Saunderton
Encyclopedia
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 towns.
The village name is Anglo Saxon
in origin, although its original meaning is unclear. It was recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as Santesdune, leading some scholars to believe that the village name derives from 'saint's hill'.
In the 18th century a workhouse
was founded in Saunderton, which in the Victorian era
became the main workhouse for the union of High Wycombe. It became one of the safest houses in the region and regular absconders from other workhouses were often transferred here on account of its remote location. Inmates got a free ride to the workhouse, courtesy of a constable
, but if they wanted to leave they had a long walk ahead of them.
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...
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. It is located in a valley of 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:...
, about three and a half miles north west 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...
, four miles south of 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,...
. It lies on the main A4010 road
A4010 road
The A4010 is an important primary north-south road in Buckinghamshire, Southern England. It runs from High Wycombe at Junction 4 of the M40 motorway to Stoke Mandeville, near Aylesbury on the A413.-High Wycombe:...
, and has a station
Saunderton railway station
Saunderton railway station is a rural National Rail station located on the A4010 between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough, in Buckinghamshire. The station is located some two and a half miles south of the original village of Saunderton and close to the villages of Bledlow Ridge and Bradenham...
on the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
between the two towns.
The village name is Anglo Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
in origin, although its original meaning is unclear. It was recorded 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 as Santesdune, leading some scholars to believe that the village name derives from 'saint's hill'.
In the 18th century a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
was founded in Saunderton, which in the 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...
became the main workhouse for the union of High Wycombe. It became one of the safest houses in the region and regular absconders from other workhouses were often transferred here on account of its remote location. Inmates got a free ride to the workhouse, courtesy of a constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
, but if they wanted to leave they had a long walk ahead of them.