Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wdekirk(a) 12 Dugdvi 1121–7 YCh 1154–91 Nost73d 1215 ChR Hy3 BM c.1220 Calv

• Wudechirch(a) 1121–7 YCh 1202 FF

• Wudekyrce c.1150 Crawf

