Woodley (meadow in the wood)

Woodley from Rocque's map of Berkshire, 1761
(Click the map to see the area in 2000)

Crossing the River Loddon by the sandy ford, travellers would enter the parish of Sonning and pass through Woodley, the 'meadow in the wood', on their way to Reading or Sonning.

The Manor of Bullmarsh appears to have been formed in the 15th century partially out of the manors of Sonning and Earley. In 1447 it was held by John Lovell.

The parish church, dedicated to St John the Evangelist, was built in 1873 by Robert Palmer of Holme Park. Formerly in Sonning parish, Woodley was formed into a separate ecclesiastical parish in 1881.

Unfortunately this map cannnot be reproduced here for copyright reasons. View a similar map. Earlier map

Woodley 2000. © Ordnance Survey

In 2001 the census recorded 26,118 people living in 9,989 houses in Woodley

Woodley Parish Church

The Parish Church of St John the Evangelist, Woodley, 2001

References in main text:

         I   Early Forest (2)
        II   Going to Church (1)
       V   The Manors (2)
    VIII   War and Poverty (2)
      IX   Great Houses (3)
      XI   Commuting (1)
     XII   Commerce (2)
    XIII   New Farmland (1)
    XIV  Pleasant Memories (1)
     XV  Recently (13)