Fern is a
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in the
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
of
Little Marlow
Little Marlow is a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England.
History
The Church of England parish church of Saint John the Baptist lies at the heart of the village, not far from the river and next to the Manor House. The original ...
, in
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
, England.
Historically this was a wasteland area of the parish, off the
Marlow to
Bourne End road. A
workhouse
In Britain, a workhouse () was an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. (In Scotland, they were usually known as poorhouses.) The earliest known use of the term ''workhouse'' ...
was built here in 1781, which was a productive needlework and embroidery manufactory during the Victorian times. After the workhouse was sold to private hands in the early twentieth century, it became known as Fern House, and other cottages and houses were built along what is now Fern Lane.
The Little Marlow parish cemetery is located at the end of the road. It was consecrated in 1900 and has a small chapel. The popular crime writer
Edgar Wallace
Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer.
Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during th ...
is buried there.
There is a small, disused gravel pit in the hamlet, the
Fern House Gravel Pit. Significant geological formations have been noted in the sides of the pit and this is now a
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of ...
.
Adjacent to Fern, on Sheepridge Lane, is the headquarters of the Vulcan
Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts, frequently shortened to Explorers, is the fifth section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom for 14- to 18-year-olds. The section was introduced in 2001 and formally launched in February 2002, alongside Scout Network ...
unit.
Hamlets in Buckinghamshire
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