# High Wycombe

High Wycombe is a large and historic town between hills in the county of Buckinghamshire in England. Furniture making played an extensive role in the town's industrial heritage. The market in High Street dates back to the Middle Ages.

## Understand

Often just called Wycombe, it is the 'furniture capital of England' .
Each May the town has an unusual ceremony known as Mayor Making. A tradition dating back to 1678, the town holds a public weighing of the Mayor, the intention being to see if they have put on weight, i.e., "to see if they are getting fat at rate payers' expense". In the interests of confidentiality the actual weight is not revealed but the gain or loss of weight is and is announced by the town crier.

## Get in
### By road

The town lies on the main London-Oxford-Birmingham M40 motorway. 30 miles from London, 30 miles (48 km) to Oxford and 12 miles (19 km) from the M25 motorway.
The A404 main road connects the town to the M4 (London-Reading-Bristol-Swansea) motorway (to the S), close to Maidenhead.

### By train

* 51.629516-0.7462791 Railway station, Amersham Hill, High Wycombe, HP13 6NN. Chiltern Railways manage the station and run services. On the line from Birmingham to London Marylebone and served by both local and fast trains. There are usually 3 trains an hour between High Wycombe and London Marylebone and 1 train an hour between High Wycombe and Birmingham. Check timetables as trains do not run overnight. (updated Jun 2017)

### By bus

Wycombe is also served by buses to and from many of the nearby towns and villages, though due to the sheer number of traffic lights installed along London Road and around the entrance to the bus station it's generally quicker to walk.
There are also bus services to Oxford and Stansted Airport.
The town boasts a spacious park and ride facility, see National Park and Ride Directory which stops running at 7PM, rendering it useless to anyone wanting to have dinner, visit the cinema or go late-night shopping. At 6:30PM, however, the Eden Car Park changes its pricing plan to £1.50 for the rest of the evening. The Dovecot car park is even cheaper, but much less well-maintained.

### By air

Whilst the town does have an airfield Booker Airfield, this is a private airfield for light aircraft.
The town is 20 miles (32 km) from Heathrow Airport and 40 miles (64 km) from Luton Airport

## Get around

Buses: Buckinghamshire County Council have a guide to bus services in the High Wycombe area.
Walking and cycling: The town centre is largely pedestrianised.
Car: Good links with the M40 and M4.

## See

* 51.6313-0.74811 $^{[deadlink]}$ Wycombe Museum, Priory Ave, High Wycombe HP13 6PX, ☏ +44 1494 957210, info@wycombemuseum.org. 2 Apr-30 Oct: M-Th 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-4:30PM, Sa 11AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM, last Th of month 10AM-9:30PM; 31 Oct – 1 Apr: M-Th 10AM-4:30PM, F 10AM-4PM, Sa 11AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM, last Th month 10AM-9:30PM. Free admission. (updated May 2017)
* 51.6502-0.756982 Hughenden Manor, Valley Rd, High Wycombe HP14 4LA (3 miles N of High Wycombe), ☏ +44 1494 755565, hughenden@nationaltrust.org.uk. (updated May 2017)
* 51.6255-0.74313 The Rye (off London Road). This extensive park is bordered by two rivers; the Wye and The Dyke; and features two attractive playgrounds and free-to-use tennis courts. (updated May 2017)
* 51.646-0.80264 Hellfire Caves, Church Ln, West Wycombe HP14 3AH, ☏ +44 1494 533739. Adults £7.50; Children £6. (updated May 2017)
* 51.641701-0.800655 West Wycombe Park, Village and Hill, West Wycombe, HP14 3AJ (3 miles west of High Wycombe), ☏ +44 1494 755571, +44 1494 513569, westwycombe@nationaltrust.org.uk.
* 51.613794-0.6448946 Bekonscot Model Village & Railway, Warwick Rd, Beaconsfield HP9 2PL (5½ miles E of High Wycombe), ☏ +44 1494 672919, info@bekonscot.co.uk. Daily 10AM-5:30PM. Adults £14.60, Children £9.30. (updated Jun 2017)

