Chalfont St Giles

Chalfont St Giles is a village in south east Buckinghamshire in the United Kingdom, on the edge of the Chilterns, 25 miles from London, and near to Seer Green, Jordans, Chalfont St Peter, Little Chalfont and Amersham.

Related Topics:
Village - Buckinghamshire - United Kingdom - Chilterns - London - Seer Green - Jordans - Chalfont St Peter - Little Chalfont - Amersham

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Chalfont means chalk spring, in reference to the water carrying capacities of the local terrain. St Giles was a saint.

Related Topics:
Chalk - Spring - Water - St Giles - Saint

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There is a Norman church originally built between 1150-1180, with a fine example of a lychgate. There is also a duck pond, which receives its water from the River Misbourne.

Related Topics:
Norman - Church - 1150 - 1180 - Lychgate - Duck - River Misbourne

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In the Domesday Book in 1086 Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter are listed as separate Manors with different owners. They were separate holding before the Norman Conquest although at one time they may have been one.

Related Topics:
Domesday Book - 1086 - Norman Conquest

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Like most other rural parishes it managed its civil affairs through the vestry until the Local Government Act 1894 required all parishes of over 300 people to have a Parish Council independent of the Church.

Related Topics:
Vestry - Parish Council

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During the Great Plague of 1665, John Milton retired to Chalfont St Giles, which is where he completed his epic poem Paradise Lost. His cottage is still located in the village, and is open to the public. The inspiration for Paradise Regained is said to have been found in this parish from a conversation with one of the local residents.

Related Topics:
Great Plague - 1665 - John Milton

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Chalfont St Giles is also the burial place of Bertram Mills, and the birthplace of J.T. Hearne, one of the greatest bowlers of the 1890s and 1900s, who also died there in 1944.

Related Topics:
Bertram Mills - J.T. Hearne - Bowlers

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The village is twinned with Graft De Rijp in the Netherlands.

Related Topics:
Graft De Rijp - Netherlands

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