Stokenchurch is situated on the main A40 road and less than a mile from Junction 5 of the M40. The history of the village is built largely on its location on the main London to Oxford road at the top of the steep hill from Aston Rowant to the top of the Chiltern Hills.  Indeed it was as a centre to change horses for this climb that many of the pubs and inns were established in the village.  The original road is now a bridle way, the current (but still steep) road having been constructed in 1824.

The village was never rich being largely based on a farming community, although it was once a centre for chair making with much of the wood required being felled locally.  By the 1930s there were seven or eight firms making chairs for sale to major furniture makers.

The villagers were spoilt for choice when it came to spending their money - there were 13 pubs and ale houses in the village in 1864, including the present day Fleur de Lys and Four Horse Shoes. The old village school was founded in 1769 by Hannah Hall a close friend of John Wesley.

Today Stokenchurch is largely a residential village with a few new high-tech companies.

Ibstone lies a couple of miles west from Stokenchurch lies the small village of Ibstone which was once the home of Rebecca West.  Today it is perhaps best known as the setting for much of the film Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang.

The Hamlets

The four hamlets all lie about 2 miles east of Stokenchurch, either side of what is today the A40 trunk road.  All were once thriving independent little communities although today they are little more than satellites of the main village

Beacon’s Bottom & Water End:  Beacon’s Bottom (once Bacon’s Bottom) until this century was once a little centre for lace making and chair turning.  It had a village shop, a pub (The Raven), a chapel and a school but all are now closed and used as private houses.

Water End was also well known for lace making and a lace making school stood in Back Lane where the local ale house and a pub once stood, the latter is now a private house.

Studley Green and Horsleys Green:  Studley Green hosted the local post office and general stores until 1986, the building now being used as offices. The Mary Towerton School opened in 1976 when the Beacon’s Bottom school closed.  The local pub - Studley Arms - was once known as the Harrow and had competition from the Five Alls just east on the main road until 1912 when it was sold into private ownership.

Horsleys Green has in the past been known as Ostlers Green and Horslers Green and includes two 17th century houses nestling amid the more modern construction.  The Wycliffe Centre ( a bible translation and study centre) was established during the second World War as a home for handicapped children bombed out of London.  After the war it was owned by Lancashire County Council as boys home until sold to its present owners in 1971.  Over 200 students can be accommodated at the Bible Centre.