Radnage Explained

Official Name:Radnage
Static Image Name:Radnage Village Sign, Sprigs Holly Lane.jpg
Static Image Caption:Entrance to Radnage, Sprigs Holly Lane
Static Image 2 Name:St. Mary's parish Church Radnage.jpg
Static Image 2 Caption:St. Mary's parish Church
Coordinates:51.668°N -0.87°W
Os Grid Reference:SU7897
Population:658
Population Ref:[1]
673 (2011 census)[2]
Civil Parish:Radnage
Unitary England:Buckinghamshire
Lieutenancy England:Buckinghamshire
Region:South East England
Country:England
Constituency Westminster:Wycombe
Post Town:High Wycombe
Postcode District:HP14
Postcode Area:HP
Dial Code:01494
Website:Radnage

Radnage is a village and civil parish in the Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the Chiltern Hills about two miles north east of Stokenchurch and six miles WNW of High Wycombe.

The parish is set in folds of the Chiltern Hills to the south of Bledlow Ridge next to the border with Oxfordshire. Although not a large parish, the residential areas known as The City, Bennett End and Town End, are separate hamlets.

Radnage (also spelled Radeneach, Rodenache etc. in old documents) meant ‘red oak’ in Old English.

History

Settlement in the area dates back to Roman times as demonstrated by the excavation of a Romano-British glass ribbed bowl from the village, now in the British Museum.[3] Radnage is not mentioned in Domesday Book and it appears from a 13th-century document to have been royal demesne attached to the manor of Brill. Later, it was divided into two parts. The smaller part was granted by King Henry I to the newly established Fontevrault Abbey in France and attached to property at Leighton in Bedfordshire, which was also given to Fontevrault.

The larger part, known as Radnage Manor, was for a time retained by the crown and then in 1215 was granted by King John to the Knights Templar. When this order was suppressed in the early 14th century, their lands passed to the Knights Hospitaller. On the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII the manor was again acquired by the crown. King Charles I mortgaged it with other crown lands to the City of London in order to raise money. Later, King Charles II was said to have given it to one of his mistresses. But by the 19th century both parts of the manor again belonged to the crown and so remained until the abolition of manorial rights in 1925.[4]

Dedicated on 1 May 1920, Radnage War Memorial sits in a walled garden at Mudds Bank.[5]

Amenities

Radnage has two public houses: The Crown[6] [7] and the Mash Inn[8] (previously known as the Three Horseshoes).

There is also a village hall, which is used as the meeting place for the parish council[9] and W.I.[10] In addition to this, the hall also has a playing field and separate children's playground.[11]

The village also has two campsites: Bella Vista[12] and Home Farm.[13]

Outdoor activities

Radnage is situated in the heart of the Chiltern Hills and is served by multiple footpaths and bridleways. As such, it's popular with cyclists, walkers, runners and horse riders. The village holds an annual 5k and 10k trail run race to raise money for the local school.[14]

Notable trails and locations

Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Mary the Virgin is the local parish church, situated towards the northeastern edge of the parish. The church is part of the West Wycombe benefice,[20] the building is Grade 1 listed.[21]

History and construction

The church was built in the late 12th century, early 13th century in much the same form as it appears today, though larger windows were inserted in the 14th century and the nave appears to have been lengthened and heightened in the 15th century, when the present roof was built. There is a central tower, which is unusual in being narrower than either the chancel or the nave.

There are three original lancet windows of the early 13th century in the east wall of the chancel. The other windows in the church are 14th century. The south doorway is original of the early 13th century. A similar north doorway has been blocked up. The south porch and outer door are original of the 13th century, but with a 15th-century roof and 15th-century windows in the side walls.

The fine 15th-century nave roof has embattled tie-beams supported by arched brackets with tracery in the spandrels and also in the triangular spaces above the beams. The lower-pitched chancel roof is probably 16th century.

Inside the church there is an archway through the tower with 13th-century arches in pointed style at either end. The chancel has a 13th-century piscina (damaged) in the south wall. The nave has traces of early wall painting and also post-Reformation texts (16th-to-18th-century). The font is probably 17th-century.[22]

References

Books mentioned in the notes

Notes

Notes and References

  1. http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=792167&c=Radnage&d=16&e=15&g=425394&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1216587702781&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 Neighbourhood Statistics 2001 Census
  2. Web site: Civil Parish population 2011. 26 November 2016. Office for National Statistics . Neighbourhood Statistics.
  3. https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1363047&partId=1&searchText=Radnage&page=1 British Museum Collection
  4. VHCB vol.3 p.90
  5. Web site: Radnage War Memorial . Historic England . 2 March 2022 . 3 May 2017.
  6. Web site: Eat, drink and stay Radnage.net. 2021-05-14. en-US.
  7. Web site: The Crown - Restaurant - Cocktails - High Wycombe. 2021-05-14. The Crown, Radnage. en.
  8. Web site: FIND US. 2021-05-14. The Mash Inn. en-US.
  9. Web site: Parish Council Radnage.net. 2021-05-14. en-US.
  10. Web site: Welcome to the WI Radnage.net. 2021-05-14. en-US.
  11. Web site: Radnage Children's Playground · Radnage, High Wycombe HP14 4DD, United Kingdom . 2022-04-21 . Radnage Children's Playground · Radnage, High Wycombe HP14 4DD, United Kingdom . en.
  12. Web site: HOME . 2022-04-21 . Bella Vista Camping . en.
  13. Web site: Home Farm Camping and Caravan Site . 2022-04-21 . en-GB.
  14. Web site: Radnage . Rugged . Race 20 November 2022 - 10AM . 2022-04-21 . Rugged Radnage . en-GB.
  15. Web site: The Chilterns AONB - Map categories . 2022-04-21 . www.chilternsaonb.org.
  16. Web site: Yoesden Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust . 2022-04-21 . www.bbowt.org.uk.
  17. Web site: Bottom Wood . 2022-04-21 . Chiltern Society . en-GB.
  18. Web site: The Chilterns AONB - Map categories . 2022-04-21 . www.chilternsaonb.org.
  19. Web site: The Chilterns AONB - Map categories . 2022-04-21 . www.chilternsaonb.org.
  20. Web site: Radnage - St Mary the Virgin. 2021-05-15. www.achurchnearyou.com. en.
  21. Web site: CHURCH OF ST MARY, Radnage - 1310495 Historic England. 2021-05-15. historicengland.org.uk. en.
  22. For the history and architecture of the church, see VHCB Vol.3 pp.91-2, RCHMB pp.274-5 and Pevsner & Wiiliamson pp.612-3