This market town in Buckinghamshire has deep roots in furniture making, with many workshops still active. The 18th-century Guildhall and Hell-Fire Caves draw visitors to the area.
High Wycombe sits in the Chiltern Hills, 29 miles from London. In this market town, you can walk through rooms where Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once lived, explore underground caves where 18th-century aristocrats held secret meetings, and see craftsmen demonstrate traditional chair-making techniques at the Wycombe Museum. The town still practices its centuries-old tradition of weighing the mayor in public - a ceremony you can watch if you time your visit right.
Getting to High Wycombe
Trains run every 20 minutes from London Marylebone to High Wycombe, with a journey time of 30 minutes. The bus station connects to Reading, Slough, and Heathrow Airport. By car, take the M40 motorway which runs along the southern edge of town.
The Eden Shopping Centre
The Eden Centre anchors High Wycombe's retail area with over 100 shops. You'll find a 12-screen cinema, 24-lane bowling alley, and several restaurants inside. Walk through to the High Street to see the Georgian Guildhall, built in 1757, and the octagonal Little Market House - nicknamed the Pepper Pot by locals.
The Hellfire Caves
Walk a quarter mile underground through tunnels carved in the 1740s beneath West Wycombe Hill. The caves include the Banqueting Hall where the infamous Hellfire Club met, and the circular Inner Temple. Bring a warm layer - the temperature stays at 13°C (55°F) year-round.
Hughenden Manor
Walk through Benjamin Disraeli's personal rooms at this country house, two miles from town center. You can see his original desk in the study where he wrote his novels, browse through his library of 4,000 books, and examine the gifts he received from Queen Victoria. The estate's gardens include a formal parterre and apple orchard, with walking paths leading into the Chiltern Hills.
Furniture-Making Legacy
High Wycombe produced 4,700 chairs daily during the 19th century, using wood from local beech forests. This industrial past influenced the town's development and gave the local football team their nickname "the Chairboys." At Wycombe Museum, you can try sitting in different styles of Windsor chairs and watch demonstrations of traditional chair-making techniques.
The Rye
This 53-acre park follows the River Wye through town. Cool off in the outdoor swimming pool during summer months, let children play in the adventure playground, or follow the riverside path. The surrounding Chiltern Hills have marked walking trails ranging from 2 to 8 miles, with maps available at the tourist information center.
Local Traditions
Watch the mayor's weighing ceremony at the Guildhall, typically held in May. Officials weigh the mayor at the start and end of their term using a large brass scale, announcing if they gained weight while in office. The crowd cheers for weight loss and jeers playfully at any gained pounds - a tradition dating back to ensuring officials didn't grow fat at public expense.
