Chiltern Hills
Chiltern Hills | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Peak | Haddington Hill |
Elevation | 267 m (876 ft) |
Dimensions | |
Length | 74 km (46 mi) |
Width | 18 km (11 mi) |
Area | 1,700 km2 (660 sq mi) |
Geography | |
Location | Southeast of England East of England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Counties | Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Hertfordshire Oxfordshire |
Range coordinates | 51°40′N 0°55′W / 51.667°N 0.917°W |
Geology | |
Type of rock | chalk downland |
The Chiltern Hills are a chalk escarpment in southern England,[1] northwest of London, covering 660 square miles (1,700 km2) across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire, stretching 45 miles (72 km) from Goring-on-Thames in the southwest to Hitchin in the northeast. The hills are 12 miles (19 km) at their widest.
In 1965, almost half of the Chiltern Hills was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The northwest boundary is clearly defined by the escarpment. The dip slope is by definition more gradual, and merges with the landscape to the southeast.[2] The southwest endpoint is the River Thames. The hills decline slowly in prominence in northeast Bedfordshire.[3][4]
Geology
The chalk
During the late stages of the
The chalk
Physical characteristics
Topography
The highest point is at 267 m (876 ft.) above sea level at
Landscape and land use
Enclosed fields account for almost 66% of the "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (AONB) area. The next most important, and archetypal, landscape form is woodland, covering 21% of the Chiltern Hills, which is thus one of the most heavily wooded areas in England. Built-up areas (settlements and industry) make up over 5% of the land area; parks and gardens nearly 4%, open land (commons, heaths and downland) is 2%, and the remaining 2% includes a variety of uses, including communications, military, open land, recreation, utilities and water.[3]
Rivers
The Chiltern Hills are almost entirely located within the
Transport
The
Bus services are provided by
Apart from the River Thames, there are no navigable rivers. The Grand Union Canal passes through the Chiltern Hills between Berkhamsted and Marsworth following the course of the Gade and Bulbourne. Also, after crossing a watershed, the Ouzel is partly in the Chiltern Hills.
History
During the Iron Age, the Chiltern ridge provided a relatively safe and easily navigable route across southern Britain. The
Before the 18th century, the population lived dispersed across the largely rural landscape of the Chiltern Hills in remote villages, hamlets, farmsteads, and market towns along the main turnpike routes which coursed through the navigable valleys. The development of canals in the 18th century and railways in the 19th century encouraged settlement and the growth of High Wycombe, Tring, and Luton. Significant housing and industrial development took place in the first half of the 20th century and continued throughout the 20th century.
In 1965 almost half of the Chiltern Hills was designated[citation needed] as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
List of towns and villages in the Chiltern Hills
- Aldbury, Amersham, Apsley, Ashridge, Aston Clinton
- Breachwood Green, Buckland Common
- Caddington, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter, Chartridge, Checkendon, Cheddington, Chesham, Chiltern Green, Chinnor, Cholesbury, Christmas Common, Coleshill
- Dagnall, Downley, Dunsmore, Dunstable
- Edlesborough, Ellesborough
- Fawley, Fingest, Flackwell Heath, Frieth
- Great Offley
- Halton, Hambleden, Harlington, Hawridge, Hazlemere, Hemel Hempstead, Henley-on-Thames, Hexton, High Wycombe, Hitchin, Holmer Green, Hughenden, Hyde Heath
- Ibstone, Ivinghoe, Jordans, Kensworth
- Lacey Green, Lane End, Latimer, Ley Hill, Lilley, Little Chalfont, Little Gaddesden, Little Kingshill, Little Missenden, Luton
- Markyate, Marlow, Marlow Bottom, Medmenham
- Naphill, Nettlebed, Nuffield
- Penn, Pishill, Pitstone, Prestwood, Princes Risborough, Radnage, Redbourn
- Thame, The Lee, Tring, Turville, Tylers Green
- Walter's Ash, Watlington, Wendover, West Wycombe, Whipsnade, Whitwell, Wigginton, Winchmore Hill, Woodcote
Strip parishes associated with the Chiltern Hills
The western edge of the Chiltern Hills is notable for ancient strip parishes, elongated parishes with villages in the flatter land below the escarpment, and woodland and summer pastures in the higher land.[2]
- Bedfordshire: Eaton Bray, Toddington, Totternhoe
- Buckinghamshire: Great Kimble, Horsenden, The Lee, Marsworth, Monks Risborough, Pitstone, Princes Risborough, Saunderton, Stoke Mandeville, Weston Turville
- Hertfordshire: Tring, Wigginton
- Oxfordshire: Aston Rowant, Checkendon, Chinnor, Ipsden, Lewknor, Mongewell, Newnham Murren, Nuffield, Pyrton, Shirburn, South Stoke, Watlington
Economic use
The hills have been used for their
In a region without building stone, local clay provided the raw materials for brick manufacture. Timber and flint were also used for construction.
