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Queen Visits Aylesbury

The queen visits the aylesbury in bloom festival in aylesbury, buckinghamshire during her jubilee year of 2002..

Home » Travel Guides » United Kingdom » England » 15 Best Things to Do in Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire, England)

15 Best Things to Do in Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire, England)

The county town of Buckinghamshire is on the edge of the Chiltern Hills in the Aylesbury Vale’s verdant farmland.

Aylesbury has some strong regional attractions like the County Museum, along with a state-of-the-art theatre that opened in 2010. The children’s author Roald Dahl was a Buckinghamshire resident and is remembered with a wonderful hands-on children’s gallery, attached to the County Museum.

Aylesbury has a place in pop history, as the Friars Club here welcomed some of the biggest music acts of the 70s, and was where David Bowie performed as Ziggy Stardust for the first time.

There’s a lovingly rendered statue for Bowie under the Corn Exchange on the Market Square.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Aylesbury :

1. Buckinghamshire County Museum

This museum explores many strands of Buckinghamshire’s human and natural history, and is housed in a row of beautiful flat-fronted buildings on Church Street.

The oldest portion of the complex is a timber-framed guildhall from the 16th-century, with rare murals intact.

The museum has exhibitions for archaeology, industrial history, textiles, agriculture and geology.

One of the key pieces is a Cubitt car, manufactured in Aylesbury in the 1920s and one of only six surviving models in the world.

There’s also a small but valuable collection of Egyptology, as well as Prehistoric stone tools, Roman coins and Medieval pottery.

The costume collection is vast, spanning 500 years, and there’s an ever-changing exhibition of British painting and sculpture in the Buckinghamshire Art Gallery.

In the coach house behind the museum is the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery, which we’ll cover later.

2. Market Square

This long, rectangular square in the heart of Aylesbury has fine buildings and interesting pockets of history all around.

On the southeast end, beside the striking Corn Exchange is the Aylesbury Crown Court, which shut its doors for the last time in 2018. This Palladian building was completed in 1740, and in 1963 was where the culprits of the Great Train Robbery were sentenced.

In front of the court is a statue for the soldier and politician Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham, who served in the Second Boer War.

The bronze lions beside his statue come from the Rothschild estate at Waddesdon Manor and have been here since 1888. At the opposite end of the square there’s a narrow passageway through to the King’s Head Inn, one of the oldest pubs in the South of England.

Aylesbury’s market trades on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and there’s a Vintage & Craft Bazaar on Tuesdays.

• 3.Waddesdon Manor

A miniature Château de Chambord in the Aylesbury Vale, Waddesdon Manor is a neo-Renaissance mansion built for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1889. In 1957 the estate was bequeathed to the National Trust by his great-nephew James de Rothschild and was named Large Visitor Attraction of the Year by “Visit England” in 2017. Baron Ferdinand used the house to show off his invaluable collections of 18th-century French furniture, Beauvais and Gobelins tapestries, Sèvres ceramics, exquisite panelling, Savonnerie carpets and paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough and 17th-century Dutch masters.

That collection has grown with family donations, including sublime Renaissance maiolica, Limoges enamel and ceremonial weapons and armour.

Visit the gardens, designed by French landscape architect Elie Lainé and intended to make an impact on soiree guests, with an extravagant parterre, statuary and fountains.

4. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

A few miles into the rolling countryside at Quanton Road Railway Station, the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is a steam locomotive museum that opens for Steaming and Static Days.

Steaming Days are Sundays and also Wednesdays during school holidays, when you can take a ride on full-sized steam train along 500 metres of track.

There are also miniature trains operating on these days.

On Static Days (Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as Wednesdays outside school holidays) you can still enter the museum’s railway shed to see an impressive variety of steam locomotives, like a LSWR 0298 Class from 1874 and an operational Metropolitan Railway E Class built in 1898. Take a look at the calendar, as there are regular special events, displaying vintage diesel engines, mail vehicles, tractors and fire engines.

5. The Chilterns

East and south of Aylesbury is the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills, cutting diagonally across the countryside for almost 50 miles.

The range is conserved as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offers scenic and occasionally stiff bike trails and walking paths.

You could head up to hike a section of the Ridgeway, a National Trail following the course of a path along the hilltops that has been walked since Prehistory.

A lot of the land has been made public, after estates were donated to the National Trust.

