Saunderton

Saunderton
Saunderton
	SS Mary and Nicholas parish church
	Saunderton Location within Buckinghamshire
OS grid reference	SU8198
• London	33 mi (53 km)
Civil parish	Bledlow-cum-Saunderton;
Unitary authority	Buckinghamshire;
Ceremonial county	Buckinghamshire;
Region	South East;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Princes Risborough, High Wycombe
Postcode district	HP27, HP14
Dialling code	01844, 01494
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Buckinghamshire
Ambulance	South Central
UK Parliament	Mid Buckinghamshire constituency,;
Website	Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Parish Council
	List of places UK England Buckinghamshire 51°42′N 0°51′W / 51.7°N 0.85°W

Saunderton is a village in the civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, England. It gives its name to the Saunderton Valley in the Chiltern Hills. It is 2 miles (3 km) south-west of Princes Risborough and 5 miles (8 km) north-west of High Wycombe. The parish includes Saunderton Lee, about 2 miles (3 km) south of the old village around the parish church, as well as a residential area on the A4010 road around Saunderton railway station on the Chiltern Main Line.

History

The toponym "Saunderton" is derived from Old English, but its original meaning is not clear. The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as Santesdune, leading some scholars to believe that the village name derives from "saint's hill".

In 1835 Saunderton became part of the Wycombe poor law union, a group of parishes which collectively administered their functions under the poor laws. Although High Wycombe was the largest town in the union, the board of guardians decided to build the workhouse to serve the union at Saunderton. The workhouse was built in 1843. It was taken over for military use during the First World War, and was subsequently demolished sometime after the Second World War.^[2] It became one of the most secure houses in the region and regular absconders from other workhouses were often moved here because of its remote location. Inmates were taken to the workhouse by a constable.

Saunderton was an ancient parish. In 1934 the parish was abolished and its area became part of the new civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton.^[3] At the 1931 census (the last before the abolition of the parish), Saunderton had a population of 454.^[4]

Parish church

The Church of England parish church of SS Mary and Nicholas was built in 1227 and originally dedicated solely to St Mary. But Saunderton had a second parish church, St Nicholas, that fell into decay. In 1452 St Nicholas' church was demolished, and St Mary's was given the double dedication to St Nicholas as well.^[5]

In 1886 the church's walls began to lean inwards, so the church was largely dismantled in 1888 and rebuilt over the next three years.^[5] Its 12th- or 13th-century font was reused and the 14th-century windows were restored and re-used. It is a Grade II* listed building.^[6]

The church has a small, timber-framed bell tower. It has three bells, all of which the bellfounder Alexander Rigby of Stamford, Lincolnshire cast in 1699. For technical reasons they are currently unringable.^[7]

SS Mary and Nicholas church is part of the parish of Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden,^[8] which in turn is part of the Benefice of Risborough.^[9]

References

^ "Location of Mid Buckinghamshire". parliament.uk. July 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
^ Higginbotham, Peter. "Wycombe, Buckinghamshire". The Workhouse. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
^ "Relationships and changes Saunderton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
^ "Population statistics Saunderton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b Hall, Cynthia. "Saunderton, St Mary & St Nicholas". The Parish of Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ Historic England. "Church of St Mary (sic) (Grade II*) (1332059)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ Davies, Peter (23 December 2006). "Saunderton SS Mary & Nicholas". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ Archbishops' Council. "Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
^ Archbishops' Council. "Benefice of Risborough". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

External links

[1] "Location of Mid Buckinghamshire". parliament.uk. July 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2025.

[2] Higginbotham, Peter. "Wycombe, Buckinghamshire". The Workhouse. Retrieved 5 October 2025.

[3] "Relationships and changes Saunderton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 9 August 2023.

[4] "Population statistics Saunderton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 9 August 2023.

[Hall-5] Hall, Cynthia. "Saunderton, St Mary & St Nicholas". The Parish of Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

[6] Historic England. "Church of St Mary (sic) (Grade II*) (1332059)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

[7] Davies, Peter (23 December 2006). "Saunderton SS Mary & Nicholas". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Central Council for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

[8] Archbishops' Council. "Bledlow with Saunderton and Horsenden". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

[9] Archbishops' Council. "Benefice of Risborough". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 April 2015.

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v t e Wycombe (former district)
Buckinghamshire Unitary Council elections County Council elections District Council elections Aylesbury Constituency Beaconsfield Constituency Buckingham Constituency Wycombe Constituency
Towns (component areas and hamlets)	High Wycombe Cressex Micklefield Sands Terriers Totteridge Wycombe Marsh Marlow Forty Green Princes Risborough Alscot Askett Cadsden Flowers Bottom Loosley Row Lower North Dean Monks Risborough North Dean Redland End Speen Upper North Dean Whiteleaf
Other civil parishes (component villages and hamlets)	Bledlow-cum-Saunderton Bledlow Bledlow Ridge Crownfield Forty Green Holly Green Pitch Green Rout's Green Saunderton Saunderton Lee Skittle Green Bradenham Bradenham Walters Ash Chepping Wycombe Flackwell Heath Loudwater Tylers Green Downley Ellesborough Butlers Cross Chalkshire Coombe Dunsmore Ellesborough Nash Lee North Lee Terrick Fawley Fawley Fawley Bottom Great and Little Hampden Great Hampden Green Hailey Hampden Row Little Hampden Great and Little Kimble cum Marsh Great Kimble Kimble Wick Little Kimble Marsh Smoky Row Great Marlow Bovingdon Green Burroughs Grove Chisbridge Cross Danesfield Marlow Common Hambleden Colstrope Fingest Frieth Hambleden Mill End Parmoor Pheasant's Hill Skirmett Hazlemere Hedsor Hedsor Widmoor Hughenden Cryers Hill Four Ashes Great Kingshill Hughenden Valley Hunt's Hill Naphill Naphill Common Widmer End Ibstone Lacey Green Lacey Green Parslow's Hillock Wardrobes Lane End Cadmore Ditchfield Lane End Moor Common Moor End Little Marlow Coldmoorholme Fern Handy Cross Little Marlow Sheepridge Well End Winchbottom Longwick-cum-Ilmer Horsenden Ilmer Little Meadle Longwick Meadle Owlswick Marlow Bottom Medmenham Bockmer End Lower Woodend Medmenham Rockwell End Piddington and Wheeler End Piddington Wheeler End Radnage Bennett End Radnage The City Stokenchurch Beacon's Bottom Bolter End Horsleys Green Stokenchurch Studley Green Waterend Turville Northend Southend Turville Turville Heath West Wycombe Booker West Wycombe Wooburn Berghers Hill Bourne End Cores End Hawks Hill Widmoor Wooburn Wooburn Green Wooburn Moor
Former districts and boroughs	Marlow Urban District Wycombe Rural District
Former constituencies	Buckinghamshire County Constituency Great Marlow Constituency
Parliamentary constituencies in Buckinghamshire Places in Buckinghamshire Civil parishes in Buckinghamshire

History

Parish church

References

Further reading

External links