Loudwater, Buckinghamshire

Loudwater is a hamlet in the parish of Chepping Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the valley to the east of High Wycombe, on the A40 London Road.

Not to be confused with Loudwater, Hertfordshire, a private housing estate in Chorleywood.

Loudwater

Loudwater sign depicting a mill that once stood there
Loudwater
Location within Buckinghamshire
Population4,170 
OS grid referenceSU905905
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHIGH WYCOMBE
Postcode districtHP10
Dialling code01494, 01628
PoliceThames Valley
FireBuckinghamshire
AmbulanceSouth Central
UK Parliament

History

The hamlet name refers to the River Wye nearby, that also flows through High Wycombe. In manorial records in 1241 the hamlet was referred to as La Ludewatere.

St Peter's Church, Loudwater

The brick built St Peter's Church dates from 1788 with a gothic style chancel added in 1903 and further improvements in recent years, including new windows. On the London Road there is a Victorian mansion called Burleighfield House that was once the studio of the stained glass designer Patrick Reyntiens.

There was once a blotting paper mill in the valley and Loudwater had its own railway station on the Wycombe Railway that opened in 1854 and closed in 1970.

Today there is little to distinguish the hamlet from the urban sprawl of High Wycombe, though it is signed along the London Road. A 1744 milestone can still be seen and there is also still a traditional village pub 'The Derehams Inn' in Derehams Lane.

Features

Loudwater is home to several retail and industrial concerns - a large Tesco supermarket, an industrial estate, a small retail park, a Brewers Fayre motel and also the office of the local newspaper, the Bucks Free Press. The M40 motorway crosses over the valley close to the village, and facilitates the eastbound only Junction 3, signposted as 'Wycombe East'.

Loudwater was once served by the High Wycombe to Bourne End railway line, the station being situated at the bottom of Treadaway Hill. The line and station closed in 1970, the old railway path can still be walked through Fennel Wood.

Loudwater is known as the Headquarters of Dreams Beds, Costa Express and Fonehouse.

Loudwater has a primary school called Loudwater Combined School, located on Kingsmead Road.

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