Woughton on the Green
Woughton on the Green is a village and ancient parish in the Newport Hundred of Buckinghamshire that is now part of Milton Keynes. The historic village has formed part of the civil parish of Old Woughton since 2012, with more modern new-town housing in the civil parish of Woughton on the Green.
The village was originally just called "Woughton", but by 1750 it was already being referred to as "Wofton on the Green". It has been suggested that the suffix was added to distinguish the village from other nearby places with the same name. On the Green refers to the large grassy area that lay in the centre of the village: the traditional village green.
In the Domesday Book of 1086 Woughton on the Green was recorded as Ulchetone. This is an Anglo-Saxon name, which means Eoca's Farm. The village had gained its more modern name by the mid twelfth century when the manor was recorded as belonging to the Verley family.
By the time of the coronation of Queen Victoria, Woughton on the Green was a large village, due largely to the nearby Grand Union Canal and later to the (West Coast Main Line) railway that passed through to the nearby parish of Wolverton.
Today the village is a suburb of Milton Keynes, though the residents like to maintain their autonomy. The parochial church council still meets at the ecumenical parish church of St Mary.[1]
According to legend, Woughton on the Green was one of the bases of Dick Turpin. His ghost, and that of his mare Black Bess, have occasionally been reported in the area.[2]
References
- ↑ Woughton Ecumenical Parish, St. Mary's
- ↑ Ash, Russell (1973). Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. Reader's Digest Association Limited. p. 280. ISBN 9780340165973.
Outside links
- Location map: 52°1’54"N, 0°44’0"W
