Situated between Amersham and Gerrards Cross and to the south of the Chilterns AONB – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Chalfont St Peter expanded rapidly in the 20th century to its now circa 14,000 inhabitants.
Historically Chalfont was first mentioned in AD 949 in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles but there was no distinction made between the three separate Chalfont villages: Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles and Little Chalfont. The whole area was known as Ceadeles funtan.
Chalfont St Peter seems to have been a small common edge settlement manor with a mill situated with in the woodland landscape of the Chilterns.
The founding of a market and fair in 1229 is a key point in Chalfont’s history.
For most of the medieval period the manor of Chalfont St Peter was held by Missenden Abbey until its dissolution when it passed to a succession of families including the Drurys, the Bulstrodes and the Whitchurch family who held it from 1650 to 1809.
In the post medieval period (1536 -1800) documentary sources indicate that Chalfont did not expand, retaining its village character, although by the late 18th century it possessed a substantial non agricultural population with an unusual number of trades; these included: blacksmiths, butchers, bakers, cordwainers, glaziers and victuallers.