Blog 5 : Wednesday 22nd February 2012 - aka TODAY and an update on events that have happened in between, kids seeing house for first time, trying to sorts out schools, colleges, internet (that took FAR too long) flats (story in itself really) romance and lastly lent.
So where did we move to - Stokenchurch, HP14
Stokenchurch is a village and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Chinnor in Oxfordshire and 6 miles (9.7 km) west of High Wycombe. The village is a popular place to live, due to its rural location and ease of access to London and Birmingham. Stokenchurch has its own junction of the M40 (junction 5)
Living in Stokenchurch
Amenities and services in and around the parish are listed below in alphabetical order
As we mentioned in the page on ‘Our Village’ Stokenchurch is the main village in the area and provides most of the local amenities. In Studley Green there is a Community Centre and a Garden Centre but no shops, churches, public houses or restaurants there or in any of the other outlying hamlets.
A free local publication 'The Village View' is circulated to all households ten times a year and provides advertising opportunities for a wide range of local trades' people and other providers of essential services. It contains a number of community pages, including a list of contact 'phone numbers for local clubs and societies. 'The Village View' can be contacted on 07930 907 606 or at
www.chilterndirectories.co.uk.
The main amenities available in and around the village are:
Allotments
There are allotments in Stokenchurch and at Water End. At present plots are only available in Stokenchurch. See the section on other
services provided by the parish council for further information.
Banks
There is a branch of Lloyds Bank in Church Path, just behind the Kings Hotel. There are ATMs in all three convenience stores in the village.
Care for the Elderly
A number of groups meet regularly to provide care and entertainment for the elderly - the Stokenchurch Day Centre, STOPAG (Stokenchurch Older Persons' Action Group) and various church groups.
Cemeteries
Children's Play Areas
There are play areas for children at:
- Longburrow Hall
- At the Medical Centre end of the Cricket Ground
- InStudley Green at the Community Centre
Churches
There are two churches in the village:
- Church of England - The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Church Path, Stokenchurch.
- Methodist Church - The Green, Stokenchurch.
The Studley Green Christian Fellowship meets at the Studley Green Community Centre. There are churches and places of worship for other denominations in High Wycombe, Marlow and Oxford.
Country Walks
There are many miles of walks on the footpaths and bridleways surrounding the parish. Examples can be found in the Chiltern Society Footpath map No. 14 - Stokenchurch and Chinnor.
Stokenchurch is on both the Chiltern Way, a 125 mile long distance path, and on the Chiltern Cycleway, a 170 mile circular cycle route. For more details see the Chiltern Society website -
www.chilternsociety.org.ukDog Rescue
The renowned Stokenchurch Dog Rescue Centre is at Tower Farm, just to the west of the village on the A40. More details can be found on
www.stokenchurchdogrescue.co.ukLeisure and Adult Education
Stokenchurch boasts two village halls and a community centre:
- Longburrow Hall in Stokenchurch is the 'official' village hall (see the Longburrow hall section in the Parish Council part of this website).
- The Memorial Hall on the village green is a thriving social centre
- The Community Centre (in Bartholomew Tipping Way) offers a range of evening classes and is also the venue for a number of local sports clubs
- In addition there is a Community Centre in Studley Green on the A40 opposite the garden centre.
There are a wide variety of local clubs and societies including football, cricket, photography and wine appreciation. A full list of the contact details can be found on the Community pages of the 'Village View'.
The nearest leisure centre is at Cressex in High Wycombe (Junction 4 on the M40 - about 6 miles away.)
Library Service
The library in Stokenchurch is open:
Tuesday - 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.Wednesday - 10 a.m. until 1.p.m. and 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.Thursday - 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.Saturday - 10 a.m. until 1.p.m.The Bucks County Council Library Service can be contacted on 0845 230 3232
M40 Chilterns Environment Group
This group is active in the village and campaigns to mitigate the impact of the M40 on local communities immediately adjacent to the motorway. The group can be contacted through their website at
www.m40-chilterns.org.ukMedical Centre
There is a medical centre in Stokenchurch providing a wide range of GP and primary health care services. They can contacted by phone – 0844 576 9633 – by e-mail –
admin@stokenchurchmedicalcentre.co.uk or on the internet by accessing the NHS website
www.nhs.ukParking Places
Four places are designated as public parking areas:
- Outside the Kings Arms Hotel
- On the commons adjacent to 'The Four Horseshoes' public house
- The allotment car park to the west of the Cricket Ground
- Adjacent to the public library and Memorial Hall
Police
A telephone giving direct access to the police is available outside the police office. The office is situated in front of the entrance to the Positive Steps Nursery. Full details of local policing are accessible through the Thames Valley Police website
www.thamesvalley.police.uk and entering Stokenchurch or a local post code in the neighbourhood search box.
