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Spotlight on Chalfont St Giles – our estate agents view

Friday, December 14, 2018

Spotlight on Chalfont St Giles – our estate agents view. Chalfont St Giles, in Buckinghamshire, is an idyllic village within prime commuter territory 25 miles from London yet full of historic charm. Excellent transport links include mainline trains from Gerrards Cross to London Marylebone in under 20 minutes and the Metropolitan Line, with Chalfont & Latimer, Chorleywood, Amersham and Rickmansworth stations all nearby. The M25 and M40 are nearby putting Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick airports easily within reach, yet the village retains its quaint, quintessentially English character set within spectacular open countryside; the best of both worlds.

Chalfont St Giles was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Chalfont means “chalk spring”, and a duck pond, fed by the River Misbourne, is a focal feature of the village. Half-timbered buildings from the 15th & 16thcenturies surround the village green but the parish church is one of the oldest buildings dating back to 1150 and has seen extensive renovation over the years. During repairs, small iron cannon balls were found embedded in the stone, believed to have been fired by Oliver Cromwell's troops after the Battle of Aylesbury. At the top of the village is the hamlet of Three Households, renowned in the past for its cherry and apple orchards.

Chalfont St Giles is "twinned" with Graft-De Rijp, near Amsterdam in Holland and has regular exchanges of information and visits. The village has also given its name to Chalfont, a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. During the Great Plague of London in 1665, John Milton, possibly England's greatest poet and Parliamentarian retired to Chalfont St Giles, where he completed his epic poem Paradise Lost. After the plague abated, he returned to London and completed Paradise Regained. A Grade One listed building, the house is now managed by the Milton's Cottage trust, a registered charity. 

Chalfont St Giles has its own nursery, infant and junior school and is in catchment for the highly sought after Dr Challoner’s Grammar School for boys, Dr Challoner’s High School for girls and Chesham Grammar School. A range of excellent private schools nearby includes St Mary’s, Gayhurst, Maltman’s Green, and Thorpe House in Gerrards Cross and Merchant Taylor’s School in Northwood.

A variety of local sporting and leisure facilities foster the community spirit for which the village is well-known; Bowstridge Lane’s playing fields, Chalfont Leisure Centre, several golf courses, tennis, bowls, cricket, football and squash clubs are all nearby. The strong sense of community is also reflected in a host of local societies from cub scouts to nordic walking. Breathtaking Chilterns scenery completes the picture with The Ridgeway and Misbourne Valley for long walks and cycling.

Winner of this year’s Pushman Cup for the Best Kept Village (population over 3,000) in Buckinghamshire, Chalfont St Giles demonstrates the community activity that the competition celebrates. Annual village events such as the Village Show and the fireworks display are well attended and people come from all around to join the festivities. It’s easy to “shop local” here with a hairdresser, florist, bakery, pharmacy, newsagents and a butcher’s as well as a library, doctor and dentist surgeries. Larger shopping centres can be found at nearby Amersham, Watford and High Wycombe.

For foodies there’s a good range of pubs and restaurants, including The Ivy House, a beautiful flint and brick inn renowned for good food, and real ales. Merlins Cave offers classic British dishes with a modern twist, whilst at The Stone Place at The Feathers you can cook your steak just as you like it on a hot stone plate.

The Chiltern Open Air museum is a popular attraction where Halloween and jousting events are a sell-out. Founded in 1976, the museum rescues historic buildings from medieval to modern that would otherwise have been demolished. It’s a great place for days out and a perfect venue for quirky, vintage, wedding receptions. Above all it is a charity which preserves our historic heritage. Newland Park also in Gorelands Lane, dates back to 1208. The main house was a refuge for suffragettes between 1910 and 1921; Emmaline Pankhurst, Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells were frequent visitors.

Often a film and TV location due to picturesque scenery, proximity to Pinewood Studios, and London, the village doubled as Walmington-on-Sea in the 1971 film Dad's Army. BBC TV drama The Miller's Tale was filmed here; other films include Hammer House of Horror and The Sweeney. Notable village residents include Ozzy Osbourne and Noel Gallagher. With its wealth of history, stunning scenery, superb local schools and easy commute to London, Chalfont St Giles is an idyllic village with a strong sense of community. To begin your property search in the village contact our Chalfont St Giles office  or see frostweb.co.uk.