Downley
Encyclopedia
Downley is a village and civil parish in the Wycombe district of Buckinghamshire
, England
. It is high in the Chiltern Hills
, overlooking the town
of High Wycombe
. Although today it is almost indistinguishable from the urban spread of the latter town.
The central part of the parish is the common, this extends over about 56 acres (22.7 ha). It is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
. Downley was originally a subsidiary parish of West Wycombe
. Downley was once three hamlets
. Downley was the largest, with Littleworth and Plummer's Green on its south side. Both of these have now been incorporated into Downley as a whole, but there are still names such as Littleworth Road and Plomer Hill. Plomer is a derivative from Plummer.
Downley was extensively built up in the 1950s-60s and is still changing now, with the parish boundary being extended.
The Village Hall built circa 1920 is still in use and the old School, built in the 1870s is also still in use. There were also furniture making factories in the village as well as home workshops. A practice which was common in the Chilterns as High Wycombe
and surrounding towns were large producers of furniture, in particular chairs from the Industrial Revolution
onwards.
Downley was once home to several farms, the largest of these stopped working in the 1990s but can be plainly seen from commonside with its huge barns and unusual listed farm house.
"Downley" is derived from the Old English words dun ("wood") or down ("hill") and lea ("clearing"). This indicates that the Anglo-Saxons found this area of the Chilterns to be wooded and that Downley was a clearing.
Something else that makes this common unusual is the way it has been changed by its industrial past. The biggest change in its landscape is the excavation of clay, chalk and flint from all over the common, this has left behind pits, called dells, some very large and deep. The reason the clay was extracted is slightly vague but is most likely for making bricks and tiles. The smaller pits that are round, usually made on a boundary ditch are saw pit
s. These are identifiable as the spoil heap is on the downward slope.
Also noticeable, mainly in the woods are ancient parish boundaries. These once separated the land between Hughenden
and West Wycombe parishes.
During World War II
the Army used the common to test and repair Churchill tank
s. The tracks are still visible, but are hard to make out, on the common today. Downley common was used as a golf course for a short while, hence the name of Golf Link Cottages and the Bricklayers Arms once being called the Golf Links.
At the top of the common next to the cricket pavilion there is a small but distinct Blacksmiths Forge. This was still in use up until the early 1990s. Downley is also home to the rare starfruit flower which has been known to grow on Mannings Pond.
The welfare of the common is maintained by the Downley Common Preservation Society.
Downley Common also plays host to a number of sports clubs, mainly Downley Cricket Club and Downley Albion Football Club.
on their way to London
.
West Wycombe estate still leaves its mark on Downley life, there is a large, regular shoot, mostly held on Saturdays during hunting season. This is managed by Cookshall Farm, which is in the parish at the very top end.
Downley traditions include the Guy Fawkes Night
torch parade, where literally hundreds of people march up the common with tin can torches and throw then into the bonfire. Also there are two Village fetes, one being Downley day and the other being the Jolities which is the older. Downley also claims a strong sporting heritage. With well established cricket and football teams who use the cricket pitch and newly gained space next to Mannings field.
Both the Dynamos and Albion play home games at Downley Common and share the sports pavilion which is also used by the local cricket team.
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 high in the Chiltern Hills
Chiltern 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:...
, overlooking the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of 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...
. Although today it is almost indistinguishable from the urban spread of the latter town.
The central part of the parish is the common, this extends over about 56 acres (22.7 ha). It is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
. Downley was originally a subsidiary parish of West Wycombe
West Wycombe
West Wycombe is a small village situated along the A40 road, due three miles west of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.The historic village is largely a National Trust property and receives a large annual influx of tourists - being the site of West Wycombe Park, West Wycombe Caves and the...
. Downley was once three hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
. Downley was the largest, with Littleworth and Plummer's Green on its south side. Both of these have now been incorporated into Downley as a whole, but there are still names such as Littleworth Road and Plomer Hill. Plomer is a derivative from Plummer.
Downley was extensively built up in the 1950s-60s and is still changing now, with the parish boundary being extended.
The Village Hall built circa 1920 is still in use and the old School, built in the 1870s is also still in use. There were also furniture making factories in the village as well as home workshops. A practice which was common in the Chilterns as 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...
and surrounding towns were large producers of furniture, in particular chairs from the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
onwards.
Downley was once home to several farms, the largest of these stopped working in the 1990s but can be plainly seen from commonside with its huge barns and unusual listed farm house.
Toponym
The toponymToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
"Downley" is derived from the Old English words dun ("wood") or down ("hill") and lea ("clearing"). This indicates that the Anglo-Saxons found this area of the Chilterns to be wooded and that Downley was a clearing.
The Common
One of the few Chiltern commons that has remained open in the area, rather than become wooded. The common was once part of an Anglo-Saxon tithing, or group of ten dwellings.Something else that makes this common unusual is the way it has been changed by its industrial past. The biggest change in its landscape is the excavation of clay, chalk and flint from all over the common, this has left behind pits, called dells, some very large and deep. The reason the clay was extracted is slightly vague but is most likely for making bricks and tiles. The smaller pits that are round, usually made on a boundary ditch are saw pit
Saw pit
A saw pit or sawpit is a pit over which lumber is positioned to be sawed with a long two-handled saw by two men, one standing above the timber and the other below. It was used for producing sawn planks from tree trunks, which could then be cut down into boards, pales, posts, etc. Many towns,...
s. These are identifiable as the spoil heap is on the downward slope.
Also noticeable, mainly in the woods are ancient parish boundaries. These once separated the land between Hughenden
Hughenden
Hughenden may refer to:*Hughenden, Queensland, a town in Australia*Hughenden, Alberta, a village in central Alberta, Canada*Hughenden Valley, a village in Buckinghamshire, England*Hughenden Manor, a mansion in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England...
and West Wycombe parishes.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Army used the common to test and repair Churchill tank
Churchill tank
The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV was a heavy British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war...
s. The tracks are still visible, but are hard to make out, on the common today. Downley common was used as a golf course for a short while, hence the name of Golf Link Cottages and the Bricklayers Arms once being called the Golf Links.
At the top of the common next to the cricket pavilion there is a small but distinct Blacksmiths Forge. This was still in use up until the early 1990s. Downley is also home to the rare starfruit flower which has been known to grow on Mannings Pond.
The welfare of the common is maintained by the Downley Common Preservation Society.
Downley Common also plays host to a number of sports clubs, mainly Downley Cricket Club and Downley Albion Football Club.
History
The oldest house in the village, Blacksmiths Cottage is situated on the top end of the common,dates from the 12th or 13th century. The oldest pub in Downley is The Le De (not Lady) Spencers Arms at the very top of the common. It's known to the locals as the Lee Dee, The Shed or the Top Pub. The building dates from the 17th century and was once a bakery. It is believed to have been a watering hole for drovers who passed through from WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
on their way to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
West Wycombe estate still leaves its mark on Downley life, there is a large, regular shoot, mostly held on Saturdays during hunting season. This is managed by Cookshall Farm, which is in the parish at the very top end.
Folklore and events
Downley has a few interesting road names, such as "Bug Alley" which is now Moor Lane, Coffin Lane which is at the end of Moor Lane and leads to Hughenden Church. Kiln Pond Lane, where apparently a horse and cart reputedly ran into the Kiln Pond.Downley traditions include the Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
torch parade, where literally hundreds of people march up the common with tin can torches and throw then into the bonfire. Also there are two Village fetes, one being Downley day and the other being the Jolities which is the older. Downley also claims a strong sporting heritage. With well established cricket and football teams who use the cricket pitch and newly gained space next to Mannings field.
Schools
The Downley School (or TDS) is a combined school in Downley with 'Outstanding status' (Ofsted), which teaches pupils from ages 4–11 (Years 1-6 in the British educational system).Football Club
Downley has several local football teams ranging from junior side Downley Dynamos all the way up to the oldest club in the village, Downley Albion Football Club formed in 1885.Both the Dynamos and Albion play home games at Downley Common and share the sports pavilion which is also used by the local cricket team.