Winslow is a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

designated as a

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

in the north of the Unitary Authority of

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. It has a population of just over 4,400. It is located approximately south-east of

Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...

, and south-west of

Bletchley Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated in the south-west of Milton Keynes, and is split between the civil parishes of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford and West Bletchley. Bletchley is best known ...

(

Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...

History

Winslow was first recorded in a

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

of 792–793 in which it was granted by

Offa of Mercia Offa (died 29 July 796 AD) was List of monarchs of Mercia, King of Mercia, a kingdom of History of Anglo-Saxon England, Anglo-Saxon England, from 757 until his death. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa of Mercia, Eowa, Offa came to ...

to St Albans Abbey as ''Wineshauue'', which means ''Wine's Burial Mound'' The

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

of 1086 records it as ''Weneslai''. A late Celtic copper

torc A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large rigid or stiff neck ring in metal, made either as a single piece or from strands twisted together. The great majority are open at the front, although some had hook and ring closures and a few had ...

has been found here, and also a silver drinking-cup of late Roman design. The 1841 census reveals the population that year was 1,333.

Notable buildings

Winslow Hall Winslow Hall is a country house, now in the centre of the small town of Winslow, Buckinghamshire, England. Built in 1700, it was sited in the centre of the town, with a public front facing the highway and a garden front that still commanded i ...

sits on the main road leading into the town from

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wy ...

. It was built possibly from the designs of Sir

Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren PRS FRS (; – ) was one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, as well as an anatomist, astronomer, geometer, and mathematician-physicist. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches ...

by William Lowndes, secretary to the Treasury. His name and the date 1700 can be seen on the frieze over the door. The

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

in High Street, dating from about 1320 Parishes, Winslow
–

Victoria History of the Counties of England The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of En ...

is dedicated to St. Laurence (

St Laurence's Church, Winslow St Laurence's Church is a Church of England parish church in Winslow, Buckinghamshire. It is a grade II* listed building. History The earliest parts of the church dates to the 14th century. It was altered and extended in the late 15th century. ...

), and is twinned with St Paul's Church in

Winslow, Arizona Winslow ( nv, ) is a city in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,655. It is approximately southeast of Flagstaff, west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and southeast of Las Vegas ...

. The church has a

ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...

of 8 bells, the heaviest weighing . The

half-timber Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...

ed Bell Hotel was first recorded in the late 16th century and soon became the main hostelry in the town. Keach's Baptist Chapel, dating from 1695 in its present form, is probably the oldest surviving nonconformist chapel in Buckinghamshire.

Main roads

* High Street (A413) * Buckingham Road (A413) * Sheep Street (A413) * Horn Street * Vicarage Road * Bennets Hill (A413) * Verney Road * Burleys Road * Granborough Road * East Claydon Road * Great Horwood Road (B4033) * Shipton (B4032) * Swanbourne Road (B4032) * Station Road * Magpie Way * Elmfields Gate * Little Horwood Road * Furze Lane

Leisure

The Whaddon Chase

fox hunt Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hou ...

has traditionally met in Winslow Market Square every

Boxing Day Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It ...

for many years. The occasion is very well attended with over 1,000 people visiting the town on Boxing Day each year. The Silver Band from the nearby village of

Great Horwood Great Horwood is a small village and is also a civil parish within the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire, England with a population of about 1025 people (2001 Census). It is about five miles ESE of Buckingham, six miles WSW of Milton ...

playing

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...

s have often been in attendance. Other annual events in the town include a

beer festival A beer festival is an event at which a variety of beers are available for purchase. There may be a theme, for instance beers from a particular area, or a particular brewing style such as winter ales. Asia * Singapore holds an annual Beer Festiva ...

in March, and the Winslow Show, a

gymkhana Gymkhana () ( ur, جِمخانہ, sd, جمخانه, hi, जिमख़ाना, as, জিমখানা, bn, জিমখানা) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to den ...

and

agricultural show An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show (a judged event or display in which selective breeding, breed ...

held every August on Sheep Street, across the road from Winslow Hall. Winslow Hall Opera, formerly known as Stowe Opera, was reformed after a gap of six years. Since 2012 it has been performed in the grounds of Winslow Hall. In 2017, Sir Thomas Fremantle's new school site has brought a much needed expansion of sporting facilities to the town. These include a four-court sports hall, large dance studio, fitness suite and a range of all-weather pitches.

Modern housing developments

Verney Road Estate - Phase 1 - Built in the 2010s by Bellway and Cala Homes Phase 2 - Built in 2015 by Bloor Homes Phase 3 - Built in 2016/17 by Bloor Homes Phase 4 - Currently being built by Bloor Homes Phase 5 - Planned in the 2020s as stated in th
Winslow Neighbourhood Plan (WNP)
Land at Tinkers End - Also planned in the WNP and going through planning process.

