Nearby attractions

If you’re going to travel from afar then there’s plenty more to see nearby…

The local village pubs

If Ley Hill is known for anything it's the two pubs on the common, The Swan and the Crown. Both pubs have a reputation for fine real ale and great food. There's plenty of space to sit outside and watch the cricket on the common opposite, and on August Bank holiday weekend the pubs jointly host a huge music and beer festival.

Chesham

The nearby market town of Chesham is famous for the four B's; boots, beer, brooms and Baptists! Chesham has a delightful pedestrianised high-street with many shops, coffee houses and places to eat. The town has the farthest underground station from London both in terms of distance and journey time. In its time, Chesham has been home to Stephen Fry, D.H. Lawrence and Lord Mountbatten.

Chenies Manor & Latimer House

Within 2 miles of Ley Hill are two magnificent manor houses that have played important roles in English history. Chenies Manor is a medieval house dating from the 11th century and has been home to Dukes and Earls and has been visited by numerous Kings and Queens. The house is open to the public from April to October. Latimer House is famous for being the secret interrogation base for the allies during world war II. The house was visited by senior German generals including the notorious Rudolf Hess, deputy to Adolf Hitler. Latimer House is not open to the public but it is a hotel and you can easily book a room!

Bovingdon Airfield

Just up the road from Ley Hill sits Bovingdon Airfield. Built in 1942 it was home to the United States Eighth Air Force, and some famous film stars were based at Bovingdon including Clark Gabel, James Stewart and William Holden. After the war it was used as an air transport hub and later as a training base for aircrew. A former golf club member wrote a fascinating diary [of his wartime visits to Bovingdon] and the diary can be viewed by clicking on the pdf link below. Today, the airfield is famous for the Bovingdon market. Britain's busiest market is held every Saturday on the abandoned runway. The airfield is also used for filming outdoor movie scenes and has been used for Star Wars, 633 Squadron, James Bond and more recently, Bohemian Rhapsody and the world war one film 1917. There's also a temporary indoor ice rink which is used for filming 'Dancing on Ice'.

Link to John Young’s wartime diary for Bovindon Airfield