I had not realised until yesterday that the small river that used to form a boundary between Linslade in Buckinghamshire and Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire eventually reaches its end in Newport Pagnell. The river rises in the Chiltern Hill near Dagnall and is only 20 miles long. For some of its length it runs beside the Grand Union Canal and at Twelve Arches in Linslade the overflow from the canal runs down into the river across the flood plain.One theory for the origin of the name ‘Ouzel’ is a historical association with the dipper, a thrush-sized bird now largely associated with upland rivers and streams, but which is featured on the town crest of Leighton-Linslade.
In prehistory, Just south of Linslade, in an area now know as Tiddenfoot, the ancient Theedway crossed the Ouzel on its way from east to west. The Romans used the route as a way to bring salt south from Droitwich. A thousand years later the crossing was known as Yttingaford and it was here that King Edward the Elder signed a treaty with the Danes of Northumberland as the river formed a boundary between the two kingdoms. A field near the spot has been renamed Peace Meadow to comemorate this. The route of the Theedway has now been lost as Linslade has also been lost to Bedfordshire due to boundary changes in the 1960s.
Tour through Buckinghamshire
First published in 1727, Daniel Defoe wrote a description of his travels through England.
Here are the parts concerning Buckinghamshire
St Mary's Church - Look Inside
St Mary's, the main church in Aylesbury can be seen from afar. Clever people have photographed inside the building and provided a link on Google Maps.
ASHENDON HUNDRED
From Sheahan in 1861:
The three ancient hundreds, in Domesday Book denominated Essedene, Votesdon and Tichesele, were united in the present hundred of Ashendon popularly so called, but technically, The Three hundreds of Ashendon.
Aylesbury Hundred
AYLESBURY HUNDRED
from Sheahan 1861:
The division of Buckinghamshire now known as the hundred of Aylesbury is formed by the union of the three ancient hundreds of Elesberie (Aylesbury), Risberge, (Risborough), and Stane, (Stone), and still retains the formally the appelation of the "Three Hundreds of Aylesbury."
Buckingham Hundred
BUCKINGHAM HUNDRED
From Sheahan 1861:
The hundred of Buckingham, which is situated on the north-western verge of the county, is bounded on the N. and N.E. by Nothamptionshire; on the E. by the hundreds of Newport and Cottesloe; on the S and S.E. by Ashendon hundred; and on the W. by the county of Oxford.
Cottesloe Hundred
Cottesloe Hundred - description from Sheahan 1861
Cottesloe, Cotteslow, or Cotsloe hundred, comprises of the three old hundreds of Coteslai, Mureslai, and Elai. Its shape is most irregular, and its boundaries are formed by the hundred of Newport, and parts of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire on the north and east; the hundred of Aylesbury and part of Herts on the south; and the hundreds of Ashendon and Buckingham on the west.
Burnham Hundred
BURNHAM HUNDRED
From Sheahan 1861:
This is an oddly shaped division of the coulty, resembling in some degree a figure of eight with the lower section much narrower than the other.
Desborough Hundred
DESBOROUGH HUNDRED
from Sheahan, 1861:
The Hundred of Desborough (anciently Dvetenberg and Dustenburgh), situated in the south-western extremity of the county, contains 52,370 acres and is bounded on the S. by the river Thames, which divides it from Berkshire; on on the E. and N.E. by hundred of Burnham; on the N. by the hundred of Aylesbury; and on the W. by the county of Oxford.
STOKE HUNDRED
From Shehan in 1861:
In geographical extent this is the smallest hundred in the county.
Subcategories
Transport
Covering anything involving Roads, Canals and Railways.
Law and the Courts
Includes the Petty and Quarter Sessions, JPs, Police, and the Criminals.
Poor and Workhouses
The Workhouse and the poor examples, including a few cases.
General
Articles that do not fit into other categories
From Local Newspapers
Snippets that do not fit in elsewhere.
The Military & Remembrance
Articles involving all three services and the part played by Buckinghamshire people.