Woodborough’s Heritage

Woodborough, a Sherwood Forest Village, recorded in Domesday

Wright’s Directory 1897

Woodborough is a parish and large straggling village, in a dell near the Dover Beck, 6½ miles north east from Nottingham, 3½ north west from Lowdham station and 141 from London, in the Newark Parliamentary Division, that of Calverton for the County Council, hundred of Thurgarton, Basford Union, Nottingham County Court district, rural deanery of Gedling, and Diocese of Southwell. St Swithin’s Church is a large stone building, in which there are the remains of a good Norman doorway. The chancel is large, and considered a perfect specimen of 14th century work (Decorated) about the time of Edward III. There is a low embattled tower of the Perpendicular period; the nave and aisles are debased. In 1892 extensive restorations were carried out at a cost of £2000, raised by subscription. Col. Seely gave £500 for the restoration of the chancel. The Registers date − baptisms from 1547, marriages from 1573, burials from 1572. The vicarage is of the value of £270 gross, partially derived from 55 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Manchester.  A Burial Board was formed in 1879. There is a small cemetery with mortuary chapel and lych gate. William Edge, by will, July 29th, 1796, devised his personal estate to his wife, subject to the payment of £40 to the churchwardens and overseers of Woodborough, the interest to be paid half-yearly as follows: moiety to the singers of Woodborough Church and the other moiety to the poor widows of the parish. His widow gave up part of the personal property to Mr William Taylor, who has paid 28s. a year to the minister, and 20s. to the churchwardens, as the interest of the £40. The former is paid to a master for teaching ten boys and girls to sing psalms, and the latter is distributed on the day after Christmas to indigent widows. The Free School, founded by the Rev’d Montague Wood in 1739, now possesses an income of £90 per year, derived from a farm at Blidworth and land at Stapleford. New, handsome, and commodious schools, with residence for the master, were built in 1878, at a cost of £1600, the accommodation being for 150 scholars. A new Wesleyan chapel was built in 1887, at a cost of £630. The Baptists and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel. Bricks are still made, but the hosiery trade has been depressed of late years, owing largely to the manufacture having been transferred to the great factories. There is a sick club numbering 200 members. The feast is on the Sunday after July 2nd. The chief landowners are Mr R.L. Thorpe, Colonel Seely, Mr W. Bradshaw, Mr H. Hill and Mr T. Potter. Acreage, 1940; rateable value, £3841; population in 1891, 768. Woodborough Dumble is 2½ miles west.

Parish Council – Messrs J.E. Burton (chairman), W.E. Buckland, J.E. Clayton, M. Donnelly, J. Foster, W. Orange, J.P. Richardson, W. Taylor, E. White, C. Wright, E. Wright. Clerk, Mr Joseph Clayton.

St Swithin’s Church – services, Sunday 11, 3, and 6. Holy Communion at 11 and 8.30 a.m. on alternate Sundays. Rev’d W.E. Buckland, M.A. Wardens, Messrs E. Brett and R. Ward; Hon. Organist, Miss Augusta Parkyns; Clerk, J. Richardson. Hymns Ancient and Modern.

Chapels – Sunday 2.30 and 6. Wesleyan; Steward, James Statham; Primitive: Joseph Marriott; Baptist: James Small.

Post Office – John Foster, sub-postmaster. Letters from Nottingham delivered at 7.15; box cleared at 6.05 p.m. weekdays only. Money order office at Epperstone (1 mile); Telegraph Office at Lowdham Station (3 mls).

Baguley Joseph - bootmaker

Biggs George - the Endowed school

Buckland Rev’d W.E., MA, vicarage

Burnett Mr Arthur, The Hertford Manor House

Donnelly Mark - framesmith

Hill Charles Hose, Esq, JP, Woodborough Hall

Holland William - drainer

Holmes Miss Charlotte - mistress of Endowed school

Mellors Thomas - baker

North John - coal dealer

Orme William - blacksmith and wheelwright

Parkyns Misses Sybil Augusta and Dorothy, Thorneywood Hall

Pollard John - ladies’ tailor

Raynor Walter -, painter

Richardson Joseph - parish clerk

Ward Richard - joiner, smith and wheelwright

White Elijah - provision merchant

Wright James Peto - bootmaker

Wyld William, junior - chair seater and brush maker

Bag Hosiers

Bish Herbert

Dring Henry, and gardener

Dring James

Richardson Arthur

Robinson Edward

Wyld William

Butchers

Parker Thomas

Richardson Mark

Tomlinson Mrs Martha

Roe John, and cottager, Foxwood House

White John, market gardener and pork butcher

Cottagers

Alvey Mrs Charlotte, and market gardener

Bish Herbert

Bish John, and gardener

Brett Edward, and valuer

Dring George, and coal dealer, Shelt Hill

Foottit George

Hancock John

Hogg William

Howitt William, and bricklayer

Roe John, and coal dealer, Foxwood House

Southern William, and gardener

Taylor William

Dress makers

Dring Miss Elizabeth

Orange Mrs Hannah

Pollard Miss Elizabeth

Richardson Mrs Selina

Farmers

Annable James, bailiff to Mr Collier

Bentley Robert

Caudwell John Bagshaw

Flinders Mrs Betsy

Henry Frederick, Manor House

Kelk John

Lovett Thomas, Woodborough Mill

Middup William, Grimesmoor Farm

Poole Joseph

Skinner Samuel, foreman to Mr T. Potter

Stevenson James, Stoup Hill, Woodborough

Taylor William, victualler, Four Bells

Turtle John, Grimesmoor Farm

Voce Fred, bailiff to Mr Blagg

Woodward Charles, Arnold Lodge

Gardeners

Alvey Mrs Charlotte, and cottager

Bish John

Dring George, and huckster

Dring Henry

Dring James

Foottit George, and cottager

Foster John, and shopkeeper

Hallam Henry

Hartshorn Francis

Plumb Joseph

Smith William

Southern William, and cottager

Taylor William, and farmer and threshing machine owner

Publicans

Burton John E., victualler, New Inn

Hogg William, junior, wheelwright and victualler, Nag’s Head

Leafe Joseph, junior, beerhouse, Bugle Horn

Suffolk William, victualler, Punch Bowl

Taylor William, farmer, threshing machine owner, and victualler, Four Bells.

Shopkeepers

Co-op Stores, Joseph Baguley, manager

Foster John, and sub-postmaster

Marriott Joseph

North William

Richardson Mrs Ann

Richardson John

Richardson William

Robinson William

Whetton James

Carriers

Dunthorne James, to Nottingham Wednesday and Saturdays, North John, to Nottingham Wednesdays and Saturdays