The majestic lookout at Coombe Hill is one, while further south the Bradenham Estate has ancient beech woodland bedded with bluebells in spring, around a quaint village of brick and flint cottages.

6. Coombe Hill

The highest and maybe the best viewpoint in the Chilterns is a few short miles south at Coombe Hill.

This patch of “Chilterns Countryside” was once on land owned by Chequers, the country residence for the Prime Minister.

You can see the triangular gables of this magnificent Tudor mansion to the southwest of the summit.

A popular local walk, Coombe Hill crests at 260 metres and is topped with a monument from 1904 to the Second Boer War.

The hill is covered with acid moorland and deciduous woods, and is a habitat for wild orchids and birds like firecrests, yellowhammers and red kites.

Take a look at the triangulation point, labelling visible landmarks like Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury Church and even the Cotswolds, 53 miles away to the west.

7. Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery

In a handsome former coach house, the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery harnesses the much-loved author’s books and characters for educational exhibits about literature, history and science.

The museum is especially immersive for kids, as the exhibits feature art by Quentin Blake, who produced the illustrations for Roald Dahl’s books.

Children can discover Willy Wonka’s inventions, learn about sound with the BFG, crawl through Mr Fox’s tunnel and learn about “minibeasts” inside the Giant Peach.

There’s lots of interactivity, allowing kids to appear on TV, freeze their own shadow and magnify fleas.

The attraction is run by the Buckinghamshire County Museum, and has a shop, peaceful garden and cafe.

8. Waterside Theatre

The marvellous 1,200-seater Waterside Theatre opened in 2010, with a design evoking the rolling Chiltern Hills.

Set on the Grand Union Canal, the venue had been in the pipeline for nearly a decade and came at a cost of £47 million.

This comes with state-of-the-art acoustics that can be adjusted according to the event.

Every taste is catered for at the Waterside, so there are touring West End musicals, established musicians (pop, jazz and classical), tribute acts, stand-up comedians, opera, ballet and contemporary dance.

You can also watch regular live screenings from the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Royal Opera House.

Outside there’s a seated statue of Ronnie Barker, the beloved 20th-century comedian who got his start at Aylesbury’s repertory theatre.

9. Grand Union Canal

When the Aylesbury arm of the Grand Union Canal opened in 1814 it brought heavy industry to the town for the first time.

There had been a plan to extend the Grand Union Canal through to the Kennet & Avon Canal to the south.

This would have created an enormous network across the West to Bristol, but this was never realised because of a lack of water.

The Grand Union Canal is now the preserve of pleasure boaters and walkers.

You can hire a narrowboat for the day in Aylesbury, or use the town as an embarkation point for a self-navigated three or four day cruise.

Walkers can take the gentle towpath to Marsworth, passing 16 historic locks on the route.

In September 2018 Aylesbury put on its inaugural Waterside Festival, with boat trips, live music and a continental market with more than 30 stalls.

10. St Mary the Virgin’s Church

On the west shoulder of the town centre in an atmospheric graveyard ringed with historic houses, the parish church is a Grade I-listed building.

The site is believed to go back to Anglo-Saxon times, although the present church is rooted in the early 13th century.

St Mary’s is a prominent landmark in Aylesbury, with a fine clock tower that you can see from almost anywhere in the town.

That spire is thought to be 17th-century and dates from the reign of Charles II. Head in to see the 14th-century Lady Chapel, which is on the north transept and has a remarkable sedilla (stone seat) with a pointed arch.

Also in the north transept you’ll find a lovely 17th-century alabaster monument to a Sir Henry Lee, Master of the Armouries under Elizabeth I.

11. King’s Head Inn

One of the must-see buildings on the Market Square is this National Trust pub that has elements dating back 800 years.

The King’s Head is among the oldest pubs with a coaching yard in the South of England, and was founded as an inn around the middle of the 15th century.

It is thought that King Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou stayed here around that time, and there’s a stained glass panel brought here from the dissolved Greyfriars monastery, showing the king and queen’s personal coats of arms.

The 15th-century Great Hall still has its wattle and daub walls, while the 13th-century cellars may have belonged to a friary on this site.

Check out the Medieval hearth in the Gatehouse Chamber, etched with graffiti that may have been left by Parliamentarian troops in the English Civil War.

12. Vale Park

The main green space in the centre of Aylesbury, Vale Park is north of Hilda Wharf on the Grand Union Canal.

There’s a contemporary design to Vale Park, with colourful flowerbeds, hard paved paths, a playground for children and a skatepark for bigger kids.

