rodney. St Rumbold of Buckingham. The University of Buckingham. Retrieved on 2006-09-21.
- ^ Website of Buckingham Parish Church
[edit] See also
- Duke of Buckingham
- Buckingham Palace
- Buckingham gave its name to Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
[edit] External links
- Buckingham Town Council
- The Buckingham Society
- Buckingham - Mouvaux Twinning Association
- Old Gaolers Drama Group
- Bourton Meadow School
- Buckingham Primary School
- Grenville Combined School
- Buckingham Secondary School
- The Royal Latin School
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