Coombe Hill, Buckinghamshire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coombe Hill
The monument on Coombe Hill
Highest point
Elevation	260 m (850 ft)
Geography
Coombe Hill Location in Buckinghamshire
Location	Chiltern Hills, England
OS grid	SP849067
Topo map	OS Landranger 165

Coombe Hill is a lovely hill in the Chiltern Hills in England. It's close to a small village called Dunsmore, Buckinghamshire and the town of Wendover. From the hill, you can see amazing views of the Aylesbury Vale. Just so you know, there's another Coombe Hill nearby, but this article is about the one near Dunsmore! This special hill is part of the Bacombe and Coombe Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest, which means it's a protected area because of its unique nature.

Most of Coombe Hill, about 106 acres (43 hectares), used to be part of the Chequers Estate. This estate is famous as the country home of the Prime Minister. In the 1920s, the government gave this part of the hill to the National Trust. The very top of Coombe Hill is 852 feet (260 meters) above sea level.

Coombe Hill Monument: Remembering Heroes

For a long time, war memorials were mostly built to celebrate big victories. Remembering the people who died was often a second thought. The Coombe Hill Monument is different. It's one of the first and biggest memorials built to honor the names of individual soldiers who died fighting for their country.

This monument is a famous landmark in Buckinghamshire. It's also a Grade II listed monument, which means it's an important historical structure. Standing 260 meters (852 feet) above sea level, it sits on one of the highest and most striking parts of the Chilterns. From here, you can see a wide view of the Aylesbury Vale. On a clear day, you might even see as far as the Berkshire Downs and the Cotswolds to the west! The view also looks down on Chequers, the country home of the Prime Minister.

The monument was built in 1904. People donated money to build it in memory of 148 men from Buckinghamshire. These men had died during the Second Boer War, a conflict that took place in South Africa.

The Coombe Hill Monument has faced some challenges over the years. In 1938, lightning almost completely destroyed it, but it was rebuilt that same year. Later, in 1972, the original bronze plaque and decorations were stolen. They were replaced with a new stone plaque and an iron flag. The new stone plaque also added the names of nine more men who were believed to have been missed on the first one. In the early 1990s, lightning struck again, causing more damage. The monument was repaired for several months. Now, it has special conductors to stop lightning from causing problems again. The monument and a small area around it are owned by Buckinghamshire County Council.

The 2010 Restoration Project

On October 21, 2010, the monument was rededicated after a lot of important restoration work. This work was done by Buckinghamshire County Council. Money for the project was raised by the Coombe Hill Monument Appeal Committee.

During this restoration, a new plaque was added. This plaque corrected some spelling mistakes from the original and included two names that had been left out before. The memorial was also deep-cleaned, and any worn-out parts were fixed. The golden top of the monument was given fresh gold leaf, and the county crest and bronze flags above the plaque were restored to their former glory.

Trig Point and View Plaque

In front of the monument, there's a rectangular concrete pillar. This is a trig point, which is a special marker used by mapmakers to help create accurate maps. On top of it, there's a metal plaque that was added in 1988. This plaque points to true north and shows you where many distant landmarks are.

You can see places like The Cotswolds (53 miles away), Brill Hill (13 miles), Waddesdon Manor (10 miles), and Aylesbury Church (5 miles). Sadly, in October 2018, the trig point and its plaque were badly damaged by vandals.

Nature and Wildlife at Coombe Hill

Coombe Hill is a fantastic place for nature lovers! It has three different types of land: acid heathland, chalk grassland, and deciduous woodland (forests where trees lose their leaves in autumn).

It's home to lots of interesting wildlife. You might spot red kites flying overhead, yellowhammers singing, and even tiny firecrests. The hill also has many rare plants, like heather, different kinds of orchids, and the special Chiltern gentian. Because the acid moorland here is so rare, it's protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The Coombe Hill Run

Every year, there's a 6-kilometer (about 3.7 miles) running race called the Coombe Hill Run. It's organized by the Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club. The race includes a challenging climb of 190 meters (623 feet) up to the monument on Coombe Hill. This race is a rare example of a fell race (a type of running over hills and mountains) in southern Britain. It first started in 1973 and now happens on the first Sunday in June, attracting more than 200 runners!

What Does 'Coombe' Mean?

The word coombe comes from an old language called Brythonic. It means "hollow" or a valley with steep sides.