On the north side is the Aqua Vale Swimming and Fitness Centre, which has a cafe while the tarmac-surfaced tennis courts can be used by anyone for free.

Vale Park has plenty going on in the summer, like Play in the Park, a day out for children at the start of August with activities and games to mark National Play Day.

At the end of the same month there’s a funfair, children’s entertainment and live music at the Parklife Weekend, Aylesbury’s biggest party of the year.

13. Bedgrove Park

On the southeast side of Aylesbury proper there’s a Green Flag park made up of woodland, wildflower meadows and sports pitches.

Families can bring younger children to the massive fenced playground, which is landscaped like idyllic countryside with small rolling hills.

On a sunny day you could visit for a picnic as there’s a lovely prospect of the Chilterns to the south, while the strange-looking round hall is a community centre hired out to residents on weekends, and used for children’s workshops, a dance school and exercise classes.

14. David Bowie Statue

In March 2018 a monument to David Bowie was unveiled under the arches in the Market Square.

The town had a close connection to the star who passed away in 2016, as in the early 70s Bowie debuted his Ziggy Stardust character at Aylesbury’s Friars Club.

The bronze sculpture shows an array of Bowie’s personas, with life-sized renditions of the Thin White Duke and Ziggy Stardust.

The work is titled “Earthly Messenger” and has speakers that play a different Bowie song on the hour.

15. Wendover Woods

The Forestry Commission owns a beautiful parcel of the Chilterns close to Aylesbury.

This 800-acre space includes the highest point in the range, at the 267-metre Haddington Hill.

Wendover Woods are made up of a mix of broadleaf and softwood trees, and every now and again on the signposted trails you’ll be wowed by unending views over the Aylesbury Vale to the north.

Wendover Woods also has a Go Ape high ropes park, with a challenging 685-metre Treetop Adventure course for people over ten, and Treetop Junior for youngsters, with a zip-line 85 metres long.

15 Best Things to Do in Aylesbury (Buckinghamshire, England):

• Buckinghamshire County Museum
• Market Square
• Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
• The Chilterns
• Coombe Hill
• Roald Dahl Children's Gallery
• Waterside Theatre
• Grand Union Canal
• St Mary the Virgin's Church
• King's Head Inn
• Bedgrove Park
• David Bowie Statue
• Wendover Woods

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The Queen's golden jubilee tour

The Queen's golden jubilee itinerary.

May 1: The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will first visit the south-west of England. They will both begin their tour at the National Maritime Museum, Falmouth, Cornwall, before attending a lunch to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the diocese of Truro. After meeting representatives of the community in Cornwall at Truro Cathedral, they will attend a musical performance by young people in Exeter and a reception at County Hall, Exeter. The Queen will also view a gardens in Trelissick, while the Duke will visit Falmouth College of Art.

May 2: The Queen and the Duke will visit the Farmers' Market and Vivary Park in Taunton, then go on to Wells, where the Duke will also present award scheme gold awards. In the afternoon they will view Bath Abbey restoration and attend a reception at the Pump Rooms.

May 7: The couple will then move on to the north-east, where they will open Winter Gardens in Sunderland, the Metro Link between Sunderland and Gateshead and the Millennium Bridge. Other visits will include Fellgate primary school, the Baltic Centre and the gala event at City Hall, Newcastle.

May 8: The next day both will pay visits to Seaham, Easington, Blackhall Rocks, Durham Castle, Darlington and open the Millennium Place, Durham. The Duke will present awards at Peterlee, and visit Stockton Campus, Durham University.

May 9: The Queen and Duke will visit east London.

May 10: The couple will move on to Higginson Park, Marlow and Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, and the Queen will visit Aylesbury.

May 16-17: The Queen and Duke will attend the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The next day they will take the salute at All The Queen's Horses at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

May 20: The Queen and the Duke will visit Chelsea Flower Show.

May 21: They are scheduled to open the new Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

May 22: The couple will attend an reception at the Royal Academy of Arts, London.

May 23: The Queen and Duke will visit Scotland. The tour will begin with a thanksgiving service at Glasgow Cathedral, followed the next day by the opening of the Jubilee Wheel at the Millennium Link between Forth & Clyde and Union Canals, Falkirk. They will also give a reception in the palace of Holyroodhouse for national Scottish figures.

May 25: They will open the general assembly of the Church of Scotland, Edinburgh and give a garden party at the palace of Holyroodhouse.

