Flackwell Heath
| Flackwell Heath | |
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 Flackwell Heath sign depicting the old village school |
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 Flackwell Heath
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| Flackwell Heath shown within Buckinghamshire | |
| Population | 5,900 |
| OS grid reference | SU893899 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HIGH WYCOMBE |
| Postcode district | HP10 |
| Dialling code | 01628 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Flackwell Heath is a village in the civil parish of Chepping Wycombe on the outskirts of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire England. With an elevation of about 150 metres (490 ft), in the Chiltern Hills. It has a population of around 6000.
The name 'Flackwell' is of dubious origin but may describe the source of a stream which once started in this area. The heath was once covered with cherry orchards, "a place of annual resort and festivity during the cherry season" with many cherry pickers travelling from London for the annual event. This is now commemorated in the name of a pub, the Carrington school emblem and in road names such as Cherrywood Gardens. The area covered by Flackwell Heath was once four villages; Flackwell Heath, North-End Woods, Heath End and Sedgemoor. However, housing developments, particularly post-1945, meant the four eventually formed one large village: Flackwell Heath. Today, the road names Northern Woods, Sedgmoor Road, Sedgmoor Lane and Heath End Road are still found in the village, perhaps suggesting that the "original Flackwell Heath" could be defined as being between Green Dragon Lane and Treadaway Road, encompassing Churchill Close, Chapman Lane, Chiltern View, Straight Bit, Links Road, Links Approach, The Fairway, Greenlands, Highlands, Jennings Field, Strathcona Close, Norlands Drive and The Common. However, this is simply estimation.
The original villagers were in the main farm workers, but some bargemen and mill workers also lived in the village. In the late 19th century, industrial mill workers became more commonplace in the village, and the first furniture makers and workers began to settle too, with Flackwell Heath's close proximity to High Wycombe – well known for the Chair and Furniture industry.
The village has several shops with Sainsburys (Local) being the largest of these. Other shops include takeaway establishments. There are two Indian takeaways and Frackle Fryers, a fish and chip shop. Convenience stores include Unit 4 and Fair Price Food And News, both of which stock newspapers, magazines and a selection of drinks and snacks. The village is also home to Express Videos, a DVD rental store.
Although Flackwell Heath previously had six public houses in the village, the site of The Magpie has been redeveloped and The Green Man (1755 to 2011) demolished, with a Sainsbury's Local store built on the site. The remaining four pubs are, The Cherry Tree (found on Straight Bit in the heart of the village), The Green Dragon (located in the south of the village, on the corner between Blind Lane and Green Dragon Road), The Three Horseshoes on Common Road, close to the Golf Club) and The Stag (at the end of the village on Heath End Road), and are found all in the space of just over a mile.
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Wikipedia