Fencing in the Chilterns: A Practical Guide for Chesham, Amersham and Berkhamsted Gardens

Digging fence posts in flinty ground

Anyone who has dug a hole in Chesham, Amersham or the villages around them knows about flints. They make post holes slow going, so plan for it:

• Use a narrow post hole spade and a heavy digging bar to lever out flints as you go.
• Aim for about a quarter of the post’s length in the ground. For a 6ft fence, that means roughly 600mm.
• Set posts with rapid setting post mix for a firm hold in loose, stony soil. Our Postcrete starts from £7.08 a bag.

On patios or hard standing, you can skip the digging altogether with a bolt down post support, from £15.

Choose posts that outlast the panels

Posts take the strain in winter winds and sit in damp ground all year, so they are usually the first part of a fence to fail. Our PermaTimber® posts carry a 15 year guarantee against rot and insect attack.

For the longest life, consider concrete posts and gravel boards, with concrete H posts from £25.28, or DuraPost steel posts. DuraPost is made in the UK from galvanised steel, is light enough to handle easily and is fully recyclable at the end of its life.

Choosing the right fence panels

For most back gardens in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, the choice comes down to two styles:

• Lap fence panels, from £25.76, are the most popular and affordable option. They go up quickly and give good privacy.
• Closeboard fence panels, from £31.52, are heavier and stronger, with vertical boards that stand up better to the wind.

All of our fence panels are pressure treated and carry a 10 year guarantee. For front gardens and village streets, palisade fencing offers a traditional, open look, and trellis panels add height and screening above a fence or wall.

Dealing with slopes

Many Chilterns gardens slope, sometimes steeply. You have two options. You can step panels down the hill, keeping each one level and using longer posts on the low side. Or you can build closeboard fencing on site from feather edge boards, which follows the line of the ground. Closeboard is also the strongest and most private choice, which is why it is so popular around Amersham, Chalfont St Giles and Berkhamsted.

Fencing for wildlife

Hedgehogs travel a long way each night between gardens. A small gap under your fence, roughly 13cm square, lets them through without letting most pets out. Ask our team about hedgehog friendly gravel boards.

Muntjac deer are common across the Chilterns and can strip a vegetable patch overnight. If deer visit your garden, a taller closeboard fence or a run of post and rail with wire fencing will help keep them out.

Gates for Chilterns homes

A fence is only as good as its gate. We stock pedestrian gates for side paths and driveway gates for wider openings, all pressure treated and made in Britain. If your opening is an unusual width, as many older cottages in the area are, we can make gates to measure. Customers across Buckinghamshire also come to us for driveway gates in Aylesbury and the surrounding villages.

Check before you build

In England, most garden fences up to 2 metres high do not need planning permission, or up to 1 metre beside a road used by vehicles. Listed buildings and conservation areas have tighter rules, and the older town centres in Chesham, Amersham and Berkhamsted all include conservation areas. If in doubt, check with Buckinghamshire Council or Dacorum Borough Council before you start.

Supplying, not installing

We supply fencing rather than install it, but we work with a network of trusted local installers. If you would prefer someone to put your new fence up for you, see our installer network. Fencing contractors and landscapers can open a trade account for trade pricing and free local delivery.

Fencing across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire

As well as serving customers who visit our Chesham fencing yard, we deliver fencing and fence panels across the Chilterns and beyond, including:

• Fencing in Amersham, Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter
• Fencing in Berkhamsted and Tring
• Fencing in Hemel Hempstead, Kings Langley and Abbots Langley
• Fencing in Watford and Rickmansworth
• Fencing in Aylesbury and High Wycombe
• Fencing in Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross and Marlow
• Fencing in St Albans

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy fencing in Chesham? 

At our yard on Hog Lane, Ashley Green, HP5 3PS, just off the A41. Fence panels, posts and gates are in stock to collect, or you can order online for delivery.

Do you deliver fencing to Amersham, Watford and Hemel Hempstead? 

Yes. We deliver across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, including Amersham, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Aylesbury.

Are you still G & M.B. Manning? 

We are the same team at the same yard, now trading as Walford Timber Chesham.

How long do your fence panels last? 

Our pressure treated fence panels carry a 10 year guarantee, and PermaTimber® posts carry a 15 year guarantee.

Visit our Chesham branch

You will find us at Hog Lane, Ashley Green, Chesham, HP5 3PS, open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm. Call 01442 866264, WhatsApp us on 07484 427069 for a quick quote, or visit to see panels, gates and posts in person before you buy.