The parish has been so named since Norman times. The ancient parish of Great Marlow, named to distinguish it from Little Marlow, was large, including the town of Marlow and rural areas north and west of it. The ancient parish became a civil parish in the 19th century, and in 1896 was divided: the town became Great Marlow Urban District (later renamed Marlow Urban District), leaving the rural areas in the parish of Great Marlow.[3] In 1934 Lane End, in the far north of the parish, was transferred from Great Marlow to the parish of Fingest.[4]
The ecclesiastical parish of Great Marlow, which includes the town of Marlow, is now united with the parishes of Marlow Bottom, Little Marlow and Bisham (in Berkshire).[5]
^William Page, ed. (1925). "Parishes: Great Marlow". A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 3. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 14 July 2011.