Iver Parish Guide - Iver Parish Council

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Iver Parish Guide 07-09 26/7/07 9:32 AM Page 6I VER PARISH G UIDEIVER’S HISTORYAND HERITAGECONTRIBUTED BY MAUREEN JAMES – MAY 2007Iver parish, including Iver Heath andRichings Park, is situated at the extremesouth east of Buckinghamshire on the Taplowridge above the Colne valley.This fertile area has been inhabited since theStone Age.6IverIver was first mentioned in AD 893 when itwas the scene of a battle between King Alfredand Danish invaders. The Domesday Bookcompiled in 1086 A.D. records the name asEvreham (ever a slope, ham a settlement). Thevillage of about 200 people would have been aView from St Peter’s Tower, Iverlargely self sufficient farming community. Theparish council still maintain mud wharves onthe River Colne from which parishioners mayremove mud for soil improvement. Village lifewas a strict feudal hierarchy with its own courtto decide justice and settle disputes. In 1351Iver was granted a weekly market and a twoday annual fair.Growing prosperity especially during theTudor era saw the building of sub manors atHuntsmoor, Delaford, Mansfield andRichings. Rich London families moved here.Their visitors included Samuel Pepys,Congreve, Swift and Gay.2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8Pinewood StudiosThe traditional occupation of agriculturedeclined during the 19th century and the brickindustry, first recorded in 1657, took over. Withthe advent of the canal system bricks weretransported to London by barge and rubbishbrought back as landfill. Other industriesincluded papermaking, fruit growing, thecottage industries of straw hat and basketmaking and many people were employed on thelarge estates.Most of the large estates were sold offfollowing the First World War and many ofthe great houses have since been demolished.The rapid growth in population since theSt Margaret’s Church in Iver Heath
Iver Parish Guide 07-09 26/7/07 9:32 AM Page 7Second World War has meant a large increasein housing. The orchards and fields around thevillage are now remembered as road names.The Ridgeway Trading estate occupies part ofthe old brick workings. The heart of the villagearound the parish church was designated as aconservation area in 1982.I VER PARISH G UIDEIver HeathThe heath was used to graze animals, providefirewood and turfs for fuel and farm rabbits atthe Warren. Initially heavily wooded the areabecame more open over the centuries. IverHeath fields are run by the Parish Council as aconservation area leased from South BucksDistrict Council to allow residents to enjoypart of the old heath. The old Crooked Billetstood on the edge of the heath providingrefreshment for travellers but the heath had asmall population. With the Enclosure Act1801 all greens and heaths with rights topasture and gather fuel were lost to theparishioners, which led to great hardship and arapid increase in the population of theworkhouse on the edge of the heath.The mainly farming community increased insize until in 1862 Iver Heath became aseparate ecclesiastical parish with its churchdedicated to St Margaret of Antioch.Mansfield and Round Coppice owned bythe Thompson family were the two largeestates in Iver Heath. Heatherden Hall, aVictorian house at the north end of the parishwas enlarged by Lt. Col. Grant Morden aThe Swan Public House2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8Iver Railway StationCanadian financier and M.P. for Brentford andChiswick. The mansion had a place in historyas the Ratification of the Irish Free State wassigned there in 1921. When Morden died abankrupt in 1934 the estate was bought byCharles Boot, an idealistic builder. Newhousing was built on the land but withJ Arthur Rank, a Methodist flour miller, andLady Yule, a big game hunting millionairess,he used the mansion and its grounds to makefilms. Pinewood Studios opened on 30thSeptember 1936. The first film was “Talk ofthe Devil” directed by Carol Reed. The studiohas produced many famous films and is thehome of the 007 Stage. The surrounding areasincluding Black Park feature in many films.Richings ParkThe old hamlet of Thorney south of Iverexisted for many centuries but the mansion ofRichings Park was first mentioned in thefifteen century.Home to the Salters, and later Lord Bathurst,the original mansion was destroyed by fire in1788. Many famous literary visitors, includingAlexander Pope and Joseph Addison wereinspired by the beautiful surroundings.The first section of The Great WesternRailway was built from West Drayton toLangley. The first engine “The North Star”,commemorated in a public house name,arrived by barge on the Grand Union Canal.The line was first opened in 1838 and Iverstation was opened in 1924 making travel to7
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Iver Parish Guide - Iver Parish Council

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