The origin of the name is somewhat obscure. Since the area was once surrounded by common woodland, the name may possibly derive from "Spene", "Spinis" or "Spinae", meaning "the hawthorn", or "Spon", meaning "wood shaving". Certainly an entry in the Black Prince's Register of 1351 refers to "... Spene in the Prince's Manor of Risborough"

A nineteenth century Methodist Cleric records conducting an open air service in "Spien" on the eighth of August 1836. An estimated congregation of four hundred persons listened attentively to his sermon. The reason for his visit was two men in the village had been fighting, one killing the other, while engaging in organised bare fist fighting.

Over a period of six months no less than three people within five miles radius had been killed due to fighting. The brother of the man killed at Speen had killed another and was in prison. It was thought a visit to the village at such a time would do good.

Jonah Hammond and Daniel Currell, had become engaged in such a fight, with James Williams acting as "second" for Hammond, while Thomas Stevens attended Currell. Hammond, after two or three rounds, became totally exhausted and collasped to the ground. Immediately, Thomas Stevens, Currell's "second", hauled Hammond to his feet and supported him, whilst Currell continued to rain blows on the victim. Once again Hammond fell to the ground, striking his head on a stone in the process. This caused serious head injuries which led to Hammond's death. Currell was found guilt of manslaughter.

The village playing field, occupying a central position, was purchased in 1935. It has proved to be a fine asset to the community and is "open for the enjoyment of all". Brick and flint cottages, some reputedly dating back over four centuries, are now intermingled with those of modern construction, skillfully blended to match. Today the village contains no less than fourteen listed buildings, dating from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Approaching Speen from the south east one of these is Speen Baptist Church in Chapel Hill.

The inscriptions on the stones in the neatly kept cemetery provide an insight into the lives and occupations of many past inhabitants. One records an accident of 1838 when a man lost his life after falling from his cart. The headstone was erected almost sixty years after the event.

Another simple stone marks the resting place of Eric Gill, sculptor, printer, writer and designer. The last twelve years of his life he spent at nearby Piggotts. Amongst his stone works were stations of the cross in Westminster Cathedral, carvings for the underground station at St. James Park, Broadcasting House and the League of Nations building in Geneva. He was also commissioned for work on the Anglican Cathedral in Guildford. He designed eleven faces of printing type which have changed modern printing.

Flowers Bottom.

Path on the edge of Spring Wood.

Spring Wood

As the path rises towards the summit, ever increasing views extend back towards Speen. From here is well illustrated the windings, typical of the deep dry valleys, or "Bottoms", of the Chilterns.

The rolling landscape spreads away northwards towards Flowers Bottom and Highwood Bottom. To the south-west, in another valley, lies Upper North Dean. To the north-west is an area of woodland known as Speen Farm Firs. The firs seem to have largely disappeared and to have been replaced by mixed woodland.

The best deposits of this stone were to the north of High Wycombe, - Bryant's Bottom, Denner Hill, North Dean, Naphill and Walter's Ash. These blocks or boulders of hard sandstone were found at depths varying from six to sixty feet. They were located by workers probing the ground with long instruments known as "snipers".

The blocks varied in size, one at Walter's Ash was reported to be around twelve feet in height and weighing over three hundred and fifty tons.

These blocks were split to produce cobbles, kerbstone "setts", building blocks, river stepping stones, cottage door steps and gateposts.

Building blocks were used in the repair of Windsor Castle. Some streets, in both Windsor and Aylesbury, are paved with this stone.

The brick makers of Walter's Ash, Brown Brothers, Thomas Free and Sons and Bristow Brothers, produced an expensive, high quality product.

This was the site of Bristow Brothers brickfield. Walter's Ash bricks were probably first produced early in the nineteenth century, and the industry continued on this site well into the mid twentieth century.

As a result of this trade, large pits were left when the clay deposits ran out. Once, the walker had to negotiate a path weaving around the many deep excavations, but this danger has long since passed.

North-eastwards there are views across the valley towards Speen Farm with the village of Speen beyond.

Early in the nineteenth century, the then owner of the farm, Thomas Dell junior, was in contention with the Lord of the Manor, regarding the latter's claim to surrounding woodlands. This was at a time leading up to the Enclosure of Princes Risborough Parish, however, the matter was satisfactorily resolved.

For the first quarter of the twentieth century the Hatt Brothers worked the Farm. It was a difficult time for agriculture and to supplement their meagre income they arranged the carting of timber. Using a timber-bob, a large wooden trailer drawn by four horses, they conveyed beech trees from the surrounding woods to the furniture factories of High Wycombe. Considerable skill was required to manoeuvre these vehicles along logging tracks and narrow country lanes.

