In 1200, after the Earl of Essex had bought the right to a weekly market and an annual fair, the South side of the High Street was laid out as a planned town with burgage plots 20ft wide and 200 ft long extending to a back lane, the Common Plat – now The Platt and the footpath from the end of The Platt going west.  These plots were offered to ‘burgesses’ – bakers, butchers, drapers, tailors and other useful tradesmen.

From around 1300, people on the South side could vote for the MPs that the borough began sending to Parliament, and therefore the Lord of the Manor took a great deal of interest in that side because he wanted a family member to be an MP and he wanted contacts with the court. So there were advantageous rents, which would attract well-to-do traders who would also boost the income from the market. But the borough did not extend to the North side, where the land belonged not to the Manor but to the Rectory. Here, the land and the plots backed higgledy-piggledy on to the River Misbourne. Thus it was that Amersham acquired its beautiful, wide High Street laid out by mediaeval planners.

 

See also Eustace Alliott’s notes about the High Street written in 1960

 

The sub-pages for this road are shown in the column to the left (or below on mobile devices)

 

Plan Your Visit

Opening hours:

Wednesday to Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays, 12noon to 4:30pm

49 High Street
Old Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP7 0DP

01494 723700
[email protected]

 

“Enjoyed our visit to this wonderful interactive museum where you are positively encouraged to touch things!”

“Visited Amersham museum yesterday – lovely place, provides many details on the history of the place. Plenty of cute cafes, pubs and shops around also… not difficult to find free parking nearby. ”

“A well-run, informative and interesting small museum on the main street. It’s mostly volunteer-run and they do a great job in keeping it and making you feel welcome…Check out the herb garden too.”

“Enjoyable film and television location guided walk around Amersham hosted by Amersham Museum – here are the Sun Houses on Highover Park and further up the hill is High & Over.”

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