Discover Winslow: Market Square, building history and St Laurence

For a stay in Winslow, the town’s history offers a specific focus: the layout of the Market Square, historic buildings and the wall paintings in the parish church of St Laurence. These topics raise different questions: How did the Market Square come about, how should individual buildings be placed in their historical context, and which painted subjects have been preserved in the church? You can tailor your view of Winslow to your interest in local history, architecture or art.

The Market Square and its history

Winslow’s Market Square was laid out from the church precinct and part of Horn Street after a market charter was granted to St Albans Abbey in 1235. This identifies a dated event and the origins of the square: the charter establishes the historical timeframe, while the church precinct and part of Horn Street indicate the areas from which the square was laid out. The year 1235 refers to the granting of the charter; the square was laid out afterwards, and this date is not presented as the construction year of any individual building. This distinction helps separate the origins of the Market Square from the building history of individual buildings.

Winslow Market Square lies entirely within the Winslow Conservation Area and is bordered by 13 listed buildings. The details refer to different scales: the conservation area encompasses the entire Market Square, while the number 13 counts the buildings along its boundaries. This allows you to view the place both as a unified square and through the individual buildings that enclose it. This distinction helps place Winslow’s history in context not only through a single building, but also through the square and its built surroundings.

Keach's Meeting House and St Laurence

Keach's Meeting House was built in 1695; St Laurence is the oldest surviving building in Winslow. The two details offer a brief comparison: a construction year is given for Keach's Meeting House, while St Laurence is described in terms of its standing among the town’s surviving buildings. They therefore mark different ways of orienting yourself in history—an exact date on the one hand, and its status as the oldest surviving building on the other. This allows you to distinguish the two places within Winslow’s building history, rather than applying one date to both.

St Laurence Church contains fragments of 15th-century wall paintings depicting St Thomas of Canterbury and St Christopher. The 15th century refers to the paintings; it does not automatically date the church building. “Fragments” means that parts of the wall paintings have survived. The named figures make this aspect tangible and add an art-historical dimension to the church, alongside its status as the oldest surviving building. If you are interested in religious art, this leads your attention from the history of the building to the surviving subjects.

Visiting and getting your bearings

St Laurence Church is normally open daily throughout the year from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm. If opening times are important to your stay, it is sensible to check them before visiting. A walking tour of Winslow’s historic centre is available to download; check before travelling whether the download is still available. The opening times and the tour serve different practical purposes: one indicates when a visit to the church may be possible, while the other relates to a walk around the historic centre.

Discover more destinations: Easington, Farnham Royal, Long Crendon, Middle Claydon, Ivinghoe, Cheddington, Buckingham, Chilton

For the wider travel overview: Buckinghamshire.