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Chalfont St. Giles Parish Church - Photo:
Jack Hill
CCL |
This charming village with its
duck pond, cottages and evocative main street will
be recognised by anyone who watched the 1970s
movie ‘Dad’s Army - the town was briefly
transformed into fictional Warmington-on-Sea. It
is, however, more famous as the place to which the
poet John Milton fled from the plague of London in
1665. The half-timbered cottage where he lived for
two years is open to the public. He completed his
poem ‘Paradise Lost’ here and also penned the epic
sequel, ‘Paradise Regained’. Several rooms are on
show, including his kitchen and living room, as
well as rare first editions of his works.
The ancient parish church was built in the 12th
century and has unusual painted battlements dating
from the 15th century. Its churchyard contains the
burial places of circus pioneer Bertram Mills and
William Penn, founder of the American colony of
Pennsylvania.
Chiltern Open Air Museum houses historic buildings
with the aim of explaining their original uses. It
includes a blacksmith’s forge, barns and stables. |