As people have come to appreciate the open country, the area has become a visitor destination and the
The hills have been used as a location for telecommunication relay stations such as
Protection
The Chiltern Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and so enjoys special protection from major developments, which should not take place in such areas except in exceptional circumstances. This protection applies to major development proposals that raise issues of national significance.[16] In 2000 the government confirmed that the landscape qualities of AONBs are equivalent to those of National Parks, and that the protection given to both types of area by the land use planning system should also be equivalent.
Chilterns Conservation Board
The Chiltern Hills Conservation Board was established by Parliamentary Order in July 2004. It is an independent body comprising 27 members drawn from the relevant local authorities and from those living in local communities within the Chiltern AONB area.
The Board's purposes are set out in Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000: In summary these are:- First, to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the AONB, and increase the understanding and enjoyment by the public of the special qualities of the AONB. Second, while taking account of the first purpose, to foster the economic and social wellbeing of local communities within the AONB. Third, to publish and promote the implementation of a management plan for the AONB.[17]
In contrast to
The local authorities (two County Councils, three Unitary Authorities and four District and Borough Councils) are expected to respect the area's status as a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Heritage
Examples of historical architecture in the Chiltern region are preserved at the Chiltern Open Air Museum near Chalfont St Giles. This open-air folk museum contains reconstructed buildings which might otherwise have been destroyed or demolished as a result of redevelopment or road construction.[19][20]
Chiltern Hundreds
The Chiltern Hills includes the
List of hills
Hills in The Chiltern Hills more than 200 metres in elevation and with more than 30 metres of topographic prominence are listed from southwest to northeast.[21]
Hill | Elevation (m) | Prominence (m) | OS grid reference |
---|---|---|---|
Bald Hill | 257 | 125 | SU728957 |
Widdenton Park Hill | 203 | 35 | SU817917 |
Lodge Hill | 209 | 45 | SP794000 |
Whiteleaf Hill | 247 | 63 | SP823034 |
Pulpit Hill | 248 | 56 | SP831050 |
Beacon Hill | 230 | 33 | SP835060 |
Coombe Hill | 260 | 108 | SP849066 |
Wendover Woods | 267 | 180 | SP890090 |
Aldbury Nowers | 222 | 41 | SP952136 |
Clipper Down | 249 | 123 | SP965151 |
Dunstable Downs | 243 | 105 | TL008194 |
Blow's Down | 212 | 48 | TL034214 |
See also
- Zouches Farm
References
- ^ a b c d Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 163.
- ^ ISBN 0-85033-833-6.
- ^ a b c The Changing Landscape of the Chilterns Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Chilterns AoNB, Accessed 19 February 2012
- ^ Chiltern Society, The Chilterns Archived 7 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86239-200-7
- ^ ISBN 0-412-44510-7
- ISBN 085033-833-6.
- ^ "Natural England". Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- ISBN 0-948555-05-X, page 71.
- ^ DidYouKnow.pdf[permanent dead link] Chilterns AoNB, Accessed 19 February 2012
- ^ "Chiltern Tunnel". High Speed 2. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ Chilterns Conservation Board – statement objecting to HS2, Accessed 12 December 2012
- ^ Chilerns AoNB website – HS2, Accessed 20 February 2012
- Clarendon Press. p. 99. Ekwall cites the forms Cilternsætna ( Birch's Cartularium Saxonicum; 297); Cilternes efes ( Kemble's Codex diplomaticus aevi Saxonici; 715) and Ciltern (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; text E)
- ^ Chess Valley Association, Accessed 4 September 2014
- ^ "Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
- ^ Chiltern Conservation Board – Our Role, Accessed 10 December 2012
- ^ "The Chilterns AONB – Planning & Development". www.chilternsaonb.org.
- ^ "Historic Buildings". coam.org.uk. Chiltern Open Air Museum. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-78477-613-8. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ^ "Marilyn Regions". www.hill-bagging.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2020.