Winslow, Buckinghamshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Winslow |
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 St Laurence's parish church |
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 Winslow
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| Population | 4,407 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SP7627 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Buckingham |
| Postcode district | MK18 |
| Dialling code | 01296 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Winslow is a small market town in north Buckinghamshire, England. It's part of the Buckinghamshire Council area. About 4,400 people live here. Winslow is located about 6 miles (10 km) south-east of Buckingham and 7 miles (11 km) south-west of Bletchley (which is part of Milton Keynes).
Contents
Winslow's Past: A Quick Look at History
Winslow was first mentioned in old records around 792–793. A king named Offa of Mercia gave the land to St Albans Abbey. Back then, it was called Wineshauue, which means 'Wine's Burial Mound'. A "mound" is like a small hill. Later, in the Domesday Book of 1086, it was written as Weneslai.
People have lived here for a very long time! An old Celtic copper bracelet, called a torc, was found here. Also, a silver drinking cup from late Roman times was discovered. In 1841, a census showed that 1,333 people lived in Winslow.
Cool Buildings to See in Winslow
Winslow has some interesting old buildings.
Winslow Hall: A Grand Old House
Winslow Hall is a large, impressive house. It sits on the main road as you come into town from Aylesbury. It was built around 1700. Some people think it was designed by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. The name of William Lowndes, who worked for the government, and the year 1700 can still be seen above the door.
St Laurence's Church: A Historic Place of Worship
The main Anglican church in Winslow is called St Laurence's Church, Winslow. It's on High Street and dates back to about 1320. This church is connected with St Paul's Church in Winslow, Arizona in the USA. The church has 8 bells that people ring, with the heaviest bell weighing about 965 kg!
The Bell Hotel: An Old Inn
The Bell Hotel is a building with a special half-timber design. It was first mentioned in the late 1500s. It quickly became the most important place for travelers to stay in town.
Keach's Baptist Chapel: An Ancient Chapel
Keach's Baptist Chapel was built in its current form in 1695. It's probably the oldest nonconformist chapel (a church not part of the Church of England) still standing in Buckinghamshire.
Fun Things to Do in Winslow
Winslow has some fun yearly events!
Boxing Day Fox Hunt Meet
Every Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), the Whaddon Chase fox hunt traditionally meets in Winslow Market Square. Lots of people come to watch, sometimes over 1,000! A band from the nearby village of Great Horwood often plays Christmas carols.
Other Annual Events
Other events include a beer festival in March. There's also the Winslow Show every August. This is a gymkhana (horse riding event) and an agricultural show (showing farm animals and produce). It takes place on Sheep Street, near Winslow Hall.
Winslow Hall Opera
Since 2012, Winslow Hall has hosted the Winslow Hall Opera. It's an outdoor opera performance held in the beautiful grounds of Winslow Hall.
New Sports Facilities
In 2017, the new Sir Thomas Fremantle's school opened. It brought many new sports facilities to Winslow. These include a large sports hall with four courts, a big dance studio, a fitness room, and all-weather sports pitches.
Getting Around: Transport in Winslow
Winslow is connected by roads and will soon have a train station again!
Main Roads
The A413 road goes right through the center of Winslow. It connects Buckingham and Aylesbury. This road used to be a turnpike (a toll road) that was changed in 1742 to go through Winslow.
Winslow Railway Station: Back on Track!
Until the late 1960s, Winslow had a train station. It was on the Varsity Line that connected Oxford and Cambridge. There was also a branch line to Aylesbury.
Good news! As part of the East West Rail project, the train line is being reopened by 2025. A brand new station is being built on the edge of town. When it opens, it will connect Winslow to London, Milton Keynes Central, and Oxford.
Cycling and Buses
The Sustrans National Cycle Route 51 passes through Winslow. This route goes from Oxford all the way to Colchester. A special path for walking and cycling, 5.6 miles (9 km) long, was finished in 2017. It connects Buckingham and Winslow.
Winslow also has bus services. These include the X60 express bus between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes, and local routes to Buckingham and Milton Keynes. There are also special Winslow Community Bus Services.
How Winslow is Run: The Town Council
The Winslow Town Council (WTC) helps manage the town. It has 12 members who meet about once a month. They are split into four groups: Amenities (for local facilities), Development (for building and planning), Events (for town activities), and Finances and General Purposes (for money and other tasks).
The council members come from different political groups or are independent. In 2022, there were 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 Conservatives, 1 Labour member, and 7 Independent councillors.
| Party | Number of Councillors (2022) | |
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| Liberal Democrats | 2 | |
| Conservatives | 2 | |
| Labour | 1 | |
| Independent | 7 | |
| Total | 12 | |
Learning in Winslow: Schools and Education
Winslow has schools for different ages and needs.
Primary Schools
Winslow Church of England School is a primary school for children aged four to eleven. It's a mixed school, meaning both boys and girls attend. In 2018, about 520 students went there.
Special Educational Needs School
Furze Down School in Winslow is for children aged 5–19 who have special educational needs.
Secondary Schools
For older students, there are several secondary schools nearby:
- Sir Thomas Fremantle School is a "free school" in Winslow itself.
- The Buckingham School (a secondary modern) and the Royal Latin School (a grammar school) are in nearby Buckingham.
- The Cottesloe School is in Wing.
- There are also many comprehensive schools in Milton Keynes.
Winslow in the News: Media
You can get local news and TV programs from BBC South and ITV Meridian. TV signals come from the Oxford transmitting station.
Local radio stations include BBC Three Counties Radio, Heart Four Counties (now called Heart East), and Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts. There's also 3Bs Radio, a local community station that broadcasts from Buckingham.
The local newspaper for Winslow is called The Buckingham & Winslow Advertiser.
Sports Teams in Winslow
Winslow has several sports teams for different interests!
Football
The local football team is Winslow United. They play in Division One of the Spartan South Midlands Football League.
Rugby
Winslow RUFC (Rugby Union Football Club) started in 1992. They play at the Winslow Centre. Their clubhouse is at the Nags Head on Sheep Street.
Cricket
Winslow Town Cricket Club is located at Elmfield's Gate, next to the football pitch. They have three men's teams that play on Saturdays. Two teams play in the Morrants Four Counties League. The third team often plays at a second pitch in Padbury. The club also has a Sunday team and many youth teams for different age groups, from Under 9s to Under 15s.
Winslow's Twin Town
Winslow has been "twinned" with Cours-la-Ville in France since 1980. This means the two towns have a special friendship and often visit each other.
See also
In Spanish: Winslow para niños
