Quakers in the Chilterns
Seventeenth century
There have been Quakers in the Chilterns from the earliest days. By the time George Fox himself visited, in 1668, there were meetings in private houses in Amersham, Weston Turville (near Aylesbury), Chesham, High Wycombe and in Jordans in the old farmhouse.
These early Quakers suffered much persecution, as they were not allowed to worship openly. Many of them were imprisoned in Aylesbury jail. They could not be buried in churchyards, so had to have their own burial places. So many burial grounds are older than their Meeting Houses.
Freedom of worship came during 1687 to 1689, first with the Declaration of Indulgence, and then the Act of Toleration. Jordans Meeting House was built in 1688, and cottages in Aylesbury, Amersham, Chesham and High Wycombe became used as Meeting Houses at about the same time.
Well-known early Quakers with Chiltern connections include Thomas Ellwood, central to the organisation of Chiltern Quakers, Isaac Penington an influential early thinker, and William Penn the founder of Pennsylvania.
Eighteenth century
Chiltern Quakers were free to worship, but were still subject to many restrictions. The second and third generations had neither the zeal of early Quakers, nor their strong sense that they were charged with spreading God’s kingdom on earth. They seem to have become comfortable with being a closely knit group, a ‘society of friends’ in in this quietist period. Strict rules forbade Quakers to marry outside the society, and many young members left as a result. By the end of the century meeting houses were closing, including those in the Chilterns.
Nineteenth century
The five meeting houses in the Chilterns were closed for much of this time. Quakers from London and elsewhere had an annual picnic outing to Jordans at Whitsun but there was very little else. Quakers were more active in other parts of the UK, and as they were debarred from universities and many professions, many put their integrity testimony into practice in business. The Cadburys and many others date from this time.
Twentieth century
The First World War challenged many Quakers and the peace testimony. Many became conscientious objectors and sought other ways of contributing .Jordans became an important training centre for the Friends Ambulance Unit, with much input from High Wycombe Quakers.
In 1919, after the war, Jordans Village was founded as a self-sufficient community imbued with Quaker values and although the Depression prevented this lasting, the village still has Quaker involvement in its governance. High Wycombe Quakers helped many unemployed people at this time to get access to allotments, tools and seeds. Chiltern Quakers helped many European refugees with learning English and finding work and accommodation, and later worked with Italian and German prisoners of war.
Aylesbury Quakers have long been active in prison visiting and pastoral work through the Quaker Prison Ministry and this continues with a contemporary emphasis on restorative justice and imaginative approaches to offenders and their victims.
Slough and Windsor meeting was founded in 1939, and Chorleywood meeting in the 1950s.