Transport

The

A413 road The A413 is a major road in England that runs between Gerrards Cross (west of London) to Towcester (northwest of Milton Keynes). It passes through or near various towns and villages including (in northbound order) Amersham, Great Missenden, W ...

linking

and Aylesbury, runs through the centre of Winslow, forming the high street. This was originally the Wendover to Buckingham Turnpike, which was diverted to go through Winslow by Act of Parliament in 1742. Until the late 1960s, the town was served by

Winslow railway station Winslow railway station refers to either one of two railway stations which historically served or is planned to serve, the town of Winslow in north Buckinghamshire, England. The original station (18501968) was on the former Varsity Line between ...

on the

Varsity Line The Varsity Line (or the Oxford to Cambridge railway line) was the main railway route that once linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated by the London and North Western Railway. During World War II the line was ...

between

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

, with a spur to

. As part of the

East West Rail East West Rail is a major project to establish a strategic railway connecting East Anglia with Central, Southern and Western England. In particular, it plans to build (or rebuild) a line linking Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Milton Keyne ...

project, the line is to be reopened by 2025,Transport Secretary officially launches East West Railway Company at Bletchley Park
East West Rail, 22 November 2017 and a new station is under construction on the western outskirts of the town. When in operation, it is to provide new rail connections with London, , and Oxford. The

Sustrans Sustrans is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United Kin ...

National Cycle Route 51 National Cycle Route 51 is an English long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich to Oxford via Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Bicester, and Kidlington. Links to ...

(Oxford

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in Essex, in the East of England. It had a population of 122,000 in 2011. The demonym is Colcestrian. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain and its first capital. Colches ...

) goes east–west through Winslow, via Milton Keynes or

Bicester Bicester ( ) is a historical market towngarden town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Cherwell (district), Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in Southern England that also comprises an Eco-towns, eco town at North Wes ...

. A

shared use path A shared-use path, mixed-use path or multi-use pathway is a path which is 'designed to accommodate the movement of pedestrians and cyclists'. Examples of shared-use paths include sidewalks designated as shared-use, bridleways and rail trails. A ...

between Buckingham and Winslow was completed in 2017. Bus services to and through Winslow include

Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a bus operator providing services in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire, with services extending to Oxfordshire and Greater London. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester. It is a subsidiary o ...

's X60 AylesburyMilton Keynes express, the route 60 AylesburyBuckingham, and the route 50 Milton KeynesWinslow. There are also numerous Winslow Community Bus Services.

Winslow town council

Winslow Town Council (WTC) is a group of 12 members, split into 4 committees : Amenities, Development, Events, and Finances and General Purposes. The Town Council meets around once a month. The Council is made up of 2 Liberal Democrats, 1 Labour, 2 Conservatives and 7 Independent councillors.

Education

Winslow is home to Furze Down School for children with

special educational needs Special educational needs (SEN), also known as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the United Kingdom refers to the education of children who require different education provision to the mainstream system. Definition The definiti ...

, aged 5–19. The town is also served by Winslow Church of England School, which is a mixed,

voluntary controlled A voluntary controlled school (VC school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust (usually a Christian denomination) has some formal influence in the running of the school. Such schools have less autonomy than ...

primary school, that takes children from ages four to eleven. , the school has approximately 520 pupils. State

Secondary schools A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

for Winslow children are

Sir Thomas Fremantle School Sir Thomas Fremantle School is a secondary free school that opened in Winslow, Buckinghamshire in September 2013. It was proposed by a group of local parents and educationalists to improve the quality and choice of available secondary educati ...

(a free school) in Winslow; the

Buckingham School The Buckingham School is a co-educational secondary school in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. It is a community school, which takes children from the age of 11 through to the age of 18. The school is expanding and currently has ...

secondary modern A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1944 until the 1970s under the Tripartite System. Schools of this type continue in Northern Ireland, where they are usually ...

) and the

Royal Latin School The Royal Latin School (RLS) is a co-educational grammar school in Buckingham, England. It has continually existed for almost six hundred years; receiving a Royal Charter in this time and moving premises three times. In September 2011 the scho ...

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

) in nearby

; the Cottesloe School in

Wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...

; and a range of

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...

s in Milton Keynes.

Sport

The local football team are Winslow United who play in division one of the

Spartan South Midlands Football League The Spartan South Midlands Football League is an English football league covering Hertfordshire, northwest Greater London, central Buckinghamshire and southern Bedfordshire. It is a feeder to the Southern Football League or the Isthmian League, ...

. Winslow RUFC were formed in 1992 and play at the Winslow Centre (the old school) in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Championship. Their Clubhouse is currently based at the Nags Head on Sheep Street. Winslow Town Cricket Club, which is based at Elmfield's Gate, next to the football pitch, currently field three men's Saturday teams. Two teams play in the Morrants Four Counties League: the first XI play in Division 1 and the seconds in Division 4. The third XI play mainly at Winslow's secondary pitch at

Padbury Padbury is a village within the Buckinghamshire unitary authority area, England. It is located on the A413 main road that links Buckingham with Winslow. History The village name is Old English in origin, and means 'Padda's fortress'. In the D ...

near Buckingham. The club also fields a Sunday team, which plays other local Sunday teams, and fields many youth teams, ranging from Under 9s to under 15s.

Twin towns

Winslow is twinned with: *

Cours-la-Ville Cours-la-Ville is a former commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. It is the seat of the commune of Cours. History It was formed in 1974 by the merger of Cours and La Ville. On 1 January 2016, Cours-la-Ville, Pont-Trambouze and Thel ...

, France since 1980.

References

Sources

External links

Winslow Times, Winslow

St. Laurence Church, Winslow

Winslow History website

Sir Thomas Fremantle School
{{authority control Civil parishes in Buckinghamshire Market towns in Buckinghamshire Towns in Buckinghamshire