Stokenchurch: Walking and Local History

Stokenchurch combines walking plans with local history. The Chiltern Way runs through the village; there is also a circular route from Stokenchurch to Radnage and back. The area’s building history also goes back a long way: Kensham Farmhouse dates back to the 15th century, while the nave of St Peter and St Paul’s Church originally dates from the 12th century.

Walking and Getting There

The Chiltern Way runs through Stokenchurch and is signposted throughout. Three optional extensions can increase its total length to a maximum of 278 km; this figure applies to the entire route with extensions, not to a single section. The circular walk from Stokenchurch to Radnage and back starts at The Kings Hotel in Stokenchurch. It is a loop: Radnage is the destination, and Stokenchurch is the starting point and return location. For planning, these are two different details: the waymarking helps with navigation, while the extensions affect the possible total distance.

Regular bus services run to Stokenchurch. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current timetable before setting off and plan your journey around your travel date.

Local History: Buildings and Craftsmanship

Stokenchurch was first mentioned in legal documents around 1200. The village’s oldest secular building is Kensham Farmhouse, whose origins date back to the 15th century. Another reference point for the area’s architectural history is St Peter and St Paul’s Church: its nave originally dates from the 12th century. In chronological terms, the nave predates the origins of the farmhouse. A written mention and a building’s origins are different kinds of date: the first recorded mention places the village in legal documents, while the building origins relate to individual buildings.

St Peter and St Paul’s Church is listed Grade II*. Two brass reliefs depicting knights are set into the reveals of the chancel arch, meaning its side surfaces. There is step-free access for services through the west door, as well as a ramp at the south door. The nave is the main part of the church interior; its dating refers to this part of the building, while Grade II* denotes the church’s listing status.

The history of local craftsmanship includes bodging, a traditional trade in which furniture such as Windsor chairs was made from green wood. This example links a specific material to a particular product and explains what the term refers to. Chairmaking and lace-making also became important local industries. The details present two different perspectives: bodging describes a traditional craft in terms of its material and product, while chairmaking and lace-making were important local industries. Together, craftsmanship and economic history offer another perspective on Stokenchurch’s past, alongside its buildings.

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