Buckinghamshire
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Buckinghamshire from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover your local listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Buckinghamshire's most historic sites, included in the National Heritage List for England. Some of these captions have been summarised by AI. Click through for the official List entry.
Motte and bailey castle, deserted village and monastic gr…
Wolverton and Greenleys
Old Wolverton hosts a remarkable medieval landscape with a motte-and-bailey castle, deserted village, and monastic grange, underscoring its historical significance from Roman to Norman...
Bunker, RAF Daws Hill
High Wycombe
A former World War II military bunker constructed in 1942 and adapted in the 1980s with the additions of vents and a decontamination unit.
Huntercombe Manor
Burnham
Huntercombe Manor features late 19th-century gardens on 17th-century grounds, linked to diarist John Evelyn and garden writer Eleanor Vere Boyle.
Missenden Abbey
Great Missenden
Missenden Abbey is a historic site with 19th-century pleasure grounds, incorporating parts of a medieval abbey, now used for education.
Shopping Building
Central Milton Keynes
The Central Milton Keynes Shopping Building, the Milton Keynes new town's shopping centre; designed 1972-73, built 1975-79 by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation's Architect's...
Secklow Hundred mound: a moot at the junction of North Ro…
Central Milton Keynes
Secklow Hundred mound, a well-preserved Anglo-Saxon moot, is significant for its historical role in medieval land administration and potential archaeological insights.
Clubhouse, Beaconsfield Golf Club
Seer Green
Golf clubhouse, built 1913-1914 to designs by Stanley Hinge Hamp.
Mentmore Towers
Mentmore
Mentmore Towers, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton for Baron Meyer de Rothschild, is a notable example of mid-19th century architecture, with expansive gardens and significant historical...
Hedsor House
Hedsor
Hedsor House, an Italianate country house, overlooks a landscape park in southeast England.
Former bus station, Station Square, Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes
The former bus station, 1982-3, by Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC), architects under Derek Yeadon, with structural engineer Felix J Samuely; contractors, Costains...
Denham Place
Denham
Denham Place, a late 17th-century mansion, sits within a landscape possibly influenced by Lancelot Brown, featuring elements from both formal gardens and later modifications.
Campbell Park, Milton Keynes
Campbell Park
A public park opened in 1984, based on a design of 1973-1975 by Derek Walker, Stuart Mosscrop and Andrew Mahaddie, revised by Neil Higson around 1980, with later alterations and...
Stowe
Stowe
Stowe features influential 18th-century pleasure grounds and park around a mansion. Created by notable figures like Lancelot Brown and William Kent, it symbolizes empire significance.
Buckinghamshire Grim's Ditch: 350m long section extending…
The Lee
Linear earthworks like Grim's Ditch are significant Bronze Age structures, serving as territorial and agricultural boundaries with potential religious and symbolic meanings.
Dropmore
Burnham
Dropmore is a late 18th-century landscape park developed by Lord Grenville, known for its botanical collection and historic gardens, with connections to notable figures and horticultural...
Stowe Castle
Stowe
Stowe Castle is a farmhouse, dating from around 1740, disguised with high stone walls and battlements. It originally formed a background to a previous view from the gardens at Stowe.
Bulstrode Park
Gerrards Cross
Bulstrode Park, with gardens designed by notable figures like Humphry Repton, has a rich history involving key figures like Judge George Jeffreys and William Bentinck.
Octo sculpture and reflecting pool
Central Milton Keynes
'Octo', a stainless steel sculpture of 1979-80 by Wendy Taylor, mounted on a reflecting pool.
Shardeloes
Amersham
Shardeloes features an 18th-century landscape park designed by Nathaniel Richmond and Humphry Repton, surrounding a historic country house. It includes formal gardens by Charles Bridgeman.
Stoke Park
Stoke Poges
Stoke Park is a historical country house set within a landscape by Lancelot Brown and later modified by Nathaniel Richmond and Humphry Repton.
Central Library
Central Milton Keynes
A public library of 1979-81 by Buckinghamshire County Council. The plant room to the rear of the building is not of special architectural or historic interest.
Cliveden
Taplow
Cliveden's early 18th-century gardens, influenced by Charles Bridgeman and Alexander Pope, feature extensive historical significance and restoration by the National Trust since 1966.
Latimer Park
Latimer and Ley Hill
Latimer Park is an 18th-century estate linked to Lancelot Brown, with historical connections to the Cavendish family, now functioning as a conference center.
