Loudwater is a village in the parish of Chepping Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the valley to the east of High Wycombe, on the A40 London Road.

Loudwater
Loudwater sign depicting a mill that once stood there
Loudwater Location within Buckinghamshire
Population	4,170
OS grid reference	SU905905
Civil parish	Chepping Wycombe
Unitary authority	Buckinghamshire
Ceremonial county	Buckinghamshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HIGH WYCOMBE
Postcode district	HP10
Dialling code	01494, 01628
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Buckinghamshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Beaconsfield
List of places UK England Buckinghamshire 51.606025°N 0.692297°W / 51.606025; -0.692297

History

The village name refers to the River Wye nearby, that also flows through High Wycombe. In manorial records in 1241 the village was referred to as La Ludewatere.

The brick built St Peter's Church dates from 1788 with a gothic style chancel added in 1903 and further improvements in recent years, including new windows. On the London Road there is a Victorian mansion called Burleighfield House that was once the studio of the stained glass designer Patrick Reyntiens.

There was once a blotting paper mill in the valley and Loudwater had its own railway station on the Wycombe Railway that opened in 1854 and closed in 1970.

Today there is little to distinguish the village from the urban sprawl of High Wycombe, though it is signed along the London Road. A 1744 milestone can still be seen and there is also still a traditional village pub 'The Derehams Inn' in Derehams Lane.

Features

Loudwater is home to several retail and industrial concerns - a large Tesco supermarket, an industrial estate, a small retail park, a Brewers Fayre motel and also the office of the local newspaper, the Bucks Free Press. The M40 motorway crosses over the valley close to the village, and facilitates the eastbound only Junction 3, signposted as 'Wycombe East'.

Loudwater was once served by the High Wycombe to Bourne End railway line, the station being situated at the bottom of Treadaway Hill. The line and station closed in 1970, the old railway path can still be walked through Fennel Wood.

Loudwater is known as the Headquarters of Dreams Beds, Costa Express and Fonehouse.

Loudwater has a primary school called Loudwater Combined School, located on Kingsmead Road.

External links

Media related to Loudwater, Buckinghamshire at Wikimedia Commons

• Flackwell Heath and Loudwater Local History Group