California, Buckinghamshire

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California
Aylesbury, Penn Road, California - geograph.org.uk - 898429.jpg
Penn Road, California
Buckinghamshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
California
Location within Buckinghamshire
OS grid reference SP8113
Civil parish
  • Aylesbury
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town AYLESBURY
Postcode district HP21
Dialling code 01296
Police Thames Valley
Fire Buckinghamshire
Ambulance South Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Buckinghamshire
51°48′47″N0°48′59″W / 51.813066°N 0.816409°W / 51.813066; -0.816409 Coordinates: 51°48′47″N0°48′59″W / 51.813066°N 0.816409°W / 51.813066; -0.816409

California is a hamlet to the south side of Aylesbury town centre in Buckinghamshire in England, although today it has been completely swallowed up by the urban growth of Aylesbury. [1]

Contents

Etymology

The hamlet is probably named after the U.S. state of California, though its history goes back long before the state was known to British people. The name of the original farm was therefore most likely changed to California at some point before 1839. It is widely believed that the hamlet was named after visiting American servicemen during the Second World War; however, 19th-century maps prove this to be incorrect. [2] [3]

History

Until the arrival of the Wycombe Railway in Aylesbury in 1863, California was the name of a farm and related buildings that stood in the area. However, with the arrival of the railway, cottages were constructed in the location of the farm to house railway workers and the area became known as the Hamlet of California.

Hazell, Watson and Viney

In 1867, printing and publishing firm, Hazell, Watson and Viney, opened an inkworks in a disused silk mill in the hamlet. In 1878, this was moved to purpose built premises on the Tring Road (current site of Tesco), which closed in 1952. [4]

20th century

By the early 1920s Aylesbury had grown such that it was necessary to start building houses on the site of Southcourt (the other side of California from Aylesbury), and so California and the associated farmlands that surrounded it became part of Aylesbury town. Eventually the farmlands themselves were built on, though the railway cottages that formed the hamlet remain.

Looking north east towards the council offices, from Prebendal Avenue Aylesbury, Prebendal Avenue, California - geograph.org.uk - 902246.jpg
Looking north east towards the council offices, from Prebendal Avenue

In 1924, the Bishop of Oxford transferred lands owned in California into the hands of the Municipal Borough of Aylesbury, which in 1929 was partially used in the construction of a new church and parsonage house, which is currently located on Penn Road. [5]

21st century

The site was home to the "California Industrial Estate" until 2005 when it was demolished to make way for a new housing estate, renamed the "Grand Central" due to its proximity to the centre of Aylesbury. As of November 2006 the building work has nearly finished and it is likely that the hamlet will be forgotten as it has been completely swamped by Aylesbury's development.

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Related Research Articles

Aylesbury Large town and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, South East England

Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Waterside Theatre. The town is recognised as the spiritual cradle of the Paralympic Games. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wycombe and Milton Keynes.

Southcourt Human settlement in England

Southcourt is a housing estate in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. Building commenced in the early 1920s through to the mid-1930s and only stopped because of the Second World War. It was turned into a post war housing estate during the years of 1946 and 1955. The area is named after the pig farm over which the housing estate was built.

Stoke Mandeville Human settlement in England

Stoke Mandeville is a village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located three miles (4.9 km) from Aylesbury and 3.4 miles (5.5 km) from the market town of Wendover. Although a separate civil parish, the village falls within the Aylesbury Urban Area. According to the Census Report the area of this parish is 1,460 acres (5.9 km2).

Wendover Market town in England

Wendover is a market town and civil parish at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated at the point where the main road across the Chilterns between London and Aylesbury intersects with the once important road along the foot of the Chilterns. The town is some 35 miles (56 km) north west of London and 5 miles (8 km) south east of Aylesbury, and is very popular with commuters working in London.

Broughton, Aylesbury Human settlement in England

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Askett Human settlement in England

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Walton, Aylesbury Human settlement in England

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Bletchley Human settlement in England

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Crafton, Buckinghamshire

Crafton is a hamlet in the civil parish of Mentmore, in Buckinghamshire, England.

Fleet Marston Human settlement in England

Fleet Marston is a civil parish and deserted medieval village in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England, about 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of the centre of Aylesbury. The parish measures about 2.5 miles (4 km) north – south, but east – west it is nowhere more than about 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) wide. It is bounded to the southeast by the River Thame, to the east by a stream that joins the Thame, and to the west by field boundaries. It has an area of 934 acres (378 ha).

Prestwood Human settlement in England

Prestwood is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located in the Chiltern Hills, about two miles west of Great Missenden and six miles north of High Wycombe.

Southcote, Bedfordshire Human settlement in England

Southcote is a hamlet in the parish of Linslade, in Bedfordshire, England. It is in the civil parish of Leighton-Linslade. The hamlet name is Anglo Saxon in origin and means 'southern cottage'.

Weston Turville Human settlement in England

Weston Turville is a historic village and civil parish in the Vale of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The village is at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, 3 miles (4.9 km) from the market town of Wendover and 3.5 miles (5.7 km) from Aylesbury.

Walton Court Human settlement in England

Walton Court is a housing estate in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England.

Sedrup Human settlement in England

Sedrup is a hamlet in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located south west of the town of Aylesbury, close to the villages of Stone, Bishopstone and Hartwell which also provide the name of the civil parish within which Sedrup lies.

Turnfurlong Human settlement in England

Turnfurlong is an area of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. It is roughly defined as the area of housing that adjoins the two roads, Turnfurlong and Turnfurlong Lane.

Prebendal Farm, Aylesbury Human settlement in England

Prebendal Farm is a housing estate in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the south of the town, bordered by the Oxford Road, the railway and the Bearbrook.

Haydon Hill Human settlement in England

Haydon Hill is part of the town of Aylesbury, England. The neighbourhood is to the north of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. It occupies the area to the north of the town and to the west of the A41, Bicester Road.

Hazell, Watson and Viney

Hazell, Watson and Viney was an English printing and publishing firm with works in Aylesbury that operated from 1839 to c. 1991.

References

  1. ↑ Streetmap.co.uk, with the arrow pointing to the location of California
  2. ↑ Old-maps.co.uk
  3. ↑ "Buckinghamshire XXVIII.SE (includes: Aylesbury; Bierton with Broughton; Hartwell; Quarrendon; Weedon.) Revised: 1898". National Library of Scotland. Buckinghamshire: Ordnance Survey. 1898. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Records of Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd, printers, Aylesbury, 1709-c.1991". The National Archives. 1995. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Aylesbury, St Mary's to 1989". The National Archives. Oxfordshire History Centre. 1989. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Railway Club, Ayylesbury (California)". www.aylesbury.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Southcourt Community Centre - AVDC". www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
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