Ford End Watermill

The Icknield Way hits an important spot at Ivinghoe, where it divides to become the Upper and Lower Icknield Way. The Upper Way goes along the top of the Chilterns, the Lower Way along the foot.

The Icknield Way is ancient, though there’s some debate at exactly how old it is. What’s certain is that the area around Ivinghoe is rich in history. Here are just some of the places you can visit that are close to the town.

This post follows last week’s Secrets of Ivinghoe guided walk post. As ever, more details at the links.

A Medieval house lies behind this more modern seeming brickwork. This is 12 and 14 Station Road.

This is Ivinghoe, a small town at the foot of the Chilterns and the location of today’s Secrets of… Walk. The total length of this walk is three quarters of a mile, and you can park in the High Street by the Town Hall, or on Station Road opposite The King’s Head. In Station Road at least, there are no time limits or charges.

Station Road

Your first stop is 12 and 14 Station Road, just down from the pub. This building is far older than it appears, having been built in the late 13th or early 14th Century as an aisled hall. Inside it would have originally been open to the roof; only later was a first floor installed.

There was no chimney until the central stack was inserted in the 16th Century, and the building was either encased or perhaps replaced with brick in the 17th Century.

The cap and fantail of Quainton's windmill.

The Green

Quainton is very well known for its many half timbered buildings. I can’t tell you about you about all of them, but when you see them around the village, just assume they are 17th Century; you’ll almost always be right.

This walk is three quarters of a mile long mile, or a mile and a half if you choose to do the long version with the views. You can usually park on the Green (See the map), and this walk starts on the lowest point of the triangular grass part of the Green.

At your feet is a manhole. It’s not very old, but it’s where one of a system of village pumps once stood. If you listen carefully, you may be able to hear running water. The pump on this spot was the second one in line; you’ll find the first one on Church Street.

Once a shoe factory, then a WW2 shadow factory, now flats.

Part Two of Two

The town of Olney, often pronounced “Ohney” lies on the River Great Ouse. There’s been a river crossing here for a long time, and a minor Roman road crossed the river about where the modern bridge lies.

There’s plenty of free parking. In the car park in the middle of the Market Place there’s a three hour limit, but on the roads around there it’s just an hour. Away from the Market Place there’s no time limit on the High Street.

Olney has a great many old buildings, but I’ve just picked out the ones I found most interesting. I’ve divided the town up into two walks, both about a mile and a quarter long. The first Olney walk was published here last week.

Olney's town sign, in the Market Place.

Part One of Two

The town of Olney, pronounced “Ohney” by many locals, lies on the River Great Ouse. There’s been a river crossing here for a long time, and a minor Roman road crossed the river about where the present bridge lies. It’s the home of the yearly Olney Pancake Race.

There’s plenty of free parking in the town. In the middle of the Market Place there’s a three hour limit, but on the roads nearby it’s just an hour. Away from the Market Place there’s no time limit on the High Street.

Olney has a great many old buildings, but I’ve just picked out the ones I found most interesting. I’ve divided the walk up into two halves, both about a mile and a quarter long. The second half of the guided walk will be published here next week.

Oving Hill and Ammonite (squatter's) Cottage. You can see North Marston at the foot of the hill.

A "Secrets Of" Guided Walk

The village of Oving sits high on a hill above Aylesbury Vale. There’s a Roman road, two squatter’s cottages, and amazing views.

In this walk there’s a couple of sections you can choose not to take, but you’ll miss out on the views if you do. The whole walk is just over two miles, but without the two sections (see map) it’s under a mile.

There’s parking to the left of the early 17th Century Black Boy pub. From there, walk back past the pub to the junction.

On the right of the pub is a lane that leads to the Hossil, or horse hole; a pond that’s said never to dry up or freeze.

The Hossil is just a pond, but it’s fed by at least one of the springs on the hill top. Oving stands on the edge of two watersheds. To the North, water runs into the Wash via the Great Ouse. To the South, streams eventually feed the Thames. The springs were used until mains water came to the village in 1939.