There’s a small village near me which is so old it was listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. For a tiny place, Chalfont St Peter has a very big story which I thought it would be fun to share.

A major reason for Chalfont St Peter’s rich history is its location – just a day’s horse-ride from London. It’s why the famous poet John Milton evacuated to its neighbour, Chalfont St Giles, to escape London’s Great Plague in 1665. The nearby Bull Hotel, in Gerrards Cross is an old coaching inn, built in 1688, and coachmen from London would push their horses to gallop across the last stretch of woodland, trying to dodge the highwaymen lying in wait and reach The Bull and a safe night’s sleep. The Bull Hotel has retained its historic grandeur to this day and is a lovely setting for an evening meal or a celebration.

There’s so much to tell, but a good starting place is Chalfont St Peter’s infamous resident – Judge George Jeffreys, known as the ‘hanging judge’ – his sentences had a reputation for being brutal. He owned The Grange, a mansion in beautiful grounds close to Gold Hill Common and he used to hold court at The Greyhound, a 14^th Century coaching inn at the bottom of the village. Judge Jeffreys was so concerned about reprisals for his harsh sentences that he built a tunnel from his residence to The Greyhound, allowing him to travel to and from his court in safety. The tunnel is still present today, although the Grange has been replaced by a modern housing estate. The Greyhound Inn however still flourishes and is a great place for a drink and a meal.

But back to Gold Hill Common, which has always played a major role in the village. Just a couple of generations ago, villagers would each keep a cow or a pig. Each day the cows would make their way to Gold Hill Common, to graze and drink from the pond, then in the evening, each cow would find its way back to its own yard. The Common is built on a hill and has a wooded area with fruit trees, which helped to supplement the villagers’ diets. A beacon was constructed in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee celebrations and has been lit on numerous occasions since, most recently for the VE Day 80^th Anniversary, a real opportunity for the community to meet under the burning Beacon as the sun goes down. But the most incredible volunteer achievement is the annual Chalfont St Peter Feast Day, where the Common is transformed with numerous stalls, including beekeepers, the library, local businesses and more; a travelling fair; and a large stage featuring performances by local schools and dance groups. Then in the evening, the whole village relaxes and chats together on the grass with picnics and drinks, enjoying the warm summer evening and a free concert. This year One Step Beyond, the Madness tribute band headlined this event. I just love how the spirit of the village and community has been maintained for over eleven centuries by the hard work of so many volunteers.

This is just a taster, there are so many stories of Chalfont St Peter – its history, its famous residents, past and present, and the challenges endured by the local people.

Until next time …

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Sowerby (from the Old Norse saurr, or muddy ground plus farmstead) is a gentle walk from Thirsk, through the park, passing Mrs Pomfrey’s house (if you follow James Herriot) on the right with the York moors in the distance to the left, beyond Cod Beck. The beck runs the other side of the meadows. Cows frequently graze in these meadows. Keep going as you toddle from Thirsk (or you could drive) and you will find St. Oswald’s Church on your left.

It was originially a Norman Church, but all that remains of that era is in the tower. Of course the Church has been added to steadily since then – always in the style of the old. By the way, there are studs in the old door dated approximately 1680 but perhaps the ironwork, it is suggested, is old enough to be Norman. There is a tiny peephole in the corner between the tower and aisle, through which the alter is visible. But who would look? The mind boggles. Were they keeping an eye on the choristers, perhaps?

St Oswald’s also plays host to Sowerby Music which has been organising monthly professional concerts there for about 30 years and, goodness, there have been many memorable evenings to soothe and inspire.

Moving along Front Street you will see the lime avenue, which was planted by the village to commemorate Queen Victoria’s jubilee. In July/August a sublime scent drifts from the blossom while a multitude of tiny insects high above you, make hay while the sun shines. Let me show you the scented blossom.

There are houses of all sorts, grand and not, lining Front Street, but all set back from the road and somehow timeless. There is a pub, the Crown and Anchor, a war memorial with two wrought iron beautifully worked benches to sit and ponder, and the Methodist Church. If you move along the length of Front Street you will see the 17th century Pack Horse Bridge over which horses, or men, would carry loads and no doubt check the height of the water of Cod Beck below, which I do every single time.

Dick and I take our two dogs to Sowerby most days. Rosie is in her chariot, which is allowed for one of her advanced years, with Polly bouncing along beside, or hitching a lift. Into the grounds of St. Oswald’s we go, with its very old trees. The dogs are on the lookout for squirrels, while we just enjoy the calm, and walk through the cemetary, meeting others doing just the same, until we reach the wall, and look towards the beck, and wonder if there is any other region which so delights its residents?

From 12th July, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace will feature a unique new visitor route into the Private Apartments, extending the Palace by five additional rooms.

During the experience, visitors will journey through some of the grandest rooms to unlock unique treasures, and follow in the footsteps of dukes, duchesses and their illustrious guests. The new extended tour will offer a new route through the Duke’s Bar into the corridor, as well as the Family Dining Room, The Smoking Room and the Duchess’s Sitting Room. Guests will then enter the spectacular Grand Cabinet, the most opulent room in the Palace normally reserved for special family occasions. The tour will then continue through the Palace Drawing Rooms, a route walked by royalty and the most important guests to the Palace. 

Over the years, The Grand Cabinet has been used variously as a drawing room, sitting room and even as school room for the 10th Duke younger children. The room holds many treasures passed down through the generations, including a full-length portrait of Caroline, 4th Duchess of Marlborough, by George Romney (1779) that hangs above the fireplace, or a beautiful French Savonnerie carpet (c.1750), based on a design originally produced for the Queen’s Bedchamber at the Palace of Versailles.

