| Burnham | |
|---|---|
 St Peter's parish church | |
  Burnham Location withinBuckinghamshire | |
| Area | 19.84 km2 (7.66 sq mi) |
| Population | 11,630 (2011 census)[1] |
| • Density | 586/km2 (1,520/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU9282 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Slough |
| Postcode district | SL1, SL2 |
| Dialling code | 01628 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Buckinghamshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Burnham is a large village andcivil parish that lies north of theRiver Thames inBuckinghamshire, between the towns ofMaidenhead andSlough, about 24 miles west ofCharing Cross,London. It is probably best known for the nearbyBurnham Beeches woodland.
The village is served byBurnham railway station on the main line betweenLondon Paddington andReading. TheM4 motorway passes through the south of the parish.
Thetoponym is derived from theOld English for "homestead on a stream".[2] It was first recorded in theDomesday Book of 1086 asBurneham, when themanor was held byWalter FitzOther.
Burnham was once a very important village. TheGreat West Road from London toBath passed through the extensive parish of Burnham and as a result, in 1271, aRoyal charter was granted to hold a market and an annual fair. However, when the firstMaidenhead Bridge crossing theThames opened c.1280, the road was diverted to the south of Burnham (the route of the modernA4), and Burnham fell into relative decline. The market was then transferred to Maidenhead.
Today the village is nearly contiguous with west Slough, though green-buffered by parkland. At the2011 census thecivil parish had a population of 11,630 and Burnham is the traditional villagenucleus.[1]
TheChurch of England parish church ofSaint Peter dates in part from the 12th century but has been substantially expanded, refurbished and altered, withmajor restorations in 1863–64 and 1891 and the construction of the Cornerstone Centre in 1986.[3]
In 1265 aBenedictine women'sabbey was founded near the village byRichard, Earl of Cornwall. The community was dispersed under KingHenry VIII in thedissolution of the monasteries. Since 1916, a contemplative order ofChurch of EnglandAugustinian nuns has been based in the restored remains of the original abbey.The abbey is now up for sale at a price of around £3 million.
The parish of Burnham included a number of communities: in the 18th century the liberties assessed for the poor rate were Burnham Town, East Burnham,Boveney,Britwell,Cippenham and Wood.[4] Boveney became a separate civil parish in 1866[5] Cippenham was transferred to Slough in 1930,[6] and therefore became part of Berkshire in 1974. Britwell was transferred to the borough ofSlough and to Berkshire in 1974.
The current civil parish now includes Lent Rise, Rose Hill, East Burnham,Hitcham,Littleworth and Littleworth Common.
TheselectiveBurnham Grammar School providessecondary education
The village has a traditionalHigh Street, with many buildings dating from the 18th and 19th century. There are two small supermarkets and fivepubs on or near the High Street,[7] and many small independent cafes and shops. At the south end of the High Street is a large park, which contains the community centre of Burnham Park Hall and a small public library.
Burnham Football Club is anon-League football team that plays at the 1878 Stadium.
Burnham has aLocal nature reserve on the eastern border of the village calledHaymill Valley.[8]
Burnham Beeches National Nature Reserve, an area of 540 acres (220 ha) of protected ancient woodland, lies just north of the village. Owing to its proximity toPinewood Film & TV Studios, Burnham and its surrounding areas (in particular Burnham Beeches) feature in films, notably main scenes inCarry On films and for the 1991 filmRobin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
The majorNational Trust estate ofCliveden is about three miles northwest, in the neighbouring parish ofTaplow.Dorneywood, currently the country home of the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, is in Burnham parish.
TheRiver Thames is about two miles south and west of the village centre. The major rowing venue ofDorney Lake is nearby. There are three golf courses (Huntswood,Lambourne,Burnham Beeches) to the north and west of the village.
In addition toBurnham railway station (Elizabeth Line) and the nearby M4, theChiltern Main Line and the M40 are accessible about 5 miles north atBeaconsfield[9] whileHeathrow Airport is about 12 miles east.[10]
| Output area | Homes owned outright | Owned with a loan | Socially rented | Privately rented | Other | km2 roads | km2 water | km2 domestic gardens | km2 domestic buildings | km2 non-domestic buildings | Usual residents | km2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil parish | 1632 | 1748 | 780 | 472 | 60 | 0.716 | 0.057 | 1.907 | 0.355 | 0.122 | 11630 | 19.84 |
The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Parish of Burnham.
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South Bucks (former district) | ||
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