Did You Know?

It is a large town in south Buckinghamshire. It has a population of about 92,300 people. The town is the second largest town in Buckinghamshire after Milton Keynes. 

The name Wycombe appears to come from the river Wye and the old English word for a wooded valley, combe, but according to the Oxford English Dictionary of Place-Names the name, which was first recorded in 799-802 as 'Wichama', is more likely to be Old English 'wic' and the plural of Old English 'ham', and probably means 'dwellings

The Rye is an area of grassland situated outside High Wycombe town centre & has been utilised for entertainment purposes since Medieval times

The existence of a settlement at High Wycombe was first documented as 'Wicumun' in 970. The parish church was consecrated by Wulfstan, the visiting Bishop of Worcester, in 1086. The town received market borough status in 1222.

In about AD 150 the Romans came to Wycombe and built a villa on the Rye. This was first discovered in 1724 when workmen uncovered a mosaic pavement, and subsequent digs revealed a large villa with a complex bathhouse.

The Barony of Wycombe's significance earned it a place in global history. Closely aligned with King John, King Henry, and the astonishing force that is still the Magna Carta, the Barony of Wycombe is inextricably connected to many significant historical developments, the rights of individuals and the American Constitution.

It's most famous industry, furniture (particularly Windsor chairs) took hold in the 19th century, with furniture factories setting up all over the town. Many terraced workers' houses were built to the east and west of town to accommodate those working in the furniture factories.

Mighty Boosh stars Noel Fielding and Dave Brown met when they attended Bucks New University. Julian Barratt then joined the group after Fielding scouted him performing in the Swan theatre.

Ian Dury, founder member of The Blockheads, attended the Royal Grammar School in the 1960s here, while comedy star Jimmy Carr was there alongside rugby player and ex Question of Sport team captain Matt Dawson.

In about AD 150 the Romans came to this valley and built a villa on the Rye. This was first discovered in 1724 when workmen uncovered a mosaic pavement, and subsequent digs revealed a large villa with a complex bathhouse.

The all-important river was vital to power the mills that grew up along the valley in the 11th century. There are twenty corn mills mentioned in the Doomsday Book along the nine miles between West Wycombe and the Thames. In medieval times some of the corn mills were adapted to the cloth trade. 

In 1799 Lieutenant Colonel Gaspard Le Marchant opened a school for army officers in the High Street. This establishment, known as the Royal Military College, tutored the students in a wide range of skills including trigonometry, geometry and French as well as siege warfare.