IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Ditchfield Common, HIGH WYCOMBE, HP14 3HJ

The right end building of this terrace of houses used to be the Jolly Blacksmith public house but is now a private residence. Despite this a large Whitbread sign is still in place on the flank wall round the corner and the very faded pub sign is also still in place in front of the cranes. The 1877 Ordnance Survey map shows the terrace, but only by the 1898 edition does the annotation P.H. appear with a Smithy behind.

The Ordnance Survey map of 1898 shows that a Smithy was in operation at this location at that time, serving the needs of the agricultural community, and the business is evidently still thriving today. This photograph was taken from the public footpath across Ditchfield Common.

There are a couple of fine signs here, advertising the presence of Image Image across Ditchfield Common to the left. Image is visible to the left. Church Road is to the right.

The path through Fining Wood crosses a small stream.

Looking north with the Parish Church of All Saints on the left.

Church Road approaching the village centre as it passes the church. The village has many attractive brick and flint cottages.

This poor old scarecrow looks to be finally surrendering. Allotments at Lane End.

The church is a Grade II Listed Building although it was only built in 1877 replacing a short-lived earlier church. By a coincidence the earliest edition of the large scale Ordnance Survey map currently available online does date from 1877 and shows the footprint of the earlier church, whose long axis was orientated north-south rather than the east-west configuration of the present-day building. The English Heritage Listed Buildings website describes it thus:- "Parish church. Dated 1877 on stone dedication tablet at E. end. By J. Oldrid Scott. Flint with stone dressings, tiled roofs. Nave, N. porch, tower in angle with small N. transept, N. chapel, chancel and S, vestry. In Early English style with lancet windows. Off-set buttresses, stone sill course, flint and stone chequer patterning to tops of gables. Nave has 2 lancets and cusped roundel to W., 5 lancets to S. with arched door to left, and 2 lancets to N. Gabled N. porch at right end, with double chamfered arch, and paired cusped lights to each side. Tower, raised 1901, is of 3 stages with saddle-back roof, clocks in gables, paired cusped openings to bell-chamber, lancets, and W. door. Triple lancets in small gable of N. transept, the central light taller. N. chapel has 3 lancets to N. and traceried roundel to E. Chancel has 3-light traceried E. window with carved head hoodmould stops. Door and 2-light window to vestry. Interior: nave has 6-bay roof of re-used medieval timbers from barn at Bisham Abbey, with chamfered arch-braces to collars, and chamfered arched wind-braces."

This is the view from Church Road, showing the saddleback roof of the tower. For a description please see Image

Built in 1877 to the design of John Oldrid Scott (1841-1913) son of Sir George Gilbert Scott