Ackhampstead facts for kids
Ackhampstead (which means 'oak homestead' in old English) was an old township or small village area. It was located in the Chiltern Hills, south of a place called Lane End.
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What Was Ackhampstead?
Ackhampstead was once a small community, sometimes called 'The Moor'. It was known as a township or chapelry, which means it was a small area with its own chapel, but it wasn't a full parish. It sat within the beautiful Chiltern Hills.
A Place That Moved Counties
For a long time, until 1844, Ackhampstead was a bit unusual. It was a 'detached part' of Oxfordshire. Imagine a piece of one county that was completely surrounded by another county! Ackhampstead belonged to the parish of Lewknor in Oxfordshire, even though it was physically separated.
In 1844, a law called the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844 changed things. Ackhampstead was officially moved to Buckinghamshire. This made more sense geographically.
The Disappearing Village
By the mid-1800s, very few people lived in Ackhampstead. It was almost empty. The Bishop of Oxford decided to take down its old medieval chapel. Instead, a new church was built nearby in Cadmore End.
Later, in 1885, the way the Lewknor parish was divided up changed. Ackhampstead became part of the parish of Great Marlow. First, this was for church-related matters, and then by 1895, it became part of Great Marlow for local government purposes too.
Where is it Now?
Over time, Ackhampstead continued to change. In 1934, the western part of the area, including a place called Moor Farm, became part of the civil parish of Fingest. This parish was later renamed Fingest and Lane End in 1937, and today it is part of the Lane End parish.
However, the larger part of the original Ackhampstead, including where the old chapel used to be and a wood called Moor Wood, is still part of the Great Marlow parish. A detailed history of Ackhampstead was written by Dr Gordon Wyatt in 1969.
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