Approximately two hundred horses, ponies and donkeys pass through the stables each year. Some horses come to take a rest from work, others to retire when their working life is over. One former resident was Sefton, retired from the Household Cavalry, in 1982, after the bomb attack in Hyde Park.

The Horse Trust is open to visitors. A link to their web-site is at the bottom of this page.

Over the course of time the Inn sign seems to alternate between the agriculture implement and the constellation of heavenly bodies.

This establishment is now a restaurant of high standing.

Some authorities suggest the name Turnip End may derive from the "Cornish", meaning "within the chief earthworks". This could refer to the protective arms of Grim's Ditch which, although half a mile, surround the area on three sides.

Darvills Cottage is an early eighteenth century listed building, although altered and extended. It was in earlier times two small cottages, but is now converted into one dwelling. For a short time during the 1960's it was the home of the famous model, Jean Shrimpton.

Before the advent of mains water during the 1930's, this area of the Chilterns was prone to drought. Prior to this date water for domestic purposes was either collected from cottage rooftops and stored in underground tanks, or, obtained from the Parish Ponds.

The Princes Risborough Enclosure Award map for the "Upper Hamlets", dated 1823, gives details of the various ponds within the Parish. Some of their names: Timor, Deep Pit, Black Pit, Whitewashing and Baggy's, are curious and intriguing.

Some were known as "keaching" ponds, used for domestic purposes, whilst others were reserved for the use of cattle. The right still exists for any parishioners, if they so wish, to draw water from these ponds.

The Farm covers an area of 190 acres, comprising a dairy herd and arable. It is the home farm, the buildings and machinery of which serve altogether around 800 acres. The present owners have traced the history of the Farm back to the days of the first Queen Elizabeth.

During the Second World War this was the headquarters of Bomber Command, under the command of Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris. The area of flat land to the south-east of this footpath was requisitioned from Stocken Farm and put to use as a wartime airfield. From here Sir Arthur flew his light aircraft on numerous trips to France.

This was the second occasion during the farm's long history that it had been requisitioned by the authorities. During the First World War part of the land was taken over by the Royal Engineers for training. Horses were stabled in the farm buildings and the house used as a hospital.

The earthwork may be traced, at intervals, for sixteen miles across the Chiltern countryside, from Bradenham in the south-west to Berkhamsted in the north-east. Referred to by one writer as "the silent serpent of antiquity", its origins are obscure.

The name of the Ditch is said to derive from folklore, which attributed any mysterious earthwork to the Devil, sometimes known as Grim, - hence Grim's Ditch. Experts have long debated the date of this earthwork. Some considered it to be of Anglo Saxon origin, whilst others favoured the Iron Age period. In 1992, after further archaeological research, it was proved to date from the Iron Age, around 300 BC. This makes it one of the most important prehistoric works in Buckinghamshire.

It is clear the earthwork must have been surveyed at the time of its conception. Throughout its course the Ditch lies about half a mile back from the escarpment edge. The remains seen today are but a shadow of their former size. The whole project must have been a mammoth undertaking, clearly the work of many hands and resources. It is possible the Ditch was constructed over a period of years. It is generally agreed the work is of a non defensive nature. Its purpose may have been to form some kind of tribal boundary, or as a division between upland and lowland pasture.

From the Ordnance Survey map it will be noted the Ditch turns at right angles in Lacey Green and again in the vicinity of Great Hampden. The earthwork thus embraces Speen on three sides.

Half a century and more ago White House Farm comprised a small cottage, a barn and a range of outbuildings with some six acres of land. The owner managed to make a living from a few milking cows, rearing calves, poultry and the produce of an orchard, whilst supplimenting his income producing wooden chair parts for the local furniture industry.

One of the highlights of the owner's year was his annual visit to Ascot Races. His wife, who was probably "financial administrator", did not wholly approve of this annual excursion. However, a neatly dressed figure could be seen during Ascot week, making his way on foot to Princes Risborough Station.

Since those days the house has had a variety of owners. Amongst these have been Mrs. Haynes Dixon, better known as the authoress Rumer Godden. It was also the retirement home of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins. During the early days of the Second World War he established the underground resistance movement in Britain, poised to act in the event of a German invasion. He later became Director of Operations and Training at Special Operations Executive (SOE), with full responsibility for secret missions to Western Europe. Finally he was appointed head of SOE in 1943.

Overlooking Highwood Bottom.

Path near Kiln Lane.

Kingswood Farm once "grew" a fine crop of stones. Before the days of tarmacadam roads many tons of flints were supplied to the highway authorities to help maintain the local roads in good repair.