## Do

The Cressex area of High Wycombe (near the main M40 junction) offers a few options close to the Holiday Inn hotel, a badminton centre, and Handy Cross sports centre (http://www.wll.co.uk) which has many facilities including a Gym and Swimming pool.
* 51.5797-0.66841 Odds Farm Park, Wooburn Common, High Wycombe HP10 0LX (4 miles from J2 of the M40), ☏ +44 1628 520188, oddsfarm@oddsfarm.co.uk. Daily from 10AM. Meet new babies, enjoy Animal Activities/Demonstrations and discover the NEW Giant Indoor Playbarn! (updated May 2017)
* 51.63037-0.756582 Hollywood Bowl (Ten-pin Bowling), 9 Denmark St, Eden Centre, High Wycombe HP11 2DB, ☏ +44 844 826 3042 (premium). Daily 9AM-late. Adults £5.99/game; Under 16's £4.99/game. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62815-0.749813 Swan Theatre, St Mary St, High Wycombe HP11 2XE, ☏ +44 1494 512000. (updated Jun 2017)
* Watch football at Wycombe Wanderers$^{[deadlink]}$. They were relegated in 2021 and now play soccer in League One, the game's third tier. Their home ground Adams Park (capacity 9400) is two miles west of High Wycombe town centre.
* 51.612-0.77484 Badminton Wycombe, Crest Rd, High Wycombe HP11 1UA, ☏ +44 1494 436200. M-F 9AM-11PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 9AM-11PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6147-0.76035 Wycombe Leisure Centre, Handy Cross, High Wycombe HP11 1UP, ☏ +44 1494 688100. M-F 6AM-11PM, Sa Su 7AM-8PM. Gym, pools, studios, group cycling studio, sports hall, squash courts, climbing wall, bowls hall, café (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62895-0.753626 Cineworld, Denmark St, Eden, High Wycombe HP11 2DB, ☏ +44 871 200 2000 (premium). (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6131-0.77227 Empire (Cinema), Crest Rd, High Wycombe HP11 1UA. (updated Jun 2017)
One of the best things to do in High Wycombe is use its fantastic transport links and go somewhere else.

## Buy

* 51.6293-0.75081 $^{[formerlydeadlink]}$ High Wycombe Market, High St, High Wycombe, HP11 2BN, ☏ +44 1483 277640, info@saundersmarkets.co.uk. Tu F 8AM-4PM, Sa 8AM-5PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6275-0.7532 Eden Shopping Centre. The town centre has undergone a major refurbishment project and now has one of the largest shopping centres in the country with over 100 shops, including a large House of Fraser and Marks and Spencer. It is probably also the coldest as it has no roof in some areas, so wrap up warm. The way the building was built it acts as a wind tunnel. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.63088-0.751953 Chiltern Shopping Centre, Frogmoor, High Wycombe HP13 5ES. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6314-0.76074 Desborough Road (Shopping Area), Desborough Rd, High Wycombe, HP11 2QA. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6111-0.78345 John Lewis (Department Store), Holmers Farm Way, Cressex Centre, High Wycombe HP12 4NW, ☏ +44 1494 462666. M-F 10AM-8PM, Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Near the M40. The store does not stock clothing - only household goods and furnishings. (updated Jun 2017)

### Supermarkets

* 51.6146-0.76216 Waitrose (Supermarket), Marlow Hill, High Wycombe HP11 1TJ, ☏ +44 1494 441652. M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6115-0.77957 Asda (Supermarket), Holmers Farm Way, High Wycombe HP12 4NU, ☏ +44 1494 441611. M 7:30AM-midnight, Tu-F 24 hr, Sa midnight-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Petrol station (different hours) (updated Jun 2017)

## Eat

There are many places to eat in the town centre, but it can be worth visiting some of the country pubs in the surrounding villages which often offer excellent food.
* 51.63187-0.75291 Air Raid Shelter Cafe and Tea Room, Frogmoor, HP13 5DQ, ☏ +44 1494 474 198, airraidcafe@gmail.com. 9:30AM-4PM. Pass the sandbagged enterance to go back in time to a World War 2 cafe and museum. (updated Mar 2024)
* 51.63042-0.755652 $^{[formerlydeadlink]}$ Bill's (Restaurant), 22 Newlands Meadow, Eden Centre, High Wycombe HP11 2BZ, ☏ +44 1494 526333, highwycombe@bills-email.co.uk. M-Sa 8AM-11PM, Su & Bank Holidays 9AM-10:30PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62805-0.746333 Eat Thai (Restauant), 14-15 Easton St, High Wycombe HP11 1NT, ☏ +44 1494 532888. Daily noon-3PM & 6PM-11PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62868-0.747774 Bombay Palace (Indian Restaurant), 6 Crendon St, High Wycombe HP13 6LW, ☏ +44 1494 531595, info@bombaypalacehw.com. M-Th noon-2:30PM & 6PM-11:30PM, F Sa noon-2:30PM & 6PM-midnight, Su noon-2:30PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62925-0.750345 The Works (Restaurant), 11 High St, High Wycombe HP11 2AZ, ☏ +44 1494 451952, highwycombe@eatattheworks.co.uk. M-Th 9AM-10PM, F Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 10AM-10PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62868-0.751296 Noodle Nation, 5 Crown Lane, High Wycombe HP11 2HF, ☏ +44 1494 447555. M-W 11:30AM-9PM, Th 11:30AM-9:30PM, F Sa 11:30AM-10:30PM, Su 11:30AM-9:30PM. (updated Jun 2017)

