Hazlemere
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the town in Surrey, see Haslemere.
Hazlemere is a suburb of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England and within Wycombe District. It is located to the north east of the town along the A404 in the direction of Amersham.
Hazlemere used to be a small hamlet in the ancient Desborough Hundred and the name is recorded as long ago as the 13th century. The crossroads at the centre of Hazlemere was, until 1987, the meeting point of several parish boundaries (Penn, Hughenden, Chepping Wycombe). It now lies at the centre of its own parish. In the Victorian era the railway arrived in High Wycombe, and the principal station in the town was located on Amersham Hill, close to the village of Hazlemere. From that point on, it was inevitable that Hazlemere would become a large built-up area.
A secondary part of Hazlemere was developed chiefly in the 1960s in the area around Cosy Corner (the junction where Eastern and Western Dene meet) and extending into Hazlemere Park (Cedar Avenue development). The Park Parade Shopping Centre, developed at the same time, lies at the centre of this area and boasts one of the finest butchers in the country attracting customers from across South Bucks.
To the north of Cosy Corner up Brimmers Hill and Primrose Hill is Widmer End. To the north east of Cosy Corner up Sawpit Hill is Holmer Green and the boundary for Chiltern District.
A further part of Hazlemere was developed during the 1970s to the south of Hazlemere crossroads around Rose Avenue. A secondary school - the Sir William Ramsay School - an infants and junior school - Manor Farm - a library and health centre were built around the same time.
Hazlemere's most expensive road is Manor Road, part of the highly desirable St Johns area running along the east side of Kings Wood from the A404 down to the edge of Penn.
Hazlemere has proved to be an accessible starting point for cycling across the Chiltern Hills and each year it becomes the headquarters for the annual Archer Grand Prix road race.
