Aylesbury, the County Town of Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire, and it was declared as such by King Henry VIII in 1529. There was a rumour that the declaration was made by the King to ingratiate himself to Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne Boleyn, who owned the Aylesbury Manor. Unfortunately, the whole population of the town was wiped out by the plague in 1603. Earlier on, during the Norman Conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror took the Manor for himself and is recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a royal manor.
Food, Shopping and Accommodation in Aylesbury
Although the town is not exactly a well-beaten path for tourist, it is home to the King’s Head Hotel, a historic timber-framed coaching inn located just off the town’s market square. Its cellar dates back to the 13th Century and is believed to belong to a neighbouring friary. The rest of the building was built in the 15th Century. At present, the King’s Head is a working pub with a bar operated by a local Chiltern Brewery. The large yard covered with cobblestones in the hotel’s courtyard has recently been subjected to an extensive restoration. Popular tourist destinations near Aylesbury include Waddesdon Manor, Stowe Landscape Garden and Claydon House.
Things to See and Do in Aylesbury
The most interesting feature of the town is the old English St Mary’s Church and the crypt beneath it. Around it are several Georgian buildings that have survived and have given the area a genteel air. Close to the church is the site of the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery and the Buckinghamshire County Museum and Art Gallery. The museum houses exhibit about the culture and history of the county and the surrounding area. On the other hand, the Dahl Gallery is a repository of the works of the British, novelist, writer and author, referred to as “one of the greatest storyteller for children of the 20th century.”