Wing, Buckinghamshire
This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2014) |
Wing | |
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All Saints' Parish Church, Wing | |
Flag | |
Location within Buckinghamshire | |
Population | 2,745 (2011, including Ascott)[1] |
OS grid reference | SP882229 |
Civil parish |
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Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LEIGHTON BUZZARD |
Postcode district | LU7 |
Dialling code | 01296 |
Police | Thames Valley |
Fire | Buckinghamshire |
Ambulance | South Central |
UK Parliament | |
Website | Wing Parish Council |
Wing, known in antiquated times as Wyng, is a village and civil parish in east Buckinghamshire, England. The village is on the main A418 road between Aylesbury and Leighton Buzzard. It is about 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Aylesbury, 3 miles (5 km) west of Leighton Buzzard, and 12 miles (19 km) south of Milton Keynes.
History
The Domesday Book of 1086 records the toponym as Witehunge. The name occurs in Old English circa 966–975 as Weowungum (dative plural case). It could mean:
- "Wiwa's sons or people". [citation needed]
- "The dwellers at, or heathen temple."
The first syllables of the names of the nearby village of Wingrave and the nearby hamlet of Wingbury have the same etymology. [citation needed]
The remains of the temple referred to may be under the
An ancient track, part of the pre-historic Icknield Way linking Oxford with Cambridge, once passed through the village. This was used in the Middle Ages and led to an increase in the village's size, though with the advent of modern roads and motorways this is less used today. [citation needed]
As early as the 7th century there was an
Nine hundred metres to the NNE of All Saints’ Church at the end of the High Street are the earthwork remains of a late 11th-, early 12th-century Norman motte-and-bailey castle, which is positioned at the top of Castle Hill. The castle likely had an inner and possibly an outer bailey to the East, although this has now all been built over by the road and housing. The remaining mound stands around 16 feet high and covers an area of around 120 feet.Wing Motte and Bailey castle
Wing also features a Pedal Car Racing team called Wing Racers made up of residents and friends that compete at competitions such as the Shenington 24hr.[5]
Amenities
The village has two schools. Overstone Combined School is a mixed,
World War 2
During WW2, an RAF base was built close to Wing. Completed in 1941, the primary purpose of RAF Wing was for training Wellington bomber crews. With the base in such close proximity to the village, the sight and sound of aircraft flying over the village became an part of everyday life. The village hall became a popular destination for aircrew and airfield personnel where weekly dances took place. The village pubs were also frequent destinations. At the end of the war RAF Wing served as a gateway for tens of thousands of men returning from duty in Europe. The base closed in April 1956.
Third London Airport
In 1971, the Roskill Commission identified the disused RAF Wing as the best site for a four-runway national hub airport, generally known as Cublington Airport. This attracted considerable opposition on environmental and noise nuisance grounds, and the plans were first changed to focus on a coastal site at Maplin Sands in the Thames Estuary and eventually scrapped altogether. As a permanent celebration of the victory, Buckinghamshire County Council planted a spinney of over 400 trees on a 3-acre site that would have been at the centre of the airport. As of 2023, there are no airports in the UK with more than two active paved runways.
Transport
Wing is about three miles from
The M1 motorway is 13 miles to the east, on the other side of Dunstable.
References
- Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ All Saints Church history Archived 16 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Britain Express website
- ^ "Wing Church, Buckinghamshire - Monuments". Nashford Publishing. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Wing Racers Entry". BFPCR website.
- ^ The Cottesloe School
Further reading
- Page, W.H., ed. (1905). A History of the County of Buckingham, Volume 1. Victoria County History. Archibald Constable& Co. p. 396.
- Page, W.H., ed. (1925). A History of the County of Buckingham, Volume 3. Victoria County History. pp. 449–458.
- ISBN 0-14-071019-1.