Wendover Parish Profile

Wendover is designated by local planners as a small market town, but is regarded locally as a village; population around 7,000 (1991 census figures 6,728).

A fair proportion of the working population, especially in the more recently developed areas, work in Aylesbury or London. A number of professional and retired people live in the parish because it is an attractive area on the edge of the Chilterns with easy road and rail access to London and Aylesbury.

Schooling is on a three-tier system; first, junior and upper schools (the latter a secondary school within the Buckinghamshire school's system) all sharing the same campus, which also houses a Youth Centre. They are popular and have an excellent reputation for high standards of education. The Junior School is Church of England (C of E) controlled. The present vicar is a member of the Governors. A special school for boys (weekly boarding), with a county wide catchment area, is situated near the parish church.

A fairly high proportion of the residents of the older age range is reflected in the number of residential homes and sheltered accommodation, both council and private, there are also sizeable new estates. The general hospital is at Stoke Mandeville (3 miles away) but the village has an active Health Centre. A compact high street of small shops, including a post office and supermarket is supplemented by a popular weekly market on the Manor Waste (in the high street).

Wendover is twinned with Liffre in Brittany, France and, in 1994, with the other local churches, it hosted a party from Liffre church.

Churches In The Parish

The Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin is situated half a mile from the village centre. In 1985 the Northeast corner of the church was converted into a two-storey community centre (St Mary's Centre) which includes a kitchen and toilets, and is in use during the week for all age groups, as well as for church meetings, junior church and for coffee after the Sunday morning service. The church has a tower of 6 bells which are rung each Sunday morning and at weddings.

More central to the village - between the High street and the main residential areas, is the Wendover Christian Centre, the home of St Anne's RC Church and Wendover Free Church. Attached to the church is a community hall with a large kitchen, used for a number of ecumenical activities. While the denominations hold separate Sunday morning services, the Wendover churches follow a practice of doing all that can be done together, including Sunday evening and most weekday services. All three churches co-operate in producing the Wendover churches' magazine, Contact, and have recently signed an ecumenical covenant pledging them to continue working ever more closely together.