Post Office
Stokenchurch has a sub post office in the Spar shop on Wycombe Road.
Public Telephone
There is a public telephone outside the Memorial Hall
Pubs and Places to Eat
There are four public houses in Stokenchurch, all providing food as well as drinks:
- Fleur de Lys (on the village green)
- The Four Horseshoes (on the village green)
- Mowchak (on the Wycombe Road)
- The Royal Oak (on Church Street)
The Kings Hotel, a former sixteenth century coaching inn overlooking the village green, provides accommodation as well as dining and conference facilities.
In addition to the public houses (which provide takeaway services) there is a fish and chip shop and a Chinese takeaway.
Recycling
There is a recycling facility at Mudds Bank, which is on the A40 to the east of the village at the turning to Radnage. There is also a bottle and clothes bank in Church Street, off the village green and just behind the Memorial Hall.
There are two amenity sites outside the village that will take unwanted household items and large quantities of garden waste. These are at Booker close by Wycombe Air Park, and the other just beyond Bledrow Ridge on the West Wycombe to Chinnor road.
Rubbish and Refuse Collection
Rubbish and Refuse collections are the responsibility of Wycombe District Council. For full details see their website (
www.wycombe.gov.uk) or call 01494 421 415.
Schools and Nurseries
There are two primary schools in the parish:
In addition there are Church of England primary schools in the neighbouring parishes of Radnage and Ibstone.
There are no secondary schools within the parish. Pupils travel to High Wycombe, Watlington Marlow and Henley to further their education. Similarly, there are private schools in towns close by, particularly in High Wycombe and Oxford.
There are a number of pre-school groups and nurseries in the area.
Shops & Garages
There are three general stores in Stokenchurch, all offering a range of groceries, newspapers and magazines, with some fruit and vegetables. There are three further shops, one providing print services, one selling equestrian tack and gear and the third wood burning stoves.
There is a pharmacy next to the Kings Hotel.
In addition to petrol, the filling station (Total) offers a range of basic goods.
There is a garage - Stokenchurch Service Centre (opposite Raven Copse on the same side of the A40 as the Mowchak Indian Restaurant). This does not sell petrol but provides servicing and repair facilities.
There are three hairdressers in the village.
Just outside the main village at Kiln Farm on the A40 to Oxford is 'The Kennel Shop' which sells pet foods and a wide range of related accessories.
The nearest large supermarkets are in High Wycombe (Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Tesco), Thame (Sainsbury’s and Waitrose) and Wheatley (Asda).
Transport
There are bus services to:
- High Wycombe (Arriva, National Express, Red Rose and Carousel)
- Lane End(Arriva and Carousel)
- Luton and Stansted Airports (National Express)
- Oxford(National Express and Red Rose)
- Reading(Motts Coaches)
- Thame(Arriva)
The nearest railway station is in High Wycombe (Chiltern Railways) with frequent services to London and to Birmingham.
Veterinary Services
There is a veterinary practice at the junction of New Road and the A40. In addition there are boarding kennels at Bigmore Lane on the Marlow Road, just outside the village.
Village Hall
See the separate
Longburrow Hall section in the ‘Parish Council’ part of this website.
Youth Activities
There are Guide and Scout troops in the village. A youth club meets at the Studley Green Community Centre on Tuesdays. Another group meets at the Stokenchurch Community Centre in Bartholomew Tipping Way on Fridays. Contact details are in ‘Village View’ (
www.chilterndirectories.co.uk)
The commentary below was written for the mouseprice.com website in 2006, please be aware that the comments below might be out of date. We recommend disregarding these comments in favour of the data that can be found either above or in the other sections of this website.Market trends:The size of the property market in HP14 is 7076 homes. When compared against a national average compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the last 5 years of 12.5%, the growth in this postcode district has been 12.6%. This could well be because this is a dynamic local economy and housing market. Property price growth in this area has significantly exceeded growth in earnings and the national average house price growth, and so the likelihood of it continuing will be dependent upon price earnings ratio, as well as investment by developers and local authorities in continually upgrading local infrastructure, schools, in addition to the continued strength of the local and national economies and any other economies upon which the area depends. The average property in this postcode district was valued at £307821 over the last 3 months.Price earnings ratio is an indicator of the affordability of property for someone on the average salary in the area. Price Earnings Ratio in this postcode district is 14. New transactions as a percentage of overall sales are 3.5%.Housing stock:The most readily available type of property in the area are Detached Houses, making up 45.7% of the total. Flats account for the lowest percentage of the housing stock in this district, at only 7.4%.This is an area with a high proportion of property suitable for families with children.Socially rented accommodation represents 10.9% of the total rented accommodation in the area. The majority of property in this area is owner occupied.The average price of a two bed property in this area is higher than the national average of £187894 at £279968.Who lives here:There are 8781 men and 8941 women in this postcode district.The average age in this area is 39.This area has a high percentage of married people at 23.9%.Average working hours in this area for men are 44 and for women are 32.This area has 2.2 people per square kilometre.Job prospects in this area are good with low unemployment (1.9%). Most jobs are found in the Real Estate and Wholesale & Retail sectors
Stokenchurch voted Bucks' best village
5:31pm Wednesday 22nd July 2009
By Andy Carswell »
STOKENCHURCH could become the best village in the country after being named Buckinghamshire Village of the Year.
It took the county award in the 2009 Calor Village of the Year competition after being voted the best village in which to live in Buckinghamshire.
This means Stokenchurch will represent the county at the national awards, where voting gets underway from September.
Reader they didn't win and much as we've moved here, its not pretty pretty although once the sun comes out and the cricket gets played I may change my views but I can't ever see it beating a pretty village in say Dorset or Devon.
Which brings me onto our grand scheme, work for the next 20 years :( and then move to our pretty little cottage by the sea in time for our retirement and cleverly a place that has accommodation close by so we don't need to buy a mansion just a two up two down place .
So we had valentines day and hubby very beautifully got me some more hearts to put in the house of love as we've now christened it (our poor boys) and I made a special Marks & Spencers dinner for two consisting of starter: Coquilles St Jaques main course : Aberdeen Angus Beef joint with mini roasted new potatoes, and veg dessert: chocolaty brownie with a raspberry middle and wonderful bottle of Red, chocolates that kept being mysteriously stolen when I wasn't looking and I lit candles and made a makeshift romantic table on our kitchen counter as best you can when needing to use a red twirly office chair lol! It was a wonderful night and we finished off the evening watching a movie and cuddling ----------------- strike that I fell asleep and hubby read his book. LOVE is whatever you want it to be <3
Stair Bannister has been fixed :-)
Dishwasher works - electric socket wasn't working :-)
Gas Fire - we hadn't switched it on :-)
Front door - we have new keys and still can't work door :-(
Bathroom door - hmmm we have a makeshift curtain up :-(
Internet - is on - obviously or else I wouldn't be able to blog so furiously :-P
Middle man finally has his school place and starts on Monday at 8.30am. We met the headmaster and after explaining about the millions of school places he's had in the past 2 years (ok he's on his 3rd still not good) the look on his face said it all, we need to watch this family??? My friend has pointed out we should have said we were travellers and then we wouldn't have been questioned.
and the I will obviously have to speak to his old school to see what class he should be in as we have different levels of children in the classes. Then he informs me that in this area from year 6 the children have to immediately start preparing for their 11+ what have I done to the poor boy???
Today we'd filled out all school forms and handed in middle son's passport and birth certificate??? That is a first!
And we collected his school uniform 2 jumpers, 2 ties, book bag, water bottle, pe shirt and shorts and we're already down by £50 but no worries little man aka demolition man was there and so in his haste at running around in the reception (must stop giving him red bull JOKE although most who know him probably will now think I do give him red bull because he has an energy that even the energizer bunny would be jealous of)
but as he ran he couldn't stop and headbutted one of the many glass cabinets that hold the school trophies. Only my child could do this, thereby knocking down the trophies so they are all now lying down instead of proudly standing.
The receptionist sweetly says "you have your hands full with him don't you" you have no IDEA!!!!
Lent yesterday and after going through my lists of what should I give up, my decision was to not give things up anymore but work at them??? See clever eh????
Now my blogging is done for the day, I can put on the boys dinner and get back to my new engrossing read of Twilight, I thank little man for now being interested enough in the kids channels to now let me read a few chapters now and again.
TTFN!!!!
agreed!!
heads held low so as obviously not to distract attention away from him (as if we could lol).
, the school has been classed as outstanding, there are some beautiful housing estates and then there is our housing estate. Where we used to live we knew where was good to live and basically where wasn't??
hubby said don't be silly they could have just been waiting innocently for a bus. As anyone who has ever moved away from London will know moving back isn't so easy so with a lack of funds available we had the choice of Hayes but only barely as they were well above £1200 a month (sorry Hayes residents) Slough (sorry Slough residents) High Wycombe (not the nice areas /sorry HW residents) and the further out we went the nicer it became (sorry to all of the above again). So we came here, did a bit of homework timescale allowing blah blah blah.
