OS grid reference SU810922 Country England Post town High Wycombe Shire county Buckinghamshire Dialling code 01494 | Region South East Sovereign state United Kingdom Local time Sunday 10:59 AM District Wycombe District UK parliament constituency Wycombe | |
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Population 3,563 (2011 Census including Bennett End and Bolter End) Weather 9°C, Wind NW at 6 km/h, 97% Humidity | ||
Lane End is a village and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is just south of the M40 from High Wycombe, about two miles (3 km) west of Booker. The village is twinned with Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron in France.
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Map of Lane End, UK
Lane End is a village of some 3050 people, set in the centre of a triangle bounded by High Wycombe, Marlow and Henley-on-Thames. The village is 650 feet (200 m) above sea level in the Chilterns, set in rolling hills of farmland, beech woods and footpaths.
Within the civil parish of Lane End are the hamlets of Cadmore End, Ditchfield, Moor Common and Moor End.
History
Lane End was historically on the borders of the parishes of Great Marlow, Hambleden, Fingest and West Wycombe, with a small part (Ackhampstead) belonging to the parish of Lewknor in Oxfordshire until 1895. In 1867 the ecclesiastical parish of Lane End was formed from the neighbouring parishes. The village continued to be divided between the four neighbouring civil parishes until 1934, when the parts within Great Marlow, Hambleden and West Wycombe civil parishes were transferred to Fingest (renamed Fingest and Lane End in 1937). In the 1980s the parish of Fingest and Lane End was abolished, and the civil parish of Lane End was formed.
In addition to working the land to provide wheat and barley to the breweries in Marlow and Henley, the inhabitants traditionally manufactured chairs or worked in a local iron foundry.
During the Second World War King Zog of Albania lived at Parmoor House in Frieth, a hamlet a mile south of Lane End, and with many Albanians living in Lane End, used to attend village events.
According to local legend, the village is haunted by the ghost of a girl in a red dress, who died two weeks before her wedding day in 1766.
Churches
The oldest church in the village is the Methodist church which started as a congregational church, meeting in a chapel in Marlow Road in 1801. Later this was replaced by a chapel, built in 1835, which is now Lane End Studios. A Wesleyan chapel was built in 1866, but the congregation now meets at the Parish Church at 11.15 on Sunday mornings
The parish is served by the church of the Holy Trinity in Ditchfield Common, which was built in 1832.
A Gospel mission hall dating from 1888 at Moor End now meets as the Elim Christian Centre in the centre of the village near the large estate area.
Amenities
The village school formerly known as Francis Edmonds and now known as Lane End Primary School, takes local children from the age of two until secondary school age.
The village hall is used for dances, jumble sales, bridge club, bingo, The Lane End Players and home to the parish council.
The village has a handful of old English pubs: Grouse and Ale (previously known as the Clayton Arms) and the Osborne Arms. The Old Sun pub closed in 2010 and is planned to be converted into a private residence with two additional properties built on the former garden area and space freed up by demolition.
The village has two ponds, one on the High Street, the other located approximately 80m away on The Row.
Shops on or near the High Street include a butcher, a chemist, a newsagent and a hairdresser.
Lane End is a starting spot for ramblers who journey down the Hambleden valley to look out for the red kite, the windmill at Turville or just to admire the countryside.
Lane End also has a very active conservation group, Lane End Conservation Group, members of which contribute to the parish by carrying out valuable work to improve the environment for locals and visitors.
Industry
Lane End has been long home to two small industrial estates, where several companies are based. Most notable of these companies is the global operation for Elga Labwater, part of the enormous worldwide Veolia Environment group.
The Lane End Twinning Association runs a local business group encouraging local businesses to network together.
Retail businesses include two hairdressers, a supermarket, Chinese takeaway/fish & chip shop, two newsagents an off-licence and laceys family farm shop & butchers. There are two pubs in the High Street area, along with a café/deli and a traditional barber shop.
Transport links
Lane End is connected by regular bus routes to the neighbouring town of High Wycombe, and several small nearby villages. Carousel Buses operate routes 28/28A/28C to High Wycombe and Stokenchurch, while Arriva Shires & Essex operate Route 48 to High Wycombe and Great Missenden.