Amersham has two distinct areas: Old Amersham, with its historic High Street and cultural attractions, and Amersham-on-the-Hill, the New Town. This distinction dates back to the arrival of the Metropolitan Railway in 1892. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping the two areas separate: the historic old town and the station are not in the same place.
Arriving and finding your way around
From central London, you can travel directly to Amersham on the London Underground’s Metropolitan line. The station is in the New Town. From there, it is approximately a 20-minute walk or a four-minute taxi ride to Old Amersham; both times are estimates. Check current services for your travel date. This helps you take your arrival point into account when planning, without treating Old Amersham and Amersham-on-the-Hill as a single town centre.
Historic streets and buildings
Along Old Amersham’s High Street, different traces of the town’s history come together: historic 18th-century facades with stucco and brickwork, medieval timber-framed houses and a row of gables at the eastern end. On the south side, you can also see long, narrow medieval plots known as burgage plots. These were rented out to craftsmen. This layout adds another dimension to the historic street, beyond its facades.
The Market Hall in Old Amersham was built in 1682 and given to the residents by Sir William Drake. Nearby is St. Mary’s, the old parish church in the centre of Old Amersham, which dates back to around 1140. The Drake Chapel contains numerous memorials to the Drake family. Tours of the chapel are part of the Amersham Heritage Day programme; individual activities may change.
Museums and guided walks
The Amersham Museum is housed mostly in a medieval hall house. Visitor activities include guided walks and a herb garden. The guided Tudor Walk explores life and death in 16th-century Amersham, with guides leading the tour in Tudor costume. The museum’s Town Walks take place on the second Sunday of each month from April to October. Dates may change, so it is worth checking the events calendar before making plans.
The four-mile circular “Midsomer Murders & More” walk visits filming locations in Amersham. It starts outside the station and runs through beech woods and rolling fields down to Old Amersham. The route therefore connects the starting point in the New Town with a walk through the countryside and the historic part of town. If you prefer a flat, step-free route, consider the walk from Amersham to Little Missenden: it follows the banks of Shardeloes Lake and is suitable for parents with all-terrain pushchairs. Path conditions may change; check them before setting out.
Market, event and local food
The Old Amersham Saturday Market takes place every Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm under the roof of the historic Market Hall in the heart of the Old Town. Check market hours before travelling. An annual event is Amersham Heritage Day in September; the exact dates vary. The programme includes Tudor Taster Walks and tours of the Drake Chapel in St. Mary’s Church. As individual activities may change, take the dates into account when planning.
Amersham Food Tours are guided walks focusing on the town’s history and independent food scene. The “Pigs and Perfume” tour invites you to explore Old Amersham through its food. The availability of these activities may change; check in advance whether a tour is scheduled for your visit.
Discover more destinations: Pitstone, Stoke Poges, Waddesdon, Wendover, Weston Turville, Middle Claydon, Burnham, Denham.
For the broader travel overview: Buckinghamshire.
