Beaconsfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beaconsfield |
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 Memorial Green, the Old Town, Beaconsfield |
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 Beaconsfield
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| Area | 19.66 km2 (7.59 sq mi) |
| Population | 12,235 |
| • Density | 622/km2 (1,610/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU9490 |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Beaconsfield |
| Postcode district | HP9 |
| Dialling code | 01494 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Beaconsfield (
i/ˈbɛkənzfiːld/ bek-ƏNZ-feeld) is a busy market town and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England. It is about 39 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of central London. The town is also about 26 kilometers (16 miles) southeast of Aylesbury. Nearby towns include Gerrards Cross, Amersham, and High Wycombe.
Beaconsfield is next to the beautiful Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has many old buildings in its Old Town. These buildings show styles like Georgian and Tudor revival. The town is famous for two special places. It is home to Bekonscot, the very first model village in the world. It also hosts the National Film and Television School. This school helps train future movie makers.
In 2008, Beaconsfield was known as Britain's richest town. This was based on the average price of houses there. In 2011, almost half (47%) of the homes for sale in Beaconsfield cost over £1 million. This was much higher than the national average.
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History of Beaconsfield
The area around Beaconsfield town has a lot of arable land, which means it's used for farming. Some beech forests still remain. These trees were once used to supply wood for furniture making in nearby High Wycombe.
The name Beaconsfield was first written down in 1185. It was spelled Bekenesfeld. This name means beechen field, or a clearing in the beech trees. This makes sense because the nearby Burnham Beeches is also a forest full of beech trees.
Old Town Landmarks
The main church in Old Beaconsfield is called St Mary's. It was rebuilt in 1869 using flint and bath stone. The United Reformed Church in Beaconsfield has been a place of worship since 1704. Old Beaconsfield has many old coaching inns. These inns are found along a wide street with red brick houses and small shops. Beaconsfield was the first stopping point for coaches traveling between London and Oxford. This is because it is exactly halfway between the two cities.
A special event called the annual charter fair takes place every year on May 10th. This fair has been held since 1269. In 2019, it celebrated its 750th year!
Famous Connections
During the Victorian era, Beaconsfield was connected to Benjamin Disraeli. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice. In 1876, Queen Victoria made him the 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. She liked him very much. Because of this, many streets in other cities were named Beaconsfield.
Many famous people are buried in Beaconsfield. These include the author G. K. Chesterton, the statesman Edmund Burke, and the poet Edmund Waller. A tall stone obelisk stands over Edmund Waller's tomb in the churchyard.
Beaconsfield in Film and TV
Beaconsfield is home to Bekonscot model village. This was the first model village ever built. The town also has Beaconsfield Film Studios, which is now the National Film and Television School. Many famous film directors, like Nick Park, learned their skills here.
The famous author Terry Pratchett, who wrote the Discworld books, was born here. Parts of the classic film Brief Encounter were filmed in Beaconsfield. The Royal Saracens Head Inn appeared in the James Bond film Thunderball. The pub scenes in Hot Fuzz were filmed in the Royal Standard of England pub. Many other parts of the town have been used in movies and TV shows. This is because of the old film studio and nearby Pinewood Studios. More recently, Beaconsfield has been a location for TV shows like Midsomer Murders and Lewis.
New Town Development
The New Town of Beaconsfield was built about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) north of the Old Town. This happened when the railway arrived around the year 1900. The railway station is on the Chiltern Main Line. This line goes from Marylebone in London towards High Wycombe. It then branches off to Aylesbury and Birmingham.
Arts and Culture
Beaconsfield has a lively arts scene. The Chiltern Shakespeare Company performs Shakespeare plays every year. The Beaconsfield Theatre Group is over 60 years old. The Beaconsfield Musical & Operatic Society has been around for over 100 years. There is also The Young Theatre (at Beaconsfield), which is run by young people for young people.
Sports and Fun Activities
- Beaconsfield Cricket Club plays cricket at Wilton Park.
- Beaconsfield Rugby Club plays rugby at Oak Lodge Meadow.
- Beaconsfield Town Football Club is a local football team. They play at Holloways Park.
