Buckingham UK
The Green Heart of England
A lovely market town to visit, shop and walk around
More About Buckingham UK
Flora Thompson
Flora Thompson, the writer of the semi-autobiographical trilogy, 'Lark Rise to Candleford', the book for which she is best remembered, describes life as a child growing up in the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire countryside in the late nineteenth century
In the book Flora Thompson chronicles the daily lives of farm workers and craftsmen, friends and relations alike and is a precise and enduring portrayal of country life long since vanished. Flora Thompson used real life villages and communities as her inspiration and freely admitted that 'Candleford' was based on Buckingham UK, Brackley and Banbury and, of course, 'Lark Rise' and 'Fordlow' are Juniper Hill and Cottisford. Flora Thompson clearly enjoyed her numerous trips to Buckingham visiting her father's relatives, the Timms family, who have been continuously associated with the town for hundreds of years.
Flora's younger sister, Ethel Elizabeth (Betty) Timms, shared her love of writing and Betty's success with a children's book, 'The Little Grey Men of the Moor', which was published in 1926, encouraged Flora to write her books.
The Old Gaol Museum of Buckingham has a permanent exhibition of Flora Thompson’s life and works, as a themed museum, 'The Home of Flora Thompson'. The exhibition, which the Museum Development Service called, 'of national importance', was formally opened on May 25th 2007 to coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of Flora Thompson’s death. The exhibition, which is the only permanent, viewable exhibition of Flora Thompson memorabilia in the world, comprises photographs, pamphlets, early and first edition books, letters written by Flora, together with a number of personal items. The typewriter on which Flora and Betty composed much of their work is a major attraction.
This is another reason for making a visit to the Old Gaol a must do activity.
Click here for more information about Flora Thompson.
River Great Ouse and Buckingham Canal
The River Great Ouse rises not far away from Buckingham (near to Brackley) and eventually flows into the sea at Kings Lynne. The River Great Ouse attractively winds it’s way through the centre of Buckingham and even though it is only a few miles down stream of where it starts is already about 10 m wide on average. It also has the capacity to flood after significant rain falls and some of the green spaces become an extension of the river.
Buckingham did have a canal but this became disused many years ago.
The waterway to Buckingham ran from the Grand Union lock at Cosgrove, on the Grand Union Canal, along the Stony Stratford and Buckingham Arms. However it closed down in the 1960s but there is still evidence of it and the Buckingham Canal Society are working on restoring it.
Population
Buckingham has a population of about 11,000 although this is growing with at least one new housing estate planned.
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham adds a special atmosphere to the town with its activities and its many overseas students. The University occupies a number of older (and interesting) as well as some new purpose built buildings over several sites in the town.