Bradwell Abbey: a Benedictine priory, chapel and fishpond
Bradwell
Bradwell Abbey, a Benedictine priory founded circa 1154, is historically significant with surviving archaeological remains indicating its wealth and medieval contributions.
Bradenham Manor
Bradenham
Bradenham Manor, a 17th-century manor rebuilt for Sir Edmund Pye, was historically visited by Queen Elizabeth I. Benjamin Disraeli wrote parts of his novels here.
Wycombe Abbey
High Wycombe
Wycombe Abbey, formerly Loakes Manor, features 18th-century landscape design, likely influenced by Lancelot Brown, evolving into a school in the 20th century.
Hill figure on Whiteleaf Hill, known as the Whiteleaf Cross
Princes Risborough
The Whiteleaf Cross is a well-preserved hill figure, significant for its cultural and historical importance despite unclear origins, possibly Iron Age, with documented cleaning practices...
Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Olney
The church of Saints Peter and Paul, Olney, is situated in Church Street. Early C14 with later additions.
Chenies Place (Woodside)
Chenies
Chenies Place features a historic garden by Lutyens and Jekyll, with notable Arts and Crafts redesign by C.E. Kempe. Originally owned by the Duchess of Bedford.
Halton House
Halton
Halton House, built by Alfred de Rothschild in the 19th century, is a historical estate with formal gardens, now part of an RAF base.
Langley Park
Wexham
Langley Park is an 18th-century landscape park designed by Lancelot Brown, featuring a country house and gardens dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Wotton House
Brill
The historic designed landscape surrounding an early-C18 country house, with a contemporary layout, probably by George London and Henry Wise, developed into an extensive mid-C18 park for...
Harleyford Manor
Great Marlow
Harleyford Manor, designed by Sir Robert Taylor, is a 1750s Grade I listed villa surrounded by a historic landscape possibly laid out by Lancelot Brown.
Fawley Court and Temple Island
Fawley
Fawley Court is an 18th-century landscaped estate in Buckinghamshire, noted for its connections to Lancelot Brown and the 1771 Fishing Temple on Temple Island.
Shrunken Medieval Village, Woughton on the Green
Old Woughton
Woughton Shrunken medieval village is a well-preserved example of a medieval settlement, showcasing distinct earthworks, with significant archaeological potential reflecting historical...
Danesborough Camp: a slight univallate hillfort 420m nort…
Woburn Sands
Danesborough Camp is a well-preserved slight univallate hillfort from between the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, notable for its rare archaeological significance.
A slight univallate hillfort known as Medmenham Camp
Medmenham
Medmenham Camp, a well-preserved Iron Age hillfort, holds national significance for understanding society and settlement patterns.
Chequers
Ellesborough
Chequers, a historical estate in Buckinghamshire, serves as the Prime Minister's country residence with ties to Reginald Blomfield and H Avray Tipping's architectural work.
Buckinghamshire through time
This timeline shows the first period of use for buildings and places on the National Heritage List for England, just one of the details recorded for every list entry. Click around to see how Buckinghamshire changes over time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion, from hunter-gatherers of several human species, including Neanderthals, to more recent herders and farmers. It was a time of developing technologies and belief systems, involving contact with and migration from Europe, all reflected in the variety of artefact and monument types characteristic of particular prehistoric periods.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanently altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Buckinghamshire
Aerial photography helps reveal secrets of England's changing landscapes that are impossible to see from the ground.
Mentmore
Mentmore Towers, Mentmore, 1928
Mentmore
Mentmore Towers, Mentmore, 1953
Ellesborough
Chequers, Ellesborough, 1934
Ellesborough
Chequers, Ellesborough, 1953
Shenley Church End
Shenley Park, Shenley Church End, 1938
Shenley Church End
Shenley Park House, Shenley Church End, 1938
Bledlow Ridge
Molins Machine Co Ltd Works, Bledlow Ridge, 1951
Bledlow Ridge
Molins Machine Co Ltd Works, Bledlow Ridge, 1953
Chalfont St Peter
Chalfont Park Hotel, Chalfont St Peter, 1937
Chalfont St Peter
Chalfont Park Hotel, Chalfont St Peter, 1938
Buckinghamshire in the Historic England Archive
The Historic England Archive cares for over 15 million images, dating from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Buckinghamshire's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
A man walking along the Bath Road near Taplow
Eric de Mare
Maidenhead, Windsor And Maidenhead
Date created: 1945 - 1980
General view of Maidenhead railway bridge from the river bank.
