The Parish

Wootton or Wotton, comes from the Olde English pre-7th Century words “wudu”, wood and “tun”, enclosure or settlement.  Later in history, Wootton came to mean “settlement by a wood”.  Our Wootton (Bedfordshire) was recorded as “Otone” in the Domesday Book in 1086 and “Wutton” in 1197 in the Feet of Fines.  Wootton has been a popular place name throughout English history. In the 21^st Century there are at least 18 Woottons in England and one in Australia, a few hours drive north of Sydney.

Wootton has had a long association with brickmaking with references in the 17^th century to the bricks made in the tithe kiln at Wood End.  In both the early and late part of the 18^th century church bells were made here for several churches in Bedfordshire and adjoining counties.  The early part of the 19^th century saw the opening and licensing of “The Black Horse” PH (public house), shortly followed by “The Fox and Duck” PH and the “Rose and Crown” PH, which we now know as “The Legstraps” PH.  The Cock Inn PH is older however, and was described in 1764 as an alehouse and blacksmith’s forge.  The Chequers PH is believed to be a 17^th century building.  Around the same time, the Baptist Church was built at a cost of £400.  The latter part of the 19^th century saw the opening of Wootton’s first school and the Methodist Church.  For sports fans, towards the end of the 19^th century we find our first reference to a cricket match against Kempston, which we must have won!  A few years later in 1890, Wootton Blue Cross Football club was formed.

Going back to the Domesday Book, Wootton was listed as having 26 residents (20 villagers and six slaves) across ten hides.  By 1901, the population had risen to 1,252.  The population remained steady throughout the first half of the 20th century.  However, by 1971, the population had climbed to 2,386, rising to 4,230 in 2001.  According to the 2011 census, the area covered by Wootton civil parish had 4,156 residents living in 1,654 households.  With the latest expansion, Sherwood Close, Berryfields, Little Wootton and Berry Wood we have now exceeded a population of 5,000.