Ancient Routes

THE OLDEST ROUTES in the UPPER HAMLETS OF PRINCES RISBOROUGH

The UPPER HAMLETS of the Manor of Princes Risborough were LACEY GREEN, LOOSLEY ROW and SPEEN

THE UPPER ICKNIELD WAY

The oldest known route here being The Upper Icknield Way.  This was an ancient way stretching from Norfolk, near Grimes Graves, famous for the source of flint tools, as far as Wiltshire.   It followed the hilltops, thought to be used in winter as opposed to the Lower Icknield Way, a parallel way further to the north-west, for the drier summer months.  Here, it runs down the edge of the fields from Green Hailey to Culverton.

Flint tools and old coins from various eras have been found by professional detectors adjacent to this route.

From parts of the Upper Icknield Way the ‘Ridgeway’ has been developed.

In an article on local pre-history Ian Kelloway wrote as follows - " The Upper Icknield Way which has been incorporated into the Ridgeway Path is thought to be a Neolithic route way although recent excavations whilst constructing the Aston Clinton by-pass could not find any evidence of this route and some experts are suggesting that this route way was a much wider freeway and was not tracked until maybe as late as the late Saxon period."

TRACKS BECOME ROADS

As the ancient tracks became used more, most following ways that avoided hills as much were possible, routes became established which were now called ‘roads’.    The Romans established many principal roads countrywide which they named ‘Street’s, but there were none built here.   There was however a ‘road’ from High Wycombe to Princes Risborough in use at this time.

PRINCES RISBOROUGH to HIGH WYCOMBE. SKIRTING THE WEST of LACEY GREEN and LOOSLEY ROW.

This ‘road was improved In 17?? , when it became a private Turnpike, and in 1823 permission was granted to improve the route where it entered Princes Risborough making it less steep.

It is now known as the B4010.

PRINCES RISBOROUGH via SPEEN to HUGHENDEN VALLEY. SKIRTING THE EAST of LACEY GREEN and LOOSLEY ROW

Another track that had over the centuries been established was a route from Princes Risborough to Speen and on to the Hughenden Valley, skirting the east side of Lacey Green and Loosley Row.   It started off at Dipton Bottom, just south of Princes Risborough. Leaving the valley and followed a track called ‘Woodway’ up towards Lacey Green.   On its left were the strips of the medieval open fields of the Manor of Princes Risborough.   As it climbed higher, ‘Woodway’ headed to the pond behind Windmill Farm, (a good spot for a stop for any horses).   It was now on the Common of Princes Risborough.   This is where the farmers of Risborough brought their animals to graze.

The ‘road’ then headed straight across the Common to a gate at the start of Highwood Bottom.   The far south-east end of Highwood Bottom was also gated.    Lacey Green is up on the hill on the West (right side) at this point.   From the end of Highwood Bottom there is a steep pull up to the hamlet of Speen and from thence on down to the Hughenden Valley.

HIGHWOOD BOTTOM. The section of the above track called Highwood Bottom had a reputation of being a favoured haunt for highwaymen. It ran along a steep sided valley bottom, where in the seventeenth century and before both hillsides were dense woods. Both ends were gated. A highwayman's grave is said to be marked along there by a large sandstone. At the southern end the track was a junction called 'Devil's Elbow', one way going on up to Speen, the other sharply turning west towards Lacey Green.,

SIDE TRACK from WINDMILL POND towards Lacey Green, meeting track up from Loosley Row. No road into Lacey Green.

Village, the other coming in the other direction to meet the first, somewhere about where Goodacres Lane would eventually be made.    They did not enter the village, which at that time was only two little groups of cottages.

LOOSLEY ROW

Where these last mentioned tracks joined the resulting track then cut down towards Loosley Row.  There it met a ‘road’ which had branched off ‘Woodway’ as it turned to come up the hill.   This eventually became Lower Road Loosley Row.    A diamond shaped piece of ‘no man’s land was the result.   The bottom point of this ‘diamond’ became a ‘road’ later to become known as ‘Wycombe Road’, then later, ‘Little Lane’ heading down to join The Turnpike.    There were a few properties on the ‘Lower Road’ by 1800.

CUTTING ACROSS THE COMMON FROM EAST to WEST

A ‘road’ known as Windmill Road entered Lacey Green from Hampden at Parslows Hillock, (no Pink and Lily built yet).   Headed straight across Risborough Common to the pond behind Windmill Farm.   (no Widmer Farm built yet).   There it met the ‘road from Speen to Princes Risborough.

1823 NOW ROADS GO INTO the VILLAGES

There was review of the ‘roads’ in 1810, which was published in 1820/21, where changes were recommended.  By then the Enclosures of Princes Risborough had been approved and the Commissioners were working out the schedule for that.   Most of the recommendations were implemented in 1823 when this was published and tracks were now officially designated as 'roads'. They were, however, still stony tracks until tarmacadam came to the villages about 1930.

Ancient Routes
Map Source	Upper Hamlets of Princes Risborough
Village
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