Buckinghamshire has been in existence since around the 12th Century. Named after an Anglo-Saxon landowner called Bucca, the county has a rich history stretching back to Roman times.
Henry VIII had an important role in the history and development of Buckinghamshire. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536 around a third of the county became personal property of the king. It was Henry who made Aylesbury the county town of Buckinghamshire reputedly to win favour with Thomas Boleyn and thus marry his daughter, Anne.
One of the most prominent figures of the English Civil War, John Hampden, was a son of Buckinghamshire. Hampden’s organisational skills coupled with his single minded determination and belief in the supremacy of Parliament mean he represents, for many, the noblest of parliamentarians.
The Industrial Revolution and the coming of the trains changed the landscape of Buckinghamshire forever. Buckinghamshire became renowned for the production of black lace with Queen Victoria giving Bucks Lace her patronage. The mid 19th Century saw a major cholera epidemic followed by famine causing a decimation of the agricultural population and mass migrations to nearby cities and industrial centres. The abandoning of the land allowed many wealthy families, such as the Rothschilds, to buy large tracts for the development of large estates and country houses.
Despite the urbanisation of the 20th Century, much of Buckinghamshire still retains the idyllic charm of old making it popular both with commuters and with visitors.
