Lane End, Buckinghamshire

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Lane End is a village in the parish of Fingest, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located the other side of the M40 from High Wycombe, about two miles west of Booker. The hamlet is twinned with St Pierre D'Oleron in France.

Lane End is a village of some 4,000 people, set in the centre of a triangle bounded by High Wycombe, Marlow and Henley-on-Thames. The village is 650 feet above sea level in the Chilterns, set in beautiful, rolling hills of farmland, beech woods and footpaths.

Lane End was formed in 1867 from Great Marlow, Hambleden, Fingest and West Wycombe and includes Widdenton Park wood. It occupies an area of 1270 acres and stands on high ground overlooking the Thames valley and Marlow to the south. In addition to working the land to provide wheat and barley to the breweries in Marlow and Henley, the inhabitants traditionally manufactured chairs or worked in a local iron foundry. The parish is served by the church of the Holy Trinity in Ditchfield Common, a Wesleyan chapel built in 1865, a Gospel mission hall dating from 1888 at Moor End, and the newest church - the Elim Centre in the centre of the village near the large estate area.

The village school formerly known as Francis Edmonds and now known as Lane End Primary School, takes local children from the age of two until secondary school age.

The village hall is probably one of the most used halls in the area, and is frequently brimming with visitors to dances, jumble sales, bridge club, bingo, The Lane End Players and home to the parish council. The phoenix playgroup also resides in the village hall every weekday morning during term time.

The village has a handful of old English pubs: Grouse and Ale (previously known as the Clayton Arms), Osborne Arms and the Old Sun. It also has a collection of village ponds, and two butchers in the High Street. Lane End is a starting spot for ramblers who journey down the Hambleden valley on the lookout for red kite, the windmill at Turville and amazing countryside.

The name derives from "the end of the lane from Marlow" (although there are similar stories about it being at the end of the lane from Wycombe).

[edit] Industry

Lane End has been long home to two small industrial estates (being unusual for the size of village), where several companies are based. Most notable of these companies include the UK manufacturing plant for Elga Labwater, part of the enormous worldwide Veolia Environment group.

The Lane End Twinning Association runs a local business group encouraging local businesses to network together. Local businesses thrive in this village, as its location is with easy access to the M40 for London and Birmingham bound clients.

Retail businesses include two butchers, two hairdressers, a supermarket, fish and chip shop, two newsagents and an off-licence. Three pubs in the High Street area (there used to be five!) means that you really do not need to leave the village for entertainment it is all within easy reach.