Buckingham
206977
226058636
2008-07-16T17:18:59Z
87.112.192.172
{{otheruses}}
{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|latitude= 51.9956
|longitude= -0.9868
|official_name= Buckingham
|population = 11,572<ref>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=792020&c=Buckingham&d=16&e=15&g=424077&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1215978729468&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 Neighbourhood Statistics 2001 Census]</ref>
|shire_district= [[Aylesbury Vale]]
| shire_county = [[Buckinghamshire]]
|region= South East England
|constituency_westminster= [[Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)|Buckingham]]
|post_town= BUCKINGHAM|postcode_district = MK18
|postcode_area= MK |dial_code= 01280
|os_grid_reference= SP695335
|london_distance=
}}
'''Buckingham''' is a [[town]] situated in north [[Buckinghamshire]], [[England]], approximately {{convert|10|mi|1}} from the border with [[Northamptonshire]]. The town has a [[population]] of 11,572 ([[United Kingdom Census 2001]]), (2007 est. 13,200). Buckingham is also a [[civil parish]] designated as a [[town council]].
Historically, Buckingham was the [[county town]] of Buckinghamshire, it was declared county town in the year 888 by [[Alfred the Great]]. ([[Aylesbury]] took over this role in the 16th century).
Buckingham has a variety of restaurants and pubs, typical of a small market town. It has a small number of local shops, both national and independent. Market days are Tuesday and Saturday, with a [[Farmers' Market]] held on the first Tuesday of each month. Buckingham is twinned with Mouvaux, [[France]].
== History ==
[[Image:Buckingham OldCountyGaol02.JPG|thumb|left|Old County Gaol in Buckingham, built 1748. It is now a museum.]]
In the 7th century AD, Buckingham, literally "meadow of Bucca's people" is said to have been founded by Bucca, the leader of the first [[Anglo Saxon]] settlers.<ref>[http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/life/buck/bucktown/begin.html Buckingham town & region - The beginning to the Norman Conquest<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The first settlement was located around the top of a loop in the [[River Great Ouse]], presently the Hunter Street campus of the [[University of Buckingham]]. Between the 7th century and the 11th century, the town of Buckingham regularly changed hands between the [[Saxons]] and the [[Danes]], in particular, in 914 King [[Edward the Elder]] and a [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] army encamped in Buckingham for four weeks forcing local Danish [[Viking]] leaders to surrender. Subsequently a fort was constructed at the location of the present Buckingham [[parish church]].
The town received its [[charter]] in 1554 when [[Mary I of England|Queen Mary]] created the free [[borough]] of Buckingham with boundaries extending from Thornborowe bridge (now Thornborough) to Dudley bridge and from [[Chackmore]] bridge to [[Padbury]] Mill bridge. The designated borough included a [[bailiff]], twelve principal [[burgess]]es and a [[steward]].<ref>''1911 Encyclopædia Britannica'' Buckingham</ref>
== Geography ==
The town is centred on the historic [[market]] place and contains many 18th century buildings. There are three main roads crossing Buckingham, namely the [[A413 road|A413]], the [[A421 road|A421]] (the southern bypass) and the [[A422 road|A422]]. [[Capability Brown]]'s historic formal garden design at [[Stowe, Buckinghamshire|Stowe]] (on the A422 westbound) is an important attraction in the care of the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]].
There is a [[medieval]] [[well]] on the south side of the dismantled [[railway]] which borders the town. The well, which is now dry for much of the year, was positioned to exploit the [[spring line]] below the crest of a north facing slope overlooking the town.
[[Suburb]]s of Buckingham include Mount Pleasant, Page Hill, Bourton, Castle Fields, [[Maids Moreton]] (a [[village]] which has become [[contiguous]] with the Buckingham urban area).
Nearby towns include [[Aylesbury]], [[Winslow, Buckinghamshire|Winslow]], [[Bicester]], [[Brackley]], [[Milton Keynes]], and [[Towcester]].
== Education ==
The town is home to one of the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s two private [[University|universities]], the [[University of Buckingham]]. Unlike other UK universities, most of its students are from overseas.
