Place:Boveney, Buckinghamshire, England

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source: Family History Library Catalog

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Boveney is a village in Buckinghamshire, England, near Windsor.

The village name is Anglo Saxon in origin and means 'above island'. This refers to the island that sits in the River Thames next to the village. The Anglo Saxon name for the village was Bufanege.

Boveney was once a hamlet within the parish of Burnham, though has long since been considered a separate village, particularly since the urban growth of nearby Slough. It became a separate civil parish in 1866, having been a chapelry before, and was part of Eton Rural District from 1894 to 1934. In 1934 the parish of Boveney was abolished, under a County Review Order, with the more urbanised part being added to Eton urban district, and with the larger, less populous part being added to the parish of Dorney.

The Church of St Mary Magdalene is in a remote part of the village by the River Thames. This church was used as a location for many Hammer Horror movies which were made at nearby Bray Studios. The church was declared redundant and vested in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches in 1983, who repair and conserve it for visitors and the local community to enjoy. In 2004 a major campaign was undertaken to repair the 14th century timber framed tower and a further programme of repairs is planned for 2007, so unfortunately the church is at present closed to visitors. The Friends, whose work in England is not automatically grant-aided, welcome donations towards their cause.

Many TV and Film companies use the village as a location. Inspector Morse episode Silent World of Nicholas Quinn and Kevin Costner movie were filmed here.

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