## Drink

Some say: "There are no pubs in High Wycombe. There are some restaurants that have an alcohol licence, but none of any note." It's not (entirely) true! There are a few decent pubs in town; at the very least they have better drink than the restaurants.
There is a pub called The Antelope, which although rough in appearance serves only drink and is popular every night of the week. The prices are inexpensive but the place could be described as "the worst pub in the world".
* 51.6298-0.751561 $^{[deadlink]}$ Mad Squirrel (Bar & Restaurant), 4-5 Church St,High Wycombe, HP11 2DE, ☏ +44 1494 395980. Summer: M-Th 11AM-9:30PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-9PM; Winter: M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-9PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6281-0.74232 The Sausage Tree (Pub & Restaurant), Saffron Rd, High Wycombe, HP13 6AB, ☏ +44 1494 452204, sausagetreepub@hotmail.co.uk. M-W noon-3PM & 5PM-11PM, Th noon-3PM & 5PM-midnight, F noon-midnight, Sa 3PM-midnight, Su noon-5PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6298-0.74723 The Bootlegger (Pub & Restaurant), 3 Amersham Hill, High Wycombe, HP13 6NQ, ☏ +44 1494 525457, thebootleggerpub@hotmail.co.uk. M-Th noon-midnight, F Sa noon-1AM, Su noon-11PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6145-0.7174 The General Havelock (Pub & Food), 114 Kingsmead Rd, Wycombe Marsh, HP11 1HZ (2 miles E of High Wycombe), ☏ +44 1494 520391, thehavelock@yahoo.co.uk. M-Th noon-3PM & 5PM-11PM, F Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-10:30PM. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.62932-0.75135 The Falcon, 9 Cornmarket, High Wycombe, HP11 2AX, ☏ +44 1494 538610. M-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM, Su 8AM-midnight. (updated Jun 2017)

## Sleep

* 51.636-0.768111 Ambassador Court Hotel, 145-147 West Wycombe Rd, High Wycombe HP12 3AB, ☏ +44 1494 461818, reservations@ambassadorcourthotel.co.uk. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated May 2017)
* 51.6134-0.77072 Holiday Inn, M40, Jct. 4 Handy Cross, High Wycombe, HP11 1TL, ☏ +44 871 942 9094 (premium). Check-in: noon, check-out: 2PM. (updated May 2017)
* 51.6196-0.7843 Squirrel House (B&B), 129 New Rd, Booker, High Wycombe HP12 4RH, ☏ +44 1494 520709. On-site parking Single occupancy £55/night; double occupancy £65. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6267-0.76524 $^{[deadlink]}$ Wendover Arms (Hotel), Desborough Ave, High Wycombe HP11 2SU, ☏ +44 1494 474747, info@wendoverarms.co.uk. Single £37; double/twin £57. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.6325-0.74965 Abbey Lodge Hotel, 17 Priory Rd, High Wycombe HP13 6SL, ☏ +44 1494 471013, reservations@abbeylodgehotel.co.uk. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Free car park. Free Wi-Fi from £50. (updated Jun 2017)
* 51.669-0.8696 The Mash Inn, Horseshoe Rd, Bennett End, Radnage HP14 4EB, ☏ +44 1494 482440. Excellent restaurant with six rooms in Chilterns countryside. No children under 16. B&B double £120. (updated Jun 2020)

## Connect

* 51.63031-0.750731 Post Office, 3 Castle St, High Wycombe HP13 6RZ. M-Sa 8:30AM-7PM. (updated Jun 2017)

## Go next

* Henley-on-Thames
* Watford
* Reading
* Maidenhead
* Aylesbury
* West London