Aston Hill Climb (not "Aston Clinton Hillclimb") was a speed hill climb on public roads up Aston Hill near

Aston Clinton Aston Clinton is a historic village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The village lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, between the Wendover and Aylesbury arms of the Grand Union Canal. Surrounding towns i ...

in Buckinghamshire which was active from 1904 until 1925. The hill's enduring claim to fame came when

Lionel Martin Lionel Walker Birch Martin (1878 – 21 October 1945) was an English businessman who co-founded the company that became Aston Martin. Early life He was born at Nansladron at Pentewan near St Austell in Cornwall, and was an only child. His fa ...

and his partner Robert Bamford achieved success with their self-built 'special' car, and hence named their fledgling car manufacturing business Aston Martin.Oxford MX5 - History of Aston Clinton Hill Climb
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Course

The original course started about 20 metres away from the 'T' junction with the B4009 - Upper Icknield Way, and finished level with the house at the top of Aston hill, a distance of and a climb of approximately 80 metres. The distance was subsequently reduced to . A version was used in 1921, a course in 1922, and both and in 1923.

Records

* 1904 - - climb record was 87.6 seconds in a 1904 Napier driven by S.F. Edge * 1912 - - the course record was 58.6 seconds in a 20 hp

Crossley Crossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of internal combustion engines. Since 1988 it has been part of the Rolls-Royce Power Engineering group. More than 100,000 Crossley oil and gas engines ...

Aston Martin

The 'Aston Martin Monument' is located at the roadside near the top of the hill beside the Aston Hill mountain bike park car park. It incorporates a plaque which is inscribed : :The Origin of Aston Martin :From 1904 to 1925 Aston hill, part of the Lord Rothschild's Estate, was a renowned motoring venue. :Lionel Martin made his first ascent of this hill in a tuned Singer Car on 4 April 1914. Shortly afterwards, on the 16th. May, at the Herts County Automobile & Aero Club meeting, he was so successful that in March the following year the sporting light car club first registered a car in his name called an "Aston-Martin". :It was the start of a legend in the history of the automobile. :This plaque was placed here by the Aston Martin Owners Club and Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. The name for the marque was in part suggested by Lionel's wife Kate, because it would place the company at the top of alphabetic lists and catalogues.Aston Martin History

References

External links

Austin Harris gallery of images of Aston Clinton Hillclimb in 1920s
Hillclimbs Defunct motorsport venues in England Defunct sports venues in Buckinghamshire {{England-sports-venue-stub