Buckingham operates the [[Tripartite System|selective/rejective system]] of state [[secondary education]]. The local state [[Education in England#Secondary Education|secondary schools]] are the [[Royal Latin School]] (a [[Grammar School|grammar school]]) and the [[Buckingham School]] (a [[secondary modern]]). [[Stowe School]] and [[Akeley Wood School]], just outside the town, are [[Independent school (UK)|independent schools]]. There are three [[Community school#England and Wales|community]], [[primary school]]s serving different areas of the town: Buckingham Primary School, Bourton Meadow School and Grenville Combined School.
== Sport ==
There are two local [[Football (soccer)|football]] teams, a [[rugby union]] club and a [[cricket]] club. These are [[Buckingham Athletic F.C.]] based at Stratford Fields, [[Buckingham Town F.C.]] based at Ford Meadow, [[Buckingham Rugby Club]] based at Floyd Field, [[Maids Moreton]], and [[Buckingham Town Cricket Club]] based at Bourton Road.
== Saint Romwald ==
[[Image:Buckingham PeterandPaulParishChurch01.JPG|thumb|right|SS Peter and Paul, Buckingham viewed from the South west]]
<!-- The following Saint Romwald information is not a spoof. There is an information board detailing the story erected by the council at the well mentioned in the 'surroundings' section below.
-->
The town is said to be the final resting place of [[Rumwold|St Rumwold]] a little known [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] [[saint]] and the grandson of [[Penda of Mercia|Penda King of Mercia]]; the [[parish church]] at [[Strixton]] (Northants) is dedicated to him and the small northern town of [[Romaldkirk]] is also thought to be named after him. He was apparently born at [[King's Sutton]], Northants, where he died 3 days later. During his short life, he repeatedly professed his [[Christian]] faith and asked for [[baptism]]. He is also called Rumwald or Rumbold,<ref>{{cite web
| last=Shirley
| first=Rodney
| authorlink=
| coauthors=
| title=St Rumbold of Buckingham
| work=
| publisher=[[University of Buckingham|The University of Buckingham]]
| date=
| url=http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/life/buck/bucktown/rumbold.html
| format=
| doi=
| accessdate=2006-09-21}}</ref>
the latter being the most common, as it can be found being used on a local road name and recent booklets about the subject.
== Places of interest ==
* [[Buckingham Chantry Chapel]] (owned by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]])
* [[Stowe, Buckinghamshire|Stowe]]
* [[Stowe School]]
* There is a [[Degree Confluence Project|Confluence point]] on the edge of the town ([http://www.confluence.org/confluence.php?lat=52&lon=-1 here]), at exactly {{coor dms|52|00|00|N|01|00|00|W|}}
== Places of worship ==
* Buckingham Evangelical Church <ref>Buckingham Evangelical Church website [http://www.buckingham-church.org.uk]</ref>[http://www.buckingham-church.org.uk]
* [[St Bernardines Catholic Church, Buckingham]]
* St Peter and Paul Anglican Church, Buckingham<ref>[http://www.buckinghamparishchurch.org.uk/ Website of Buckingham Parish Church]</ref>
* United Reform Church, Well St, Buckingham
== Notable people ==
* [[David Pickering]] (writer)
== References ==
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Buckingham}}
{{reflist}}
== See also ==
*[[Duke of Buckingham]]
*[[Buckingham Palace]]
* Buckingham gave its name to [[Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania]].
== External links ==
{{Commons2|Buckingham}}
*[http://www.aylesburyvale.net/buckingham/towncouncil/index.asp Buckingham Town Council]
*[http://www.buckinghamsociety.org.uk The Buckingham Society]
*[http://www.buckinghamtwinning.org.uk Buckingham - Mouvaux Twinning Association]
*[http://www.oldgaolers.org.uk/ Old Gaolers Drama Group]
*[http://www.bourtonmeadow.bucks.sch.uk/ Bourton Meadow School]
*[http://www.buckinghamprimary.co.uk/ Buckingham Primary School]
*[http://www.grenville.bucks.sch.uk/ Grenville Combined School]
*[http://www.buckingham.bucks.sch.uk/ Buckingham Secondary School]
*[http://www.royallatin.bucks.sch.uk/ The Royal Latin School]
*[http://www.buckingham-uncovered.co.uk/ Events in Buckingham]
{{Buckinghamshire}}
{{River Great Ouse}}
[[Category:Towns in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Parishes of Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
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