May 26: The couple will attend a service at St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh.

May 27: They will visit the Isle of Skye, attending lunch at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis and attending a tea party at Wick, Caithness.

May 28: The couple will visit Duthie Park, Aberdeen and visit Scottish parliament, sitting at King's College, Aberdeen University. The Queen will open the Scottish school of contemporary dance, Dundee, while the Duke visits Dundee University's Wellcome Trust Biocentre. Both of them will attend a reception at City Chambers, Dundee.

May 29: The Queen and Duke will visit Lauder, Scottish Borders and Melrose Abbey, attend a lunch hosted by Scottish Borders council and then attend a borders gathering, Melrose Rugby Club.

June 1: They will attend a classical concert, The Queen's Concert, in the gardens at Buckingham Palace.

June 2: Both will attend a jubilee church service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

June 3: They will attend events in Windsor and Slough. They will also hold a pop concert, the Queen's concert, in the gardens at Buckingham Palace, light a national beacon in the Mall and view a fireworks display.

June 4: The Queen and Duke will attend a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral, after a ceremonial procession from Buckingham Palace. Both will also attend a lunch hosted by the lord mayor at Guildhall in the City of London. They will make a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace and watch an RAF jet fly past.

June 6: The Queen and Duke will visit north London; followed by a garden party at Lambeth palace.

June 7: The couple will be tour the south-east, starting with an attendance at the South of England show in Ardingly, West Sussex.

June 10: The couple will give a reception for representatives of different faiths at Buckingham Palace.

June 11: The Queen and Duke will be touring Wales. After arriving at Llanfairpwll railway station, they will visit a crafts exhibition and fair at Beaumaris Castle, Anglesey, and attend a thanksgiving service at Bangor Cathedral. They will have lunch hosted by the National Trust Wales and the chairman of Gwynedd countycouncil at Penrhyn Castle and attend a Jubilee sports event, in Colwyn Bay.

June 12: On June 12 the Queen and Duke will attend Powys picnic in Dolau, open an improvement works and new lock and park in Llanelli. They will attend a lunch hosted by Camarthenshire county council, visit Carmarthenshire enterprise day business exhibition and attend a festival in Margam park.

June 13: The couple will drive through the shopping centre of Bridgend, attend welcome to the valleys at Treorchi, Rhondda Valley, and visit Heritage Park, Trehafod, Porth. Lunch will be hosted by Newport county borough council, followed by a visit the Welsh assembly and a reception hosted by Cardiff city council.

June 15: The Queen and Duke will take the salute at her majesty's birthday parade, Horseguards.

June 17: They will attend the service of the Order of the Garter at St George's Chapel, Windsor, and give a dinner for European sovereigns at Windsor Castle.

June 18-22: The Queen and Duke will attend Royal Ascot.

June 25: They will visit west London.

June 26: They will give a dinner for representatives of the armed services at Windsor Castle.

June 27: Both will visit the armed forces, Portsmouth, and tour Portsmouth.

July 2: The couple will tour the Midlands, starting with a visit Touchwood, Solihull's town centre redevelopment. The Queen will open a science and learning centre, Digbeth, Birmingham, and they will both attend a reception and concert in Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

July 3: They will visit the National Museum of Brewing, Burton upon Trent. The Queen will then visit Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent, while the Duke visits Best Foods' Marmite factory. They will then visit the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire; and the Royal Show, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

July 4: The Queen and Duke will visit South London.

July 5: They will attend a parade in the gardens of Buckingham Palace for all her majesty's body guards and the in-pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

July 9: The Queen, accompanied by the Duke, will present medals to the winners of the Queen's golden jubilee poetry competition for schools, at Buckingham Palace. They will then give a party in the gardens of the palace.

July 11: They will be then tour Yorkshire, starting with a visit to Leeds Civic Centre, and the set of Emmerdale. The Queen and the Duke will also visit Harewood House and attend a jubilee celebration, and meet Queen's golden jubilee baton relay runners. The Duke will visit National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield, and Bradford grammar school.

July 12: The Queen and Duke will attend a service for rural life at Beverley Minster and visit Beverley Racecourse for the county fair and golden jubilee race.

July 16: The couple will give a garden party in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, when guests will include young people who have been born since the 1977 silver jubilee.

July 17: They will be in East Anglia, starting with a visit to Ipswich and a visit to Stowmarket. They will attend a lunch in Bury St Edmund's and a performance in Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmund's.

