Wooburn Park College, Wooburn in 1861

[Keith Sherwood]

Barbara,
Thanks very much for getting back to me so promptly!
And a Happy New Year to you and your family down in the South-West...
keith

[IMBER]

Perhaps I am wrong but wasn't this house a venue for live pop in the 1960s/70s and much frequented by the young people of Bucks and Berks? I was there just once. I have a vague recollection it burned down, a bit like a similar venue at Windsor I visited where I saw Eric Clapton in 1963. Now I think about it, it burned down too!  I may have got some of that wrong but worth checking up on perhaps?

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Imber,
Someone who was a Sixties child like you (?) and I,  and who lived in the area might be able to give us the answer on that one.  I had similar experiences at about that time, but on Eel Pie Island on the Thames between Richmond and Kingston in Surrey.  Not sure what THAT building is today, or whether indeed it still stands, especially if someone had given a particularly forceful version of "Great Balls of Fire"...
keith

[Barbara F]

Hi Imber

I think they are 2 different places.  Wasn't the place that burnt down called Fawlty Towers?

I believe that the house which had the school, Wooburn House, was demolished and is now a housing estate.  My books will tell me!

Barbara

[IMBER]

Hi again

Wooburn House was used by the Commonwealth (formerly Imperial) War Graves Commission until about 1970ish when they moved to their new HQ in Maidenhead.  The other place I was thinking about was situated at the south end of Wooburn (Cores End?) amidst lots of trees.  Mind you, it was very dark when I was there and local history was not my main motivation in those days! However, Wooburn PARK rather than HOUSE is ringing a bell.  I think the site may be covered in rather posh houses now.

Keith, Eel Pie island rings a bell.  There used to be lots of Ricky Tick clubs in that part of the world at that time.

Wife is now screaming at me to get off the bleep PC and come shopping.  I'll give this some more thought.  She's just trumped me by telling me that she saw Jimmy Hendrix at Slough.  That was the same evening Scott Walker threw a strop and had to be dragged on to the stage!  Better go now!

[Keith Sherwood]

Imber,
Tell your wife when you get back from the retail therapy that I saw Hendrix play for the last time (I think) at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival...
...which is getting a bit further away by the second from Wooburn, Barbara.  Whenever you have a bit of time to hunt down those books, I'd be very interested to hear.  Wooburn Park College must have had a fairly short life, I think, but long enough to have accommodated those two young NOTT brothers (at least in 1861)...
keith

[Barbara F]

The place I was thinking of that burnt down was near the Cores End roundabout - so looks like we are on the same track Imber.

Wooburn House was nearer to Wooburn Green...I think 

Barbara

[IMBER]

Yes, Wooburn House was on the right as you headed north, just before the village green. I think you had to cross a bridge over a burn to enter the site - there was definitely some sort of watercourse.

[IMBER]

Having dug into this a little more it appears that the listed building at Cores End was Wooburn Grange, the exterior of which was indeed used for the filming of Fawlty Towers.  Looks as though it can be ruled out.