Welcome to the Prestwood Archive
Over 120 years of photographs in and around Prestwood in Buckinghamshire England.
*Wait a moment, the image above will change!
This website was originally built in August 2013. It has been updated with a new mobile friendly template and relaunched in September 2025. The site has remained very popular over the past 12 years. New content has been added during the update process. We are seeking help from volunteers to help create and maintain an archive of images, video and documents covering the last 125 years. If you are interested in helping us please contact us.
Goals
The changing image of The Chequers pub at the top of this page captures the type of thing we would like to achieve. This is based on four images of the Chequers pub, one taken circa 1900, two in 2013 and one in 2024.
The website is structured as a parent website (the one you are on now, and seven sub sites, each covering 20 years. All periods have been populated over the past 13 years, but there is much more to do.
Click on the image to see a larger version
We wish to keep the site lively and interesting, and of value to residents and friends to see how the area has developed over the years. Ideas we are considering are adding video and/or audio commentary from people that have lived in the village for a long time, and can comment on some of the images.
World War 1
We started from 1900 to 1920. This period included World War 1. There is a special section in the site to remember those that gave their lives in The Great War from Prestwood. We list who they were and where they were laid to rest. You can visit that section by following this link: 1914-1918 The Great War
Late 19th century snapshot of Prestwood
We have a special Prestwood History page which looks at Prestwood at the end of the 19th century based on some map and census data which are in the public domain. Do take a look: Prestwood History
Image & Article Galleries
The original concept for this website was to create multiple Image and Article galleries in the website for each 20 yr period. That framework is now populated in 2025, but can be expanded much further. You can see an example image gallery here: Image Gallery, this is based on material that was collated for an exhibition in Prestwood in 2013 and covers around 65 years. Article Galleries contain largely printed material that was available or relevant at the time.
We Need You Too
This is not a project which can be managed and implemented with one or two people. We need materials to place on the site, we also need people to help collect information, process it prior to uploading to the website and also to research and create articles about what was happening at the time.
To find out more about how you can help please visit the Volunteering page to learn about what we think we need to put this site together.
Rebuilding on the Foundation
In September 2025 the new version of the original Prestwood Archive was relaunched using a new framework. Care has been taken to make sections like Galleries very easy to install and add to the existing structure to allow the site to expand. We have a lot of new material that needs to be processed before it can be added to the site. That work will start over the Autumn/ Winter period of 2025/ 26.
If you are interested in helping please contact us.