High Wycombe

The largest town in Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe is traditionally known for the manufacture of chairs and, in particular, the famous Windsor design. It is still a centre of furniture manufacture today, as well as being a pleasant town in which to live for those commuting to London. Originally an old Chilterns Gap market town, High Wycombe still has several old buildings of note. The Little Market House was designed by Robert Adams in 1761 and is of a rather curious octagonal shape, while the 18th-century Guildhall is the annual venue for a traditional ceremony showing a healthy scepticism for politicians when the mayor and councillors are publicly weighed – to see if they have become fat at the expense of the citizens.

Located in an 18th-century house with a flint facade, the Wycombe Museum has displays that give the visitor an excellent idea of the work and crafts of the local people over the years. There is, of course, a superb collection of chairs, including the famous Windsor chair. Several skills and several woods were involved in the making of this classic chair: bodgers used the ubiquitous beech for the legs; benders shaped ash for the bowed backs; and bottomers made use of the sturdy elm for the seats.

In the landscaped grounds of the museum is a medieval motte, which would normally indicate that a castle once stood here but, in this case, the structure was probably little more than a wooden tower. The oldest standing building in the town is All Saints Church, a large, fine building dating from the 11th century.