History Booklets
- Woodhurst Trees (pdf)
- Woodhurst Public Houses (pdf)
- Woodhurst Before And During The Second World War (pdf)
- The Village Of Woodhurst (Sydney Jarman) (pdf)
- Memories Of Woodhurst (pdf)
- Historical Directory - The Village Of Woodhurst (pdf)
- Evacuees In Woodhurst (pdf)
- A Short History Of Woodhurst (Rev. G Wood) (pdf)
- A Brief History Of Woodhurst (pdf)
- 780 Years Of The Church In Woodhurst (pdf)
- 200 Years Of Farming In Woodhurst (pdf)
- 16th Century Woodhurst (pdf)
All documents are researched and written by Shirley Firth unless stated
Do not reproduce these documents or make them available elsewhere without explicit permission.
Woodhurst has always been recognised as an Anglo-Saxon ring village; however, an archaeological dig conducted in 2001 prior to the construction of Harradine Close uncovered evidence of earlier inhabitants. Excavations revealed skeletons, coins, and pottery dating back to Roman times. The Birmingham University Archaeological Field Unit determined that this site represented a lower-order Roman settlement, providing valuable insights into the fen-edge landscape. Additional Roman artefacts, including a portion of a ring and cremation pottery, have also been discovered in the village.
Anglo-Saxon remains were found at the Harradine Close site, as well as during construction of Moot Way in 1949. This excavation uncovered an Anglo-Saxon hut containing seven skeletons buried through the hut’s floor, believed to be plague burials.
It is likely that the Anglo-Saxons shaped the ring village largely as it exists today. The road leading to the A141 was known as the ancient Mill Way, while the road to the Wheatsheaf crossroads was constructed in the late 1700s. The earlier route began at the Manor House, and residents also travelled to St Ives via Butt Lane. For an extended period, the only structures on the north side of Church Street were the church and the Manor House.
Over the years, the name Woodhurst has been spelled variously as Wuduhyrst, Wodehyrst, Woodhurste, and Wood Hurst. There are multiple interpretations of the original meaning of the name, but “hurst” is derived from Old English, meaning ‘a wooded hill.’
Although Woodhurst is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, the original name for St Ives, Slepe, is included. The entry for Slepe is divided into two sections, and it is believed that the latter part refers to Woodhurst and its church, which served as a chapelry of Slepe. The oldest section of the current church, the north wall of the nave, dates back to the 12th century, while the south arcade was added in the 14th century, and the chancel was rebuilt in the 1830s.
Due to two significant fires in the village in 1834 and 1877, few historic houses remain. ‘Horseshoe Cottage,’ located opposite the pond, was constructed in the 17th century and functioned as a public house called The Horse Shoes until 1922. At one time, there were six public houses within the parish of Woodhurst. The oldest house in the village is believed to be ‘Swan Weir,’ which dates to the late 16th century.