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 01 May 1955 - 30 Sep 1955
A line of young girls in ballet skirts with a group of adults opposite watching a skittles match at Denham Beetle Fair
John Gay Collection: Miscellaneous
Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1955 - 1965
A woman and a young girl looking at an illuminated display of Christmas toys in The Record Centre window at Kingsbury House on the corner of Kingsbury...
John Gay Collection: Counties
South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1943 - 1944
St Mary the Virgin Church, Hedgerley seen from the churchyard to the south
John Laing Collection
Bletchley, Milton Keynes
Date created: 17 May 1972
The gallery between the metal framework of the multi-purpose sports hall and the partially-completed kitchen and bar on the first floor of Bletchley...
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
Milton Keynes
Date created: 30 Jun 1896
St Peter and St Paul's Church viewed from across Mill Race to the south-west
Alfred Newton and Sons
Barton Hartshorn, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1896 - 1920
INTERIOR NAVE LOOKING EAST
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Burnham Beeches, South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 01 Jan 1917 - 14 Aug 1922
GENERAL VIEW SHOWING PEOPLE SEATED AT TABLES
Charles George Harper Collection
South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1892 - 1933
The monument to the poet Thomas Gray, at Gray's Field in Stoke Poges
Eric de Mare
South Bucks, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1949
A young man in bathing shorts sitting on a landing stage in front of Maidenhead Railway Bridge, which was constructed in 1837-39 to the designs of...
Alfred Newton and Sons
Barton Hartshorn, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire
Date created: 1901
EXTERIOR FROM NORTH WEST
Stories about heritage in your local area
Historic England publishes news, blogs, research, videos, and podcasts celebrating England's rich heritage. Discover the stories we have about Buckinghamshire.
The 12 Pubs of Christmas
Mentions The Kings Head Hotel, Claydon House
Explore the hidden histories of listed pubs with a festive theme.
10 Historic Locations Featured in Classic British Horror Movies
Mentions Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios, Church of St Mary Magdalene
England's heritage as the location for horror films.
A Brief Introduction to the History of the Railway in England
Mentions Maidenhead Railway Bridge (MLN12327)
Discover when the first steam train was invented in England, and when the world's first public railway opened in Stockton and Darlington in 1825.
Groundbreaking English Women of Science
Mentions Bletchley Park House, Hut 8 at Bletchley Park
Discover the lives of women who impacted scientific discoveries in England's history, such as Marie Stopes and codebreaker Joan Clarke.
The Life and Works of Visionary Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Mentions Maidenhead Railway Bridge (MLN12327)
Discover the bridges, structures and ships that Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed, including the Great Western Railway and Clifton Suspension Bridge.
8 Sites of Scientific Discovery and Innovation
Mentions Bletchley Park House, Hut 8 at Bletchley Park, H Block at Bletchley Park
From Charles Darwin to Alan Turing, discover incredible places in England connected to scientific achievement.
The Buildings of Philanthropist John Passmore Edwards
Mentions Greene House at the National Society for Epilepsy, Milton House at the National Society for Epilepsy, Pearman House at the National Society for Epilepsy
Over 70 buildings were constructed in 14 years, including libraries, literary institutes and art galleries.
What Is the Oldest Pub or Inn in England?
Mentions The Kings Head Hotel
Many pubs and inns claim to be the oldest pub in England. Here are the facts.
10 Accessible Historic Places to Visit
Mentions Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon Manor
Here we look at some listed places that have creatively improved their accessibility.
Women Architects Who Helped Shape England
Mentions East Wall, Woodside Junior School
Women have always influenced domestic design but it wasn’t until 1898 that the first female architect was admitted to the Royal Institute of British...
7 of the Best Post-war Parks, Gardens and Landscapes in England
Mentions Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, Broadwater Park
Here are seven of the amazing post-war parks, gardens and landscapes that exist all over England.
9 Stunning Country Houses You Need to Visit
Mentions Dorney Court
Here are nine of our favourite country houses and gardens from around the country.
Mentions Buckinghamshire
Have you ever wondered what a listed building is? In this video, we look at three examples of listed buildings on the National Heritage List for...
