Little Chalfont facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Chalfont |
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 Nightingales Corner, Little Chalfont |
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 Little Chalfont
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| Population | 6,858 (2017 est.) |
| OS grid reference | SU995975 |
| • London | 22 miles (35 km) SE |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | AMERSHAM |
| Postcode district | HP6, HP7 |
| Post town | CHALFONT ST. GILES |
| Postcode district | HP8 |
| Dialling code | 01494 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Little Chalfont is a lovely village in south-east Buckinghamshire, England. It's one of three villages often called "The Chalfonts," along with Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter. This village is about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Amersham and around 22 miles (35 km) northwest of central London. It's a peaceful place with a rich history.
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The Story of Little Chalfont
Little Chalfont is quite a new village, created in the 1900s. Its growth began when the Metropolitan Railway arrived. In 1889, a train station called Chalfont Road opened. This spot was where the areas of Amersham, Chenies, and Chalfont St Giles met.
At that time, the area was mostly farms and small houses. It didn't even have a specific name. The railway slowly brought more homes and people. A community grew around the station. In 1915, the station was renamed Chalfont & Latimer station, which it is still called today.
The name "Little Chalfont" first appeared in 1925. Local people asked for the group of houses near the station to be called Little Chalfont. Before this, it was known as "Chalfont Road Village." For many years, Little Chalfont was part of Amersham and Chalfont St Giles. In 2007, after people campaigned, Little Chalfont became its own separate civil parish.
Getting Around Little Chalfont
Little Chalfont has its own train station, Chalfont & Latimer station. You can catch London Underground trains on the Metropolitan line from here. You can also use Chiltern Railways services on the London to Aylesbury Line.
There are also bus services available. These buses connect Little Chalfont to nearby towns and villages. You can travel to places like Amersham and Chesham.
Learning in Little Chalfont
Little Chalfont has three schools for young people. There are two primary schools for younger children. These are Little Chalfont Primary School and Chalfont Valley E-ACT Primary Academy. The latter used to be called Bell Lane Primary School.
For older girls, there is Dr Challoner's High School. This is a grammar school, which means students usually take an exam to get in.
The Little Chalfont Community Library is a special place. It used to be run by the county library service. But since 2007, local volunteers have run it. It's known as one of the most successful community libraries in England.
Community Life and Fun
Little Chalfont has a lively community. The Little Chalfont Farmers Market started in September 2009. It's supported by the local Parish Council. The market happens every second Saturday of the month. You can find it in the Village Hall car park.
The Little Chalfont Nature Park is a wonderful outdoor space. It's about 4.6 acres (1.9 hectares) in size. It has a rare type of grassland with wildflowers and natural woodland. The community bought this park, and it opened on June 1, 2016. Everyone can visit the park for free, from dawn until dusk, all year round.
The Little Chalfont Community Association is very active. They help organize the Annual Village Day. This is a big event where the whole community comes together.
Famous Places and Buildings
Beel House is a very old and interesting building. It's a large 16th-century house, meaning it was built in the 1500s. It's a "Grade II listed" building, which means it's historically important.
This house was once owned by the Duke of Buckingham. Many famous people have lived there over the years. These include the actor Dirk Bogarde, musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne, and TV personality Robert Kilroy-Silk.
Places of Worship
Little Chalfont is part of the Church of England parish of Chenies and Little Chalfont. In 1987, it joined with nearby parishes of Latimer and Flaunden. This created the Chenies Benefice. The main church for the parish is St George's, located on White Lion Road.
There is also St Aidan's Roman Catholic church. It's on Finch Lane and opened in 1964. The land for the church was bought from the Beel House estate.
Little Chalfont Methodist Church is on Chalfont Avenue. The first church building opened in 1959. After a fire in 1993, a new church building was opened in 1996.
What Little Chalfont Makes
Little Chalfont is home to a part of GE Healthcare. This company works in science and health. It used to be known as the Radiochemical Centre, and then Amersham International.
Recently, the building where GE Healthcare is located was bought by a company called Cytiva. They have rebranded the building.
