Prestwood is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about half a mile west of its post town, Great Missenden.
History
Early history and creation of parish
The village name is Anglo-Saxon in origin, and means "Priest-wood". There is evidence of settlement in Prestwood from the Middle Ages, when the village was mainly covered in oak, beech and ash trees. Hatches Farm is one of the buildings that dates from the medieval period.
By 1849, more of the woodland had been cleared to make way for agriculture and common land, around which approximately 100 houses now existed. Many villagers worked in cottage industries such as lace making, and a wheelwright was also present in the village. The new parish combined portions of the parishes of Missenden, Hughenden and Hampden. Today the dairy owns several acres of fields in the north and west of Prestwood, on which its cows still graze. Cornelius Stevens established a farmhouse, gardens, slaughterhouse and butcher's shop (named C. Stevens and Sons) on land then known as Square Farm, in the centre of the village. His four eldest sons took over the business upon his death in 1932; when it closed down in the 1980s, the steel blood bins were buried on land now belonging to Prestwood Junior School. Gaybird Ltd supplied pheasant chicks and eggs to shoots throughout the country, raising the birds in fields stretching from Prestwood as far away as Dunsmore, near Wendover. Their produce was regularly exhibited at the annual national Game Fair. Finally, a pie factory was constructed, called Farmer Giles; the site is now used for an elderly residential home called Giles Gate. leading to an increase in the number of retired people living in the village. In the early hours of Saturday 9 December 2006, a large fire swept through the Cherry Orchard residential home, killing one elderly woman and forcing 12 others to be rescued. Most of the ground floor was gutted in the fire, which started when a resident left clothes on top of a faulty electric radiator; all of the residents were moved out until rebuilding work could be completed.
In 2001, the old Prestwood Leisure Centre was demolished. After a much-delayed rebuilding programme over the following two years, the Sprinters Fitness Centre opened in its place in 2003. It included three newly built tennis courts and two fitness studios. The opening helped to revitalise Prestwood's economy and continues to attract people from the surrounding area.
The land on which Prestwood's only petrol station existed was bought by Beeks Homes Ltd in 2002. The petrol station was demolished on the premise that, whilst new homes would be built on the site, a smaller petrol station would also be included in the plans. When Beeks turned back on these plans, two years of legal wranglings ensued between the company and the parish council; eventually, the council relented and solely homes were constructed.
In July 2007 a new park was built on Prestwood common and was opened by Cherie Blair.
In March 2016 the public house formerly known as The Chequers relaunched as The Chequers Tree after locals objected to it being renamed as The Prestwood by owners Greene King.
Listed buildings
Prestwood has 28 buildings listed on the National Heritage List; all are listed Grade II. On Green Lane, Cherry Cottage, Clayton House, Hampden Farm, the Thimble Farm Cottages, and Greenlands Farm and its garden gateway are all listed. The Polecat public house on Wycombe Road is also listed.
The barn and farmhouse at Collings Hanger Farm on Wycombe Road, Pankridge Farm and Moat Farm on Moat Lane, and the farmhouse, garden gates and railings, large barn, cartshed, and smaller barn at Andlows Farm on Green Lane are all listed agricultural buildings in Prestwood.
The Church of Holy Trinity its lynch gate and the church school and Church Cottage at 134 Wycombe Road are listed, as well as Prestwood Park House behind the church.
Rose Cottage at 186 Wycombe Road and Knives Farmhouse at 150 Wycombe Road, Lady Boys on Kiln Road, The Flint Cottage and the Old Chequers Cottage on Chequers Lane, and the East Cottage and the Thatched Cottage on Honor End Lane are all individually listed houses in Prestwood.
Education
There are two primary schools in Prestwood: Prestwood Infant School, for 4 to 7-year-olds; Prestwood Junior School, for 7 to 11-year-olds. In June 2008, Prestwood Infant School celebrated its centenary.
The local catchment secondary schools are the Misbourne School, an upper school, and Dr Challoner's Grammar School (boys), Dr Challoner's High School (girls), Chesham Grammar School (mixed) and The Royal Grammar School for Boys which are all Grammar Schools.
Prestwood is also the location of the Prestwood Campus of Chiltern Way Academy, a special school for children from the age of 11 to 18.
Residents' Groups
Prestwood is located within the Parish of Great Missenden, but is much larger than the town of Great Missenden. Prestwood Community Association (PCA) was created in 2024 as a dedicated, proactive group that would take a holistic view on behalf of all residents and stakeholders. One of many residents' groups within Prestwood, PCA works to improve the village's environment and amenities. It organises an annual multi-event, multi-venue 'Prestwood Big Week' in June, culminating in 'Prestfest', a music-led celebration on the Common and Recreation Ground.
Prestwood Nature is the local environment group for the central area of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Its area covers a 3 kilometre radius from Prestwood and includes the villages of Great Missenden, Great and Little Kingshill, Great and Little Hampden, North Dean and Speen. It organises events and maintains and organises working parties at various sites around the area. Prestwood Nature and Prestwood Community Association are working together to secure the future of the Sheepwash Pond, a historical site and natural amenity.
Sport and leisure
Prestwood has a Non-League football club Prestwood F.C. who play at Prestwood Sports Club on Honor Road. There is also a cricket club at the same venue.
There is a children's Football Club, Prestwood Colts and Girls F.C., who play at Prestwood Common.
Missenden badminton club meets at Prestwood Junior School on Wednesday evenings.
The village is also home to one of the largest gymnastic clubs in Buckinghamshire, which is held at Prestwood Junior School on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. In 2015 the club was given planning permission to build a dedicated gymnastics centre at Sprinters Leisure Centre in Prestwood
Prestwood Local Nature Reserve is located off Hampden Road.
Transport
Great Missenden railway station, about half a mile away, is on the Chiltern Railways London to Aylesbury Line and provides train services to London Marylebone station in approximately 45 minutes.
Bus services, run by Arriva Shires & Essex, run to High Wycombe in one direction, and Great Missenden and Chesham in the other. From Great Missenden, it is also possible to connect to other bus services to Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead.
Notable people
- Former prime minister Clement Attlee used to live in Prestwood, and after retiring he took his seat in the House of Lords as Earl Attlee and Viscount Prestwood.
- Actor and comedian Noel Fielding also used to live in the village whilst studying in Wycombe.
Other trivia
- During the 19th century Prestwood was famous for its cherry orchards and parties of Londoners would travel out to the area during the spring to view the blossoms.
- Chequers, the country residence of the Prime Minister, is a few miles north of the village. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair often brought his family to the Great Missenden Catholic church in Great Missenden at the weekends.