About Burnham and Burnham Beeches
The Village of Burnham
Burnham is an ancient hamlet which lies within the area bounded by the
nearby towns of Windsor, Maidenhead, Slough, Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross. It is
mentioned in the Domesday Book and in Medieval times had its own market and a fair.
Local historians believe that the earliest settlement here predated Roman times. There are
numerous 16th and 17th century buildings in and around the High Street and the local 13th
century church has a tower which is believed to date from about 1200.
Today the village has a population of over 12000 but further building is constrained by its presence in an area protected by Green Belt legislation. The local economy depends heavily on developments outside Burnham such as the Slough Industrial Estate and Heathrow Airport but many residents commute to London because of the good road and rail links and local employment has been helped by the rapid growth of High-Tech industries throughout the Thames Valley. The fertile flood plain of the Thames also enables the area to provide much Market Garden produce for the London area.
Burnham Beeches
North of the village is Burnham Beeches, one of the finest woodland tracts anywhere near London. This is the remains of a great primeval forest which once covered much of the county of Buckinghamshire. It is celebrated for its pollarded beech trees, the largest collection of old beech trees in the world, and for being one of the best preserved examples of early systematic woodland management. The average age of the pollarded beeches is known to be in excess of 400 years. The largest tree in the woodland known as the "Druids Oak" is probably over 800 years old and its girth two feet from the ground is well over 30 feet.
The Beeches have long been the rendez-vous of artists, poets and country-lovers. Thomas Gray, Sheridan and Mendelssohn are known to have visited the forest frequently and been inspired by the 'Wild Woodland' and the character of the old trees. It is also an excellent hunting ground for those interested in fungi, insects and birds.
Tourist Attractions
Listed below are a number of places within a few miles of Burnham which may be of interest to visitors:
Windsor Castle and The Royal Apartments
Seeing
the Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle. a tour round the Royal Apartments coupled
with visits to St George's Chapel and Windsor Great Park makes for a memorable day out.
The Royal Apartments have been completely refurbished following an extensive fire.
http://www.royal.gov.uk/palaces/windsor.htm
The Legoland Theme Park
If you have a very young family with you then a visit to Legoland
is a must. There are numerous rides for youngchildren including water slides, four theatre
venues demonstrations by expert model builders of how to construct fabulous LEGO models
and special shows to challenge young minds such as MINDSTORMS - an area where they
can explore the world of robotics and computing. This LEGOland is one of only two such
parks outside Denmark, the home of LEGO. See more info at http://www.legoland.co.uk/
Bekonscot
The model village of Bekonscot, the oldest model village in the world.
Included in the many things to see in this charming village in miniature are beautifully
landscaped gardens, miniature houses, castles, churches shops and railway stations
through which runs the finest outdoor model railway open to the public in the United
Kingdom.
www.bekonscot.org.uk
Boating on the River Thames.
There
are many opportunities to explore the local stretches of the Thames either on public
excursions or by hiring your own boat, everything from rowing boats up to launches capable
of holding up to 160 passengers.
Here are some organisations that operate river boating services from Windsor or Maidenhead:
French Brothers Ltd., The Clewer Boathouse, Clewer Court Road,
Windsor Tel : 01753 851900 Fax : 01753 832303 or visit their website http://www.boat-trips.co.uk
The Maidenhead Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Taplow Boat Yard, Mill
Lane, Taplow Tel 01628 621770
Bray Boats, Ray Mead Road, Maidenhead Tel 01628 637880
Cliveden
Cliveden, the former home of the Astor family, is an Italianate mansion perched on a rise above the River Thames. The spectacular grounds, which are open to the public, include a magnificent parterre and water garden with many miles of walks giving splendid views over the Thames Valley. Click here for more info from the National Trust
Leisure Facilities
The area served by the Rotary Club of Burnham Beeches namely Burnham and the villages of Stoke Poges, the Farnhams and Taplow contain a number of sporting and other leisure facilities open to visitors although advance booking may be required. Visitors should check availability with the organisations concerned.
Golf
Horse Riding
Tennis
Municipal tennis courts can be found in The Recreation Ground, Station Road, Burnham
Other leisure activities such as swimming and squash are most easily accessible to visitors through the following leisure centres which are all within a six mile radius of Burnham:
Places To Stay
In Burnham:
By the River Thames: