Chesham

Chesham is a market town in the Chess Valley in southwest Buckinghamshire, with around 23,000 residents spread across a landscape between fields and developed areas. The town extends along several roads and has a traditional center with shops and public buildings from different periods.

Since 1257 a weekly market took place here after Henry III granted permission for trade and commerce. During the 19th and early 20th centuries the production of boots, beer and brushes gave the settlement its economic foundation, now replaced by service sectors.

The Baptist churches in this community once formed an essential part of local life and remain visible today in buildings from different centuries. The River Chess flows openly through streets and gardens, shaping the character of the settlement in a way that is rare across the region.

The Metropolitan Line terminus brings travelers directly into central London without changing trains, taking roughly one hour. Walking routes along the river and through surrounding fields offer gentle paths with little elevation change and clear signage.

Four sectors shaped the local economy over generations: boots, beer, brushes and Baptists, a combination found nowhere else in this particular form. This parallel development of craft, brewing and religious life left traces in the architecture and in the street names of the settlement.

Location: Buckinghamshire

Website: http://chesham.gov.uk

GPS coordinates: 51.70650,-0.60938

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:36