In the early twentieth century a freak thunderstorm caused a build up of water in the valley to the north of the farm. The force of the water was such that an iron pig trough was carried a hundred yards from the farm into the road. A similar incident occurred in 1991, again as a result of a very heavy storm. Water, which accumulated at the head of the valley to the northwest, caused a torrent to flow across the fields, removing earth to a depth of eighteen inches. Following the course of the valley, the water, six inches in depth, cascaded along this path, into Flowers Bottom.

However, during the seventeen hundreds, the fact that the good people of Speen, carrying their heavy purses and bags of gold, were using this route to visit Princes Risborough, was noted by a highwayman named Cooper. He began to work this road with good results, so much so that when he died he too was a very wealthy man.

It is said that he is buried, together with his vast treasure store, beside this road, the spot being marked by two large stones. Here, at the junction with Bridleway L30, those two stones remain and may be seen in the hedgerow. Reputedly, his ghost still haunts this valley on crisp, clear moonlight nights.

The foregoing is the Speen version of the story. There is, of course, a far less romantic Lacey Green version.

It is said there was once a lady named Nannie Cooper, who probably lived during the eighteenth century. She may have been connected with the management of Stocken Farm, but this is uncertain. A rather eccentric person, she would visit a pond to the south-east of the farm, taking with her a large bucket and a length of rope. Attaching the rope to the bough of an overhanging oak tree, she would climb into the bucket and swing back and forth across the surface of the water.

Either by accident or design, but probably the latter, she is said to have fallen into the pond and drowned. These stones are said to mark her grave. Were not suicides once buried in unconsecrated ground, at cross roads, on the edge of the community? True, this is a "T" junction, but it is on the borders of both villages.

There are two pieces of positive information regarding this story. The field where the pond was situated is refered to as "Coopers Pond" on an old farm map of 1872. Some years prior to the Enclosure of 1823, the Commissioners surveying the Parish produced a map, which is preserved at the County Record Office in Aylesbury. This map records Footpath L24, not as Highwood Bottom or Speen Bottom, but as "Coopers Grave Bottom". The reader must be left to draw their own conclusions from the above stories, but doubtless the silent stones will keep their secret.

Edmund Rubbra, the composer, made his home here in the 1930's. His wooden "workshop" still clings to the steep hillside above his former home in this secluded and peaceful valley. Here he composed his five symphonies, and his best known masses and motets.

Until 2001 his son and daughter-in-law, Benedict and Tessa Rubbra, practiced their respective arts in the cottage, surrounded by its delightful garden. Benedict is a portrait painter of some renown. His notable commissions include HRH The Prince of Wales (for the Fishmongers' Hall), Lord Hailsham, Dame Bridget D'oyley Carte and Ursula Vaughan Williams.

Tessa established Speen Pottery and developed a distinctive style of decorative earthenware. Commemorative plates and bowls were a speciality, popular for wedding presents, anniversaries and other special occasions. The Pottery has closed and the property is now under new ownership.

There is evidence to suggest the path once continued straight on from Lily Bottom Lane into Monkton Wood, but unfortunately this section has now been lost.

In the valley to the north west is Lily Bottom, marked by its cluster of cottages.

It is known this wood was situated in the Upper Hamlets, (i.e. Lacey Green, Loosley Row, Speen) but its exact location is uncertain. Some historians have suggested that the name Lily Bottom may derive from Lulleslede. Certainly until well into the nineteenth century the whole of this area was wooded. The Enclosure Award Map of 1823 records the present track merely as a footpath passing through woodland.

Monkton Wood, extending to some one hundred and eighty one acres, is a typical Chiltern beechwood. It enjoys a variety of wildlife and birdlife and is renowned for its rich diversity of fungi.

This woodland was once the haunt of the Chiltern chair bodgers. These skilled workmen, with their basic materials to hand, used their primitive pole lathes to turn the legs and stretchers for the famous "Windsor" chairs. These men were pioneers in the industry which once made High Wycombe England's furniture town.

For over a thousand years the south-western border of this wood has marked the earliest certified ecclesiastical Parish Boundary in England, that of Monks Risborough. This boundary is clearly identifiable with the landmarks mentioned in the Charter of 903 AD. The modern day boundary of the civil parishes of Lacey Green with Great and Little Hampden follow the same course.

Running the whole length of the lane on the left side is a larch plantation known as College Plantation or Monkton Firs. This tract of woodland once belonged to Merton College, Oxford.

The track emerges onto the road at Chapel Hill. This spot marks the meeting point of the Anglo-Saxon Hundreds of Risborough to the north, and Desborough to the south, as well as the Monks Risborough Charter Boundary.

Speen Baptist Church is almost opposite .