What Is a Listed Building? (And Why They Matter)
Have you ever wondered what a listed building is? In this video, we look at three examples of listed buildings on the National Heritage List for England and explore what makes them special.
Archaeological Sensitivity Mapping
Mentions Buckinghamshire
Developing a methodology for understanding where future significant archaeological discoveries may be made.
London Archaeology and Characterisation
Mentions Buckinghamshire
The challenges of managing change in complex townscapes and time-depth.
Southend-on-Sea Civic Fountain Listed
Mentions Corn King and Spring Queen Sculpture at Madge Electronics Site
The Civic Fountain in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been listed at Grade II by DCMS on the advice of Historic England.
16 Remarkable Historic Places Listed in 2023
Mentions Clubhouse, Beaconsfield Golf Club, Buckinghamshire
Take a closer look at the historic gems that were examined, protected and added to the National Heritage List for England in 2023.
Rare Phone Boxes Listed on the London Underground
Mentions K8 kiosk at Chalfont and Latimer Station
Four rare K8 phone boxes on the London Underground network have been listed at Grade II.
Enriching the List, Enriching Lives
Mentions Daffodil Cottage, Buckinghamshire
Research into how Historic England's Enriching the List initiative can help the personal wellbeing of contributors.
Public Parks and Greenspaces Matter
Mentions Campbell Park, Milton Keynes
Evaluating the health and wellbeing value of historic public parks and greenspaces.
The Best of England’s Post-War Parks, Gardens and Landscapes Protected
Mentions Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, Broadwater Park, Buckinghamshire
Newly announced protections by Historic England are the result of a three-year collaboration with The Gardens Trust.
Quiet Simplicity of Quaker Meeting Houses Celebrated
Mentions Aylesbury Quaker Meeting House, Buckinghamshire
17 Quaker meeting houses across England listed or upgraded.
HMS Arethusa Figurehead Listed at Grade II
Mentions Ships Figurehead From Admiral Lord Howe to North of Pipers, Buckinghamshire
A wooden figurehead from the Royal Navy ship HMS Arethusa listed at Grade II.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson Chooses Her Top 10 Places for Sport & Leisure in England
Mentions Buckinghamshire
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson announces her top 10 places for sport & leisure in A History of England in 100 Places campaign
Professor Robert Winston announces his top 10 Science & Discovery places
Mentions Buckinghamshire
Professor Robert Winston announces his top 10 Science & Discovery places in A History of England in 100 Places campaign
Buckinghamshire's social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about their local area.
Woottons Store, Dinton, Buckinghamshire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
A group of people dressed in their best clothes outside the shop in Dinton. All of them are wearing hats, the ladies straw boaters.
Woottons Store, Dinton, Buckinghamshire
Windmill, Windmill Street, Brill, Buckinghamshire
Period: Stuart (1603 - 1713)
This post mill dates back to 1668, making it one of the oldest in the country.
Windmill, Windmill Street, Brill, Buckinghamshire
William Cross grocers shop, Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
Two ladies stand in the doorway of William Cross's shop. In the trade directories of the time Mr Cross was a butcher and shopkeeper.
William Cross grocers shop, Marsh Gibbon, Buckinghamshire
Whiteleaf Cross, Whiteleaf, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Local farmers loading hay onto their hay cart, watched by curious children.
Whiteleaf Cross, Whiteleaf, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
Whiteleaf Cross, Whiteleaf, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The large chalk cut cross on a hillside above the village, taken from a field.
Whiteleaf Cross, Whiteleaf, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
Wedding, Buckinghamshire
Period: 1950s (1950 - 1959)
Two girls standing next to a plinth wall while people from a wedding party pose behind by a Methodist chapel in Buckinghamshire.
Wedding, Buckinghamshire
Water Pump, Barton Hartshorn, Buckinghamshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
A woman is helped by a young girl collecting water from the village pump. Two well dresses ladies look on.
Water Pump, Barton Hartshorn, Buckinghamshire
Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This country house was built 1874-83 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the style of a 16th-century French chateau.
Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Bletchley Park Mansion, Wilton Avenue, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Bletchley Park, once the top-secret home of the World War Two Codebreakers, is now a museum and vibrant heritage attraction managed by the Bletchley...
Bradwell Abbey, Alston Drive, Milton Keynes
Bradwell Abbey is a Scheduled Monument, preserving the site and remains of a medieval Benedictine Priory.
Discover more
Ready for more local stories? Take a look at these other places nearby
