Follow the historic path of the A40 where highwaymen and thieves travelled through from London to High Wycombe or Oxford and you will come along the beautiful and historic village of West Wycombe.
Only 15miles from The Bull Hotel, the village is rare in its architecture with cottages and Inns dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries and many belonging to The National Trust. The village which has many interesting antique shops, an old style sweet shop, which has been trading for at least 250 years, selling over 350 varieties of sweets plus the famous George and Dragon Pub. You will find this old drinking establishment in many ghost books from over the years and it’s even been visited by the TV program Haunted Britain!
Tradition holds that the ghost of Sukie, a servant girl who worked at the pub had 3 admirers who were young boys local to the village. Sukie had her sights set on becoming the mistress of an aristocrat and met with each of them and rejected their advances in turn. To teach her a lesson the boys wrote a letter to her pretending they were a rich noble suitor inviting her to meet at the local caves and elope with him. The boys jumped out at Sukie forcing her to flee petrified. Whilst running she tripped over a rock and her head struck the cave wall. The 3 boys carried her body back to The George and Dragon but she died that night and it is said that she has roamed the rooms there ever since.
Only 15miles from The Bull Hotel, the village is rare in its architecture with cottages and Inns dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries and many belonging to The National Trust. The village which has many interesting antique shops, an old style sweet shop, which has been trading for at least 250 years, selling over 350 varieties of sweets plus the famous George and Dragon Pub. You will find this old drinking establishment in many ghost books from over the years and it’s even been visited by the TV program Haunted Britain!
Tradition holds that the ghost of Sukie, a servant girl who worked at the pub had 3 admirers who were young boys local to the village. Sukie had her sights set on becoming the mistress of an aristocrat and met with each of them and rejected their advances in turn. To teach her a lesson the boys wrote a letter to her pretending they were a rich noble suitor inviting her to meet at the local caves and elope with him. The boys jumped out at Sukie forcing her to flee petrified. Whilst running she tripped over a rock and her head struck the cave wall. The 3 boys carried her body back to The George and Dragon but she died that night and it is said that she has roamed the rooms there ever since.
The West Wycombe caves, where this tragedy occurred, are where the famous Hell-Fire caves are of supposedly very ancient origin. They were extended in the 1740’s by the infamous Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the notorious hellfire club and whose 18th century stately home stands in the beautiful West Wycombe Park. Dashwood was later made Chancellor of the Exchequer and his friend Benjamin Franklin was a regular visitor to West Wycombe. His fine theatrical and Italianate house has been used in many films and TV shows and is well worth a visit. Dashwood is a man whose name has become a byword for hedonistic debauchery and whose stories of wine and women are endless.
The extension of the caves was a true feat of engineering as they were all dug by hand and the long winding passages lead deep underground for over half a mile. They are open to visitors most days from 1am until 5pm for a small fee. Afterwards take a walk up to the Dashwood Mausoleum behind which towers the stunning Golden Ball that sits atop the church of St Lawrence. The village and surrounding areas really are a fascinating piece of English history just like The Bull Hotel and Gerrards Cross. For maps, opening times, prices and more information please do not hesitate in contacting our Front Office Staff at The Bull.
Written by Michelle Mayes, Front Office Manager at The Bull
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