July 18: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will visit Norwich Castle Museum, Norwich and open the Forum Building (the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library). The Duke will open the Norfolk Nelson Museum, Great Yarmouth. They will also give a garden party at Sandringham House.

July 23: They will open the new greater London authority building and attend a gala at Covent Garden.

July 24: The couple will go to the north-west wehre they will visit the King's school, Macclesfield, and Christie Hospital, Greater Manchester. The Queen and Duke will attend a service celebrating the new city centre at Manchester Cathedral and the Duke will open Imperial War Museum North.

July 25: The Queen will visit Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, while the Duke will present award scheme gold awards, in Bootle, Liverpool. The Queen and Duke will attend a reception at the Walker Art Gallery and visit Liverpool town hall. They will also open the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

July 26: The Queen and the Duke will visit Commonwealth Games sports venues and the athletes' village.

July 30: They will give a garden party at Buckingham Palace, when guests will include representatives of charities of which the two are patrons.

July 31: The couple will then go to the East Midlands. On the first day the Queen will open Lindsey Lodge Hospice extension, Scunthorpe. Accompanied by the Duke, she will then visit Scunthorpe town centre, visit Normanby Hall and attend a performance at the National Ice Centre, Nottingham. The Duke will present award scheme gold awards at 20/21 Arts Centre, Scunthorpe.

August 1: The Queen and Duke will then see Leicester city centre, visit the National Space Centre, Leicester and attend a celebration at Pride park, Derby.

August 4: The Queen, accompanied by the Duke, will close the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

August 5: The Queen and the Duke will attend a community event, and a reception which will include guests from the Duchy of Lancaster in Preston, followed by a garden party at Carlisle Castle, Cumbria. They will also attend the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle.

August 7: The couple will give a garden party at Balmoral Castle.

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Where you can pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II in Aylesbury, Amersham, Milton Keynes and more

A number of spots across the county have been designated as memorial sites

• 16:58, 9 SEP 2022

A number of locations across Buckinghamshire have been set up as memorial sites to allow those living in the county to pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen, Elizabeth II. Books of condolence, both physical and digital, have been opened to allow tributes to our late monarch.

Her Majesty died yesterday (Thursday, September 8) aged 96. An outpouring of grief and love has followed the news after she spent a lengthy 70 years on the throne.

As a result, a number of towns have created places for those living in the county to express their feelings and pay respects to The Queen. Floral tributes are being placed at sites across three towns, including Aylesbury .

Read more: Remembering The Queen's visits to Buckinghamshire as the nation mourns her death

Books of condolences are found at the offices of Buckinghamshire Council in Walton Street and at The Gateway in Aylesbury. There are also more at offices in Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe and at King George V House in Amersham.

Furthermore, Buckingham and Chesham libraries are also hosting books of condolence. They will be open between 9am and 5pm every day up to the day following The Queen’s funeral, the date of which is expected to be confirmed later today.

There is also a link to an online book of condolence on the official website of the Royal Family, which can be found via this link on the Buckinghamshire Council website . Arrangements for those who live in care homes are being made so they can also contribute to the books of condolence.

Councillor Martin Tett, the leader of Buckinghamshire Council , expressed his "deepest condolences" to the Royal Family. Cllr Tett said: "It is with the deepest sadness that I write to you today, following the sorrowful news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died peacefully at Balmoral yesterday afternoon.

"The news, when it came, was swift and felt sudden as events progressed yesterday. I know there is currently a wave of great sadness unfolding amongst us here in Buckinghamshire.

"There will be very few amongst us who have ever known another monarch and this is truly a momentous event in our history . Our Queen was a symbol of steadfastness and stability for all her subjects through seven amazing decades and she will be dearly missed."

Where are the memorial sites?

Buckinghamshire Council has set up three temporary memorial sites across the county. These fenced-off areas are found in town centres allowing visitors to lay flowers and other tributes.

These can be found:

• Aylesbury : At the Queen Elizabeth II statue in Market Square (next to the steps of Metro Bank)
• Amersham: Adjacent to the flagpole outside King George V House, Amersham
• High Wycombe: Outside the entrance to the Council Chamber, on Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe

A proclamation event is due to take place at 1pm on Sunday, September 11, on the steps of Exhibition Suite, Market Square Aylesbury. The High Sheriff, Debbie Brock, will read the Proclamation of our new Sovereign, His Majesty The King, Charles III.

