Ley Hill
Encyclopedia
For the area in Birmingham, England see Ley Hill, Birmingham
Ley Hill is a Chiltern village on the Bucks/Herts border near the town of Chesham
in the south-east England. It is part of the civil parish
of Latimer
, and comes under Chiltern District Council in the County of Buckinghamshire. Ley Hill lies in the Chiltern Hills and is continuous with Botley
. It is a small rural village and relatively peaceful. It has an active village community, with events held throughout the year, including the annual village produce show and carol singing on the common at Christmas. There are many routes through woods and fields for country walks or bike rides.
The Swan was built in about 1520. In 1680 the timber framed building consists of three cottages with five extensions, oak beamed ceilings and pillars, a kitchen range and an Inglenook fireplace. It is reputedly one of the oldest pub in Buckinghamshire. During the war the "Snug" was a sub post office. Clark Gable and James Stewart were frequent visitors during WWII, and signed photographs were displayed in the bar for many years. They cycled from Bovingdon airbase.
There is a Methodist
Chapel on the Green which was built in 1887. The Methodist church was founded in 1841 as part of the Primitive Methodist tradition and used to meet in local houses. The first chapel was built in 1846. Today the church has an evangelical congregation of all ages, with activities for young and old.
The Baptist church dates back to meetimgs in 1786. The Chapel was built in 1833, as a branch of the Lower Baptist Church in Chesham (now Trinity Baptist), and it closed in 1908 when the people joined the Methodist church.
and brick
-making. Historically the village also had tile making and pottery, which are remembered in the local names of Tyler's Hill and Kiln Lane. In the mid 1980s an extensive late medieval tile kiln (approx 1400) was found while excavating an extension in Joiners Close.
Ley Hill is a Chiltern village on the Bucks/Herts border near the town of Chesham
Chesham
Chesham is a market town in the Chiltern Hills, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located 11 miles south-east of the county town of Aylesbury. Chesham is also a civil parish designated a town council within Chiltern district. It is situated in the Chess Valley and surrounded by farmland, as well as...
in the south-east England. It is part of the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Latimer
Latimer, Buckinghamshire
Latimer is a village and civil parish that sits on the border between Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, in England. The parish forms part of the Buckinghamshire district of Chiltern. Latimer parish includes the villages of Latimer, Ley Hill and Tyler's Hill.Latimer was originally joined with the...
, and comes under Chiltern District Council in the County of Buckinghamshire. Ley Hill lies in the Chiltern Hills and is continuous with Botley
Botley, Buckinghamshire
Botley is a hamlet in the civil parish of Chesham, in Buckinghamshire, England.The hamlet name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and means Botta's Clearing....
. It is a small rural village and relatively peaceful. It has an active village community, with events held throughout the year, including the annual village produce show and carol singing on the common at Christmas. There are many routes through woods and fields for country walks or bike rides.
Symbols
The golf club uses the green woodpecker as its symbol. The School uses the owl as its symbol. The cricket club uses an oak tree as its symbol and "The Swan" pub is named after the swan which is the symbol of Bucks County. In 2000 a village sign was hung up on the Common which incorporates an owl as the unofficial village emblem.The Common
The village has a large common, which is used by Chesham and Ley Hill Golf Club. Golf has been played on the Common since about 1900.Pubs
There are two pubs on the Common called The Swan and The Crown that both serve food.The Swan was built in about 1520. In 1680 the timber framed building consists of three cottages with five extensions, oak beamed ceilings and pillars, a kitchen range and an Inglenook fireplace. It is reputedly one of the oldest pub in Buckinghamshire. During the war the "Snug" was a sub post office. Clark Gable and James Stewart were frequent visitors during WWII, and signed photographs were displayed in the bar for many years. They cycled from Bovingdon airbase.
Churches
The village has an Anglican Church called St George's at Tyler's Hill which was built in 1871. The Bangay Rooms, named after Miss Bessie Bangay, an active member of the church from 1910 until her death in 1987, are the location of the local Brownie meetings. Miss Bessie Bangay was one of the first female Anglican lay readers in England when she was licensed in 1917.There is a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Chapel on the Green which was built in 1887. The Methodist church was founded in 1841 as part of the Primitive Methodist tradition and used to meet in local houses. The first chapel was built in 1846. Today the church has an evangelical congregation of all ages, with activities for young and old.
The Baptist church dates back to meetimgs in 1786. The Chapel was built in 1833, as a branch of the Lower Baptist Church in Chesham (now Trinity Baptist), and it closed in 1908 when the people joined the Methodist church.
School
Ley Hill School is a well-respected primary school for boys and girls, built in 1927.Cricket
Ley Hill Cricket Club is a village-standard club competing in the Mid Bucks League. The club has four senior sides, as well as junior sides from Under 9s upwards. In 2006 the club became the first in Buckinghamshire to receive Clubmark accreditation.Local Industries
Local industries include agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
-making. Historically the village also had tile making and pottery, which are remembered in the local names of Tyler's Hill and Kiln Lane. In the mid 1980s an extensive late medieval tile kiln (approx 1400) was found while excavating an extension in Joiners Close.