High Wycombe is probably best known as the furniture town and the industry has greatly influenced its prosperity over the past 250 years. However, its history goes back to the Middle Ages and the customs which date from that period when the burgesses were granted control of the town and its markets. The mills on the River Wye, which were first used for grinding grain, then changed to the fulling of cloth followed by paper production, while lacemaking was an important early craft. The It is estimated that almost 5,000 Windsor chairs a day were being made.