The Lord Lieutenant, The Countess Howe will open the event and invite the High Sheriff to read the Proclamation accession speech. The High Sheriff will briefly give a speech before reading the Proclamation.

At the end of the Proclamation, the High Sheriff will call for three cheers for His Majesty the King. Members of the public are welcome to attend the reading and the council is making parking on the day free in all Buckinghamshire Council-owned car parks.

How Milton Keynes is remembering The Queen

Flags at Milton Keynes City Council are flying at half mast following the announcement of The Queen's death. Floral tributes and books of condolences have also been arranged in the county's only city.

Milton Keynes was one of the last places to be declared a city by The Queen before her death. The Mayor of Milton Keynes , Cllr Amanda Marlow said: “It is with great sadness that Milton Keynes City Council hears of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

"We send our deep condolences to the Royal Family on behalf of the people of Milton Keynes. I will be writing to The Royal Household to express our sympathies.

"Her Majesty’s 70-year reign witnessed many milestones in the history of this country and the Commonwealth, and more changes in the way we live our lives than any previous reign. Milton Keynes was created in the modern Elizabethan age, and we are profoundly honoured that the city of Milton Keynes was designated for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee .

"We express gratitude for Her Majesty’s life of dedication and service to the British people.” Mayor Marlow formally lay flowers on behalf of the city at the Milton Keynes Rose in Campbell Park.

A Milton Keynes City Council spokesperson added: "Residents who wish to lay flowers are also invited to do so at the Milton Keynes Rose. Flowers left in other areas may be moved there.

"The City Council requests that flowers are taken out of cellophane wrappers where possible, and that no naked flames or candles are left. A book of condolence will be held at the Milton Keynes City Council Civic offices from Friday 9 September."

Flags at the Milton Keynes City Council civic offices will remain at half-mast until a new sovereign is proclaimed, in line with official protocols. The civic building will be lit in purple to signify the national mourning.

Other memorial sites and locations for books of condolence

Princes Risborough: A book of condolences will be available at St Mary’s Church on Church Lane, Princes Risborough . St Mary’s Church will also be open from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, September 10, and 8am to 1pm on Sunday, September 11.

Aylesbury: Town Book of Condolence at the Town Hall, 5 Church Street until 4.30pm on Monday, September 12.

Queen Elizabeth II dies: A lifetime of service to the nation

Royal super fan to camp for 10 days outside Buckingham Palace in tribute to Queen

Exact date and time Charles will formally be proclaimed King

How you can leave your tributes to the Queen in our online book of condolence

James Corden's heartbreaking monologue in memory of The Queen

• Milton Keynes
• Milton Keynes Council
• Buckinghamshire Council
• High Wycombe
• Princes Risborough
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Awesome Things to See and Do in Aylesbury, England

Ask anyone outside of Buckinghamshire where Aylesbury is and you are likely to be faced with a blank stare or a scratch of the head. Situated deep in the home counties, Aylesbury is more than just miles from the sea. Read on for all the adventures you can have in this ancient market town.

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King’s Head

In the centre of town sits King’s Head , a former coaching house dating back to 1455. While the stables are now used as a National Trust exhibition, The Farmer’s Bar is very much still a hubbub of social activity. The bar is well stocked with draught ales from the local Chiltern Brewery – a pint of Beechwood Bitter proving to be the most popular – and wines from the Rothschild Estate (home to Aylesbury’s most prominent family). The Tourist Information Centre is also situated in the courtyard – a perfect place to sit and read up on the history of Aylesbury. If reading while drinking proves too taxing, then the friendly bar staff are always happy to regale tales of local interest.

For more serious beer lovers, The Chiltern Brewery offers a wonderful tour of the brewhouse, finishing with a beer- and food-tasting experience. The Chiltern Brewery is the oldest in Buckinghamshire; it has a fascinating history and some magnificent buildings to explore. Complimentary beer is served on arrival, and combined with the beer tasting at the end, chauffeurs may be required! Along with the beers, the brewery shop offers a selection of cheeses, chutneys and pickles, making it a perfect pre-picnic stop off at the foot of the Chiltern Hills.

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Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery

Children and adults alike will enjoy this museum, designed to encourage an interest in science and history through Roald Dahl’s characters and stories. A visit to the gallery has often been described as walking into a giant pop-up book and it’s impossible to leave without a smile on your face. So, whether you want to climb inside a giant peach, crawl through Mr Fantastic Fox’s tunnel (not recommended unless you’re small) or simply pay homage to The Twits, this gallery is well worth a visit.