The Family Treasures experience enhances the visitor experience by 20 minutes and features a host of priceless artefacts and collections including:

Designed to showcase Britain’s Greatest Palace like never before, Family Treasures is one of the new unique new visitor experiences at Blenheim Palace this year.  

The Roof Top View platform experience provides visitors with never seen before breathtaking views over the Estate including the famous Column of Victory as well as the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside and Life Below Stairs, an immersive experience giving visitors the opportunity to see the original working Victorian Palace kitchens. Both of the new experiences are available alongside the launch of Blenheim Palace’s most ambitious restoration initiative to date, the historic roof project.

This year, Britain’s Greatest Palace is marking 75 years since first opening its doors to the public with a summer of celebration, featuring ‘75 Things To Do’ and more across the Palace, Park, Gardens and its family attraction Adventure Play. From history lovers to young families and adventure seekers, the summer-long anniversary celebration promises something exciting for everyone. 

Admission to the new Family Treasures extended tour is included with a valid Palace & Gardens Ticket or Palace and Play Pass, which grants access to both Blenheim Palace and Adventure Play for a full year, making it fantastic value to enjoy all that Britain’s Greatest Palace has to offer. 

For information on the new visitor experiences at Blenheim Palace and to book tickets, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/new-for-2025 

To find out more about the roof restoration project, visit www.blenheimpalace.com/restoration

A new book challenges the conventional view of Alzheimer’s, claiming that for the vast majority of people, the disease is not an inevitable part of ageing but something that can be prevented. 

This is a brilliant book. Instead of parroting old research and going with the flow, the book is revolutionary and has a lot of new information and research. It leaves you feeling more positive and in control. This book is an essential took kit for good brain health. Tip the odds in your favour with this essential read. I will be referring to it frequently.

Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure argues that less than one percent of cases are due to genetics and that current drug targets, such as amyloid plaques, are neither the cause nor the solution.

The book’s author, Patrick Holford, Chair of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Expert Group and founder of the charity Food for the Brain, suggests that Alzheimer’s is largely the result of lifestyle, dietary and environmental factors. 

“Becoming an Alzheimer’s patient is almost always a choice,” says neurologist Dr David Perlmutter, a member of the Expert Group, who adds that lifestyle, not genes, is what’s truly driving the rise in dementia.

According to Holford, cognitive decline is the outcome of a “perfect storm” of negative influences that impair the brain’s structure, function or energy supply. “Every known risk factor affects one or more of these areas, and it’s the combination—many of which we can control—that leads to cognitive decline,” he says.

The book is the result of a global Alzheimer’s prevention initiative launched by Food for the Brain. The project has tested the cognitive function of over 400,000 people through a free online tool, which includes a follow-up assessment of diet and lifestyle. This generates a personal Dementia Risk Index score and practical advice to reduce risk, with users encouraged to retest and track their progress over time.

Holford notes that signs of decline are being detected from as early as age 18, with most people experiencing noticeable impairment by their 70s or 80s. However, he insists that decline can be halted—and even reversed—through the right nutrition and lifestyle adjustments.

The book outlines modifiable risk factors and the impact of addressing them. Central to its message are what Holford calls “the four horsemen of the brain health apocalypse”: insufficient intake of omega-3 fats, B vitamins, antioxidants, and overconsumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Increasing omega-3 through fish or supplements can cut dementia risk by 20%, as can optimising vitamin D levels. Supplementing with vitamin D alone has been associated with a one-third reduction in risk.

One of the most crucial—and often overlooked—risk factors is elevated homocysteine, a harmful amino acid in the blood linked to low levels of B vitamins. Rutgers University Professor Joshua Miller supports the book’s emphasis on B vitamin supplementation and omega-3 as key strategies. Professor David Smith of Oxford University, a long-standing advocate of nutritional intervention in dementia, calls for urgent adoption of the book’s prevention model, saying, “The potential benefits are huge, both personally and economically.”

In fact, a recent analysis by Dr Apostolos Tsiachristas, Associate Professor in Health Economics at Oxford, found that reducing homocysteine through inexpensive B vitamin supplementation could save the UK economy £60 million annually and extend life expectancy by an estimated 14 years.

Despite the compelling evidence, mainstream healthcare has been slow to respond. “We’ve spent over two decades urging the health service to prioritise prevention,” says Holford. “This book is my way of giving individuals the information and tools to take charge of their brain health.”

Food for the Brain now offers a home test kit that measures homocysteine, vitamin D, omega-3 levels, blood sugar (HbA1c), and antioxidant status—important markers rarely tested by GPs. Alarmingly, most people fall below the recommended omega-3 index of 8%, with those under 5% at significantly greater risk of dementia and brain shrinkage. Only one in five achieve the government’s recommendation to eat oily fish once a week, which is insufficient to prevent dementia.

Research from the Netherlands supports the connection, showing that people with low levels of omega-3, B vitamins, and vitamin D have over four times the risk of developing dementia. Reducing sugar and processed food intake can lower Alzheimer’s risk by 20%, while increasing antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and vitamin C intake also offers protection. One study involving 2,716 over-60s found that those with the highest antioxidant intake had half the risk of cognitive decline.

Beyond nutrition, the book highlights the importance of lifestyle factors such as minimising alcohol, not smoking, regular exercise, social engagement, quality sleep, stress management and sensory health—including hearing and vision. Addressing menopause-related hormonal shifts can also be key for women, with natural HRT showing promise in reducing risk.

Holford’s mission is simple: empower people with science-based tools to take control of their future. The book, available from foodforthebrain.org/books, also supports the ongoing prevention research of the Food for the Brain Foundation.

Alzheimer’s: Prevention is the Cure , by Patrick Holford, is published 1st May 2025 and is available from Amazon and all good book shops. More information can be found here: https://foodforthebrain.org/apic/