A historic Grade II listed building in West Wycombe has been sold to an internationally renowned wood carver who will use the building "for generations to come.”

The Church Room and Loft on the High Street is the oldest building in the village dating back to the 15th century and was being marketed by commercial property estate agents Philip March Collin Deung.

The building was originally used by pilgrims who stayed in it as guests of the church and has since been used as the village courtroom, jail and stocks.

The site is timber framed, over two floors with an archway to Church Lane as well as home to the village clock that dates back to 1668.

Bucks Free Press:

It is said that, in the early part of the nineteenth century, one offender incarcerated in the lockup escaped by climbing up the clock chains and sped up the ticking of the clock becoming forever known as ‘Ticky Biggs’.

The site was restored in 1676 and was used by poor widows in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries before being an operating site for chairmaking but was in a dilapidated state by 1900.

It was restored again in 1914 as Belgian refugees were housed in the Church Room during the First World War whilst in the Second World War, it was used for evacuees from London.

The building – along with St Paul and St Lawrence church in the village – is cared for by a Parochial Church Council (PCC), who are local volunteers.

The council were no longer able to afford to costs of looking after the building and the PCC inquired back in October 2022 to find a new landlord to take over the building.

Over six months later and the building has been sold and passed to the safe hands of n Colin Mantripp.

Nick Ball from estate agents Philip March Collin Deung, said: "For several years, the ongoing costs of maintaining and running the iconic 15th Century building have been impacting on the PCC, so various approaches were made to secure property’s future.

"Unfortunately, those approaches proved fruitless so the Trustees sought the advice of local property consultants, PMCD with the brief to: “...find someone who can use the building in a positive way and ensure the safe keeping of the building and clock for generations to come.”

The estate agents said they had a lot of interest from potential buyers and people concerned for the future of the historic building.

Colin has history with High Wycombe, as a restorer of Listed Buildings but also being the grandson of well-known woodcarver and furniture maker Frank Hudson, former resident of West Wycombe and president of the West Wycombe brass band.

Apart from working in local churches, country houses and Royal Palaces, Colin’s work is clearly visible in High Wycombe High Street, having restored the landmark Red Lion.

He has many connections with West Wycombe village, his sisters went to school there, and he had school friends who lived there.

His grandparents lived at the Apple Orchard, where his cousins started the Apple Orchard trading company.

He has worked for the late Sir Frances Dashwood, at West Wycombe Park, and previously did carving work for Browns Furniture company in Church Lane.

The Church Room and Loft will be a base, providing a small studio, which will be opened periodically to local people and clients for them to see examples of his work and the fully restored building.

Mr Ball added: The West Wycombe PCC know how much the Church Room and Loft mean to the local community and are absolutely delighted that they now have a safe and protected future."