Aylesbury may give the impression of a sleepy market town, but it was once home to one of the most famous music venues in Britain. The Friars’ Club , which formally opened in 1969, regularly hosted the biggest names in music – David Bowie , Otis Redding, Pink Floyd, The Clash and Genesis, to name just a few. Although the club officially closed in 1985 when many of the bigger names in music weren’t touring, Friars is still responsible for promoting great music in Aylesbury and hosting concerts at various venues around the town. Among others, rock band Marillion was formed in Aylesbury, the town which inspired their first hit single, Market Town Heroes.

Hartwell House and Spa

On the outskirts of Aylesbury sits the very beautiful Hartwell House and Spa . Despite being leased to the National Trust, the grounds aren’t currently open to the general public and can only be viewed if you are a guest of the hotel. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you have to stay overnight – coffee in the Great Hall is the perfect excuse to visit. The gardens were originally laid out by Capability Brown, an English landscape gardener, known better for his work at Stowe. Hospitality at Hartwell is fantastic and it is one of the finer places to pop into for morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea . Throughout the year the house hosts spectacular entertainment such as the History Tour and Luncheon. With an on-site spa, it’s a perfect place to spend a relaxing day.

Waterside Theatre

Until 2010, the only theatre in Aylesbury was the small but perfectly formed Limelight Theatre at the Queen’s Park Centre. Although responsible for excellent annual pantomimes, venue capacity and infrequency of shows had long left a gap in the market when it came to theatrical entertainment. The Waterside Theatre was designed by architect Norman Bragg to represent a whale, and there has been much debate whether the theatre is a thing of beauty or an eyesore. Whatever the conclusion, there is no denying it was a much-needed addition to the town. Interesting architectural features grace the foyer and café and it is well worth stepping into the whale’s mouth to have a look.

Queen’s Park Centre

Possibly Aylesbury’s best-kept secret and tucked away in a quiet residential street, Queen’s Park Centre (QPC) is the very definition of an “off the beaten track” find. A centre that is run and funded by its members, by day it is host to a range of creative courses and clubs. The facilities are amazing and there are regular short courses (some as short as an hour) that anyone can book onto – including stained-glass, pottery or jazz saxophone lessons. By night the centre transforms into a music venue with regular spoken-word events and folk and open-mic nights, and it also hosts incredible acts from around the UK. The range and quality of acts is astounding and the venue is accessible and affordable for all.

Waddesdon Manor

The only stately home in Britain to be specifically designed in the Neo-Renaissance style of a French chateau, Waddesdon Manor is one of the most visited houses in Britain. Although a property of the National Trust, it is managed on its behalf by the Rothschild Family Trust and houses the family’s impressive wine cellars. The grounds are extensive and varied, including spectacular sights such as the Victorian aviary, home to an impressive array of tropical birds. With plenty to see at Waddesdon, more than one visit is required to really explore both the house and gardens.

Stoke Mandeville Stadium

The National Spinal Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville was set up in 1944, at the end of World War II, to aid with the rehabilitation of war veterans. In 1948, Dr Ludwig Guttmann organised the first sporting event for disabled athletes, planting a seed which aided in the eventual establishment of the Paralympics. Stoke Mandeville Stadium is today a thriving sports centre and fantastic venue to go and see competitive sports. Although the sports facilities are available to all members, they are still largely used by recovering patients. It’s a great place to see the science of rehabilitation in action.

Chequers Court

No visit to Aylesbury is complete without a walk in the surrounding Chiltern Hills. There are plenty of walks to choose from, but one of the most popular is a circular walk incorporating the Chequers Estate – the official country residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom – and Coombe Hill (once part of the estate until it was bequeathed to the National Trust). There are fantastic views covering the whole of the Aylesbury Vale and sightings of red kites overhead are virtually guaranteed. Nestled in the valley is the spectacular Chequers House; although not open to the public, most local walks incorporate the edge of the grounds. Many a rambler has stopped in the driveway to try and catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister, but with the exception of sheep, it’s rare to see another living soul.

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The Queens Head

Set in the heart of Aylesbury old town, and steeped in history The Queens Head dates back to the 1500’s and is quite possibly the oldest Queens Head in England!!

Warm yourself beside the inglenook fire place or on a hot summers day, cool yourself with a selection of cold drinks from the bar in the courtyard style beer garden.

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