Highwood Bottom

click Hamlets for more of these.

Research by Joan West

Map. Northern end of Highwood Bottom. circa 1990. by Dennis Claydon

This is the south end of Highwood Bottom. The field hatched in blue was bought by the owners of Bottom Cottage

Highwood Bottom is a deep valley, running northwards off "Devils Elbow" on the track from Flowers Bottom to Speen. It ended where it was crossed by a bridleway from Great Hampden to Lacey Green. This valley was formed after the last ice age, see The Chilterns

AN IMPORTANT ROUTE

In the 1600s and probably long before that it had been part of the major track from the Hughenden Valley, through Speen to Princes Risborough. At the north end of Highwood Bottom the track met the Common of Princes Risborough continuing across the Common There were no roads in the villages at that time. Highwood Bottom was gated at both ends and heavily wooded on both sides at that time.

HIGHWAYMEN

There is talk of a highwayman's grave, marked with a large boulder part way along. It would certainly have been very dark and lonely.

THE 1823 ENCLOSURES

Kingswood farmhouse, on the bank above the valley

1823. The Enclosures of Princes Risborough saw the old tracks altered and official "roads" were made to the villages. All roads were the responsibility of the land owners through which they ran. The ground was covered with stones, picked off the land.. Tarmac roads were not made in the countryside until in the 1930's but Highwood Bottom was never adopted by the Council and to date, 2021, is still just a track.

NOW A HAMLET

There are now however properties opening onto it all along on the east side. Enough to call it a hamlet. Being secluded, a number of well known people have chosen to live there.

In the 1939 Register (census) the following properties are recorded in Highwood Bottom. They are all on the east side of the valley. Starting from the south (Speen) end they are as follows.

1st Cottage. Bottom Cottage. Mamie C Woolf born 1902, Antique Dealer. Arthur Goldscheider b 1874, Art Dealer. Kristina Goldscheider 1971, wife.

2nd Cottage. Hermione Evans born 1913, Actress. Esther Evans b 1889, private means.

3rd Cottage. Lena M Geshin born 1904, housewife. Jacqueline Prentice born 1935. Yvonne Prentice b.1938. Louisa H Lucas widow b.1867 incapacitated

Valley Cottage. Charles E Rubbra born 1901, musician, composer & pianist. Antionette Rubbra b.1901, musician/pianist. 2 absent WW2. 1 paid domestic. click Edmund Rubbra and Benedict & Tessa Rubbra for more

Kingswood Farm. Arthur Drayson born 1919 cowman. Mary F Drayson b.1886 wife of Arthur G Drayson b.1889. butcher. See Kingswood Farm