How Beaconsfield is Governed
Beaconsfield is part of the Beaconsfield area for Parliament. This area also includes Marlow. The current Member of Parliament (MP) for Beaconsfield is Joy Morrissey.
A former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, once ran for election in Beaconsfield in 1982. However, he lost that election. This was the only election he ever lost.
Getting Around Beaconsfield
The M40 motorway runs very close to Beaconsfield. Junction 2 of the M40 is right on the town's edge. This junction is also home to Beaconsfield motorway services. Other important roads include the A355, which connects Amersham and Slough. The A40 runs alongside the M40 and used to be the main road between London and Oxford.
Beaconsfield railway station offers train services to London Marylebone. You can also travel to Birmingham Snow Hill, Aylesbury, and Oxford. Fast trains can reach London in about 25 minutes. The station has a car park for people who drive there to catch the train.
Twin Town
Beaconsfield has a special friendship with a town in France. Since 1995, it has been twinned with Langres, France.
Schools in Beaconsfield
Buckinghamshire Council has a special system for secondary schools. Students can take an 11+ test when they are 10 or 11 years old. About 30% of students score high enough to go to grammar schools.
Here are some of the schools in Beaconsfield:
- Alfriston School is a special school for girls aged 11 to 18. It helps girls with moderate learning difficulties.
- Beaconsfield High School is a top-performing grammar school for girls aged 11 to 18.
- The Beaconsfield School has good results. Its older students can join with Beaconsfield High students for more course choices.
- Davenies School is a private day school for boys aged 4 to 13. It has sports fields, a swimming pool, and a sports hall.
- High March School is a private day school for girls aged 3 to 11. A few boys attend the nursery.
- Butlers Court School is a primary school for boys and girls.
- St Mary's and All Saints is a Church of England primary school for boys and girls.
- Holtspur School & Pre-School is a pre-school and primary school for boys and girls.
Population Information
In 2011, the civil parish of Beaconsfield had 12,081 residents. The town covers an area of about 19.66 square kilometers. In 1841, the population was much smaller, with 1,732 people.
Famous People from Beaconsfield
Many well-known people have lived in or have connections to Beaconsfield:
- Zoe Ball (born 1970) – A TV and radio presenter who grew up here.
- Enid Blyton (1897–1968) – A famous writer who lived in Beaconsfield for many years. There's a special room and a plaque in town dedicated to her.
- Edmund Burke (1729–1797) – An important statesman and thinker.
- G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) – A writer who is buried in Beaconsfield.
- James Corden (born 1978) – An actor and TV presenter who used to live here.
- Beverley Craven (born 1963) – A singer who has lived in Beaconsfield since 2003.
- Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881) – A former Prime Minister who was made Earl of Beaconsfield.
- Robert Frost (1874–1963) – A poet who moved to Beaconsfield with his family.
- Barry Gibb (born 1946) – A singer from the Bee Gees.
- Romain Grosjean (born 1986) – A former Formula 1 driver.
- Chris Harris (born 1975) – An automotive journalist and racing driver, born in Beaconsfield.
- Dame Wendy Hiller (1912–2003) – A famous actress who died in her Beaconsfield home.
- Peter Jones (born 1966) – An entrepreneur and TV star from Dragon's Den.
- Michael Mosley (1957–2024) – A British TV and radio journalist and presenter.
- Airey Neave (1916–1979) – A politician who grew up in Beaconsfield.
- Sir Terry Pratchett (1948–2015) – The popular fantasy writer was born and grew up here.
- Piers Paul Read (born 1941) – A novelist and author, born in Beaconsfield.
- Peter Rogers (1916–2009) – The producer of the Carry On Films lived here for many years.
- Sam Togwell (born 1984) – A professional football player, born in Beaconsfield.
- Alison Uttley (1884–1976) – A writer who moved to Beaconsfield during World War II.
- Edmund Waller (1606–1687) – A poet who lived at Hall Barn in Beaconsfield.
- Bert Weedon (1920–2012) – A famous guitarist.
Images for kids
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Memorial Green, the Old Town, Beaconsfield
See also
In Spanish: Beaconsfield (Inglaterra) para niños
