Local Info - Woodley

The name Woodley means "a clearing in the wood" so that is probably how Woodley started! For many years later, Woodley was just a tiny village.

In the 18th Century, a grand house called Woodley Manor once stood in Woodley and was owned by James Wheble. He is said to have entertained such notable visitors as William Pitt the younger and even King George III himself.

The local parish church (St John the Evangelist) was built in 1875, and the ecclesiastical parish of Woodley came into being in 1881. Woodley did not start to grow until the 1930s when an airfield and flying school was opened. Visitors such as Charles Lindbergh and Amy Johnson are reported to have come to the airfield, and in 1931 Douglas Badar lost his legs in a crash there. In the late 1930s, Miles Aircraft Ltd used the airfield to produce the Miles Hawk aeroplane, this factory lasted until the 1960s. Now the airfield itself no longer exists, but there is the Museum of Berkshire Aviation situated near the site, so it is not forgotten. The area is still known as the Woodley Airfield - in the 1980s it was built over, the area now includes extensive housing, Woodley C of E school, Woodley Baptist Church, a community centre and small shopping piazza.

In 1974 Woodley attained Town status - with a population of 29,000. This has now reduced to 26,000 due to boundary changes.

In the 50s, 60s and 70s there was big expansion in Woodley  - schools, houses and the main Woodley shopping precinct were built. The shopping area further expanded in the 1980s and 1990s and there is a now a wide variety of shops. The Woodley library, located close by the precinct area, was opened in 1987.