Bradenham, Buckinghamshire
Encyclopedia
Bradenham is a village
and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire
, England
. It is near Saunderton
, off the main A4010 road between Princes Risborough
and High Wycombe
.
. In the Domesday Book
of 1086, the village was recorded as Bradeham.
The Parish Church of St Botolph was restored in 1863 by G.E.Street and the south door dates from the early Norman
period. The rectory on the main road is from the 18th century. The houses around the village green are mainly brick and flint, but include the distinctive 18th century stucco
ed 'White House' with pointed windows and castellations. There is a pub on the main road called the Red Lion.
The whole village of Bradenham has been owned by the National Trust
since 1956. They market it under the name Bradenham Village. The Strike Command Operations Centre (STCOC) formely the Primary War Headquarters (PWHQ) bunker was built by RAF
Strike Command on the National Trust land to the north east of the village between 1983 and 1985, in spite of opposition including a Peace camp
.
, which in the 13th century was a property belonging to the Earl of Warwick
. The house was fit for royalty, as in 1566 Queen Elizabeth I
was entertained here by Lord Windsor
. The current manor house was substantially built in the 17th century with tall sash window
s, steep roofs and slim brick chimneys. In the 19th century it was the home of Isaac D'Israeli
who died there in 1848 and is buried in the church. His son Benjamin Disraeli
, who became the prime minister, lived there for part of his early life. In the later Victorian era
, the house was turned into a boarding school
for local young gentlemen. Bradenham Manor is currently leased by the National Trust to Grant Thornton
UK LLP as the firm's National Training Centre. However, it can be hired for weddings and similar functions at weekends and is well known for its gardens.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is near Saunderton
Saunderton
Saunderton is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in a valley of the Chiltern Hills, about three and a half miles north west of High Wycombe, four miles south of Princes Risborough. It lies on the main A4010 road, and has a station on the Chiltern Main Line between the two...
, off the main A4010 road between Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
and High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
.
Village
The village name is Anglo-Saxon and means 'broad enclosure', referring to the fact that the village sits in a broad valley among the surrounding Chiltern HillsChiltern Hills
The Chiltern Hills form a chalk escarpment in South East England. They are known locally as "the Chilterns". A large portion of the hills was designated officially as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965.-Location:...
. In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086, the village was recorded as Bradeham.
The Parish Church of St Botolph was restored in 1863 by G.E.Street and the south door dates from the early Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
period. The rectory on the main road is from the 18th century. The houses around the village green are mainly brick and flint, but include the distinctive 18th century stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed 'White House' with pointed windows and castellations. There is a pub on the main road called the Red Lion.
The whole village of Bradenham has been owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
since 1956. They market it under the name Bradenham Village. The Strike Command Operations Centre (STCOC) formely the Primary War Headquarters (PWHQ) bunker was built by RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Strike Command on the National Trust land to the north east of the village between 1983 and 1985, in spite of opposition including a Peace camp
Peace camp
Peace camps are a form of physical protest camp that is focused on anti-war activity. They are set up outside military bases by members of the peace movement who oppose either the existence of the military bases themselves, the armaments held there, or the politics of those who control the bases...
.
Manor house
Bradenham is the location of a grand red brick manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, which in the 13th century was a property belonging to the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
. The house was fit for royalty, as in 1566 Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
was entertained here by Lord Windsor
Edward Windsor, 3rd Baron Windsor
Sir Edward Windsor, 3rd Baron Windsor was an English peer.His wife was Katherine de Vere , an older half-sister of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford...
. The current manor house was substantially built in the 17th century with tall sash window
Sash window
A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels or "sashes" that form a frame to hold panes of glass, which are often separated from other panes by narrow muntins...
s, steep roofs and slim brick chimneys. In the 19th century it was the home of Isaac D'Israeli
Isaac D'Israeli
Isaac D'Israeli was a British writer, scholar and man of letters. He is best known for his essays, his associations with other men of letters, and for being the father of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli....
who died there in 1848 and is buried in the church. His son Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS, was a British Prime Minister, parliamentarian, Conservative statesman and literary figure. Starting from comparatively humble origins, he served in government for three decades, twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom...
, who became the prime minister, lived there for part of his early life. In the later Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, the house was turned into a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for local young gentlemen. Bradenham Manor is currently leased by the National Trust to Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton LLP encompasses the U.S. operations of Grant Thornton International, the largest accounting organizations outside of the Big Four . The member firms of Grant Thornton International comprise a global network of 27,000 employees and 2,207 partners in more than 110 countries...
UK LLP as the firm's National Training Centre. However, it can be hired for weddings and similar functions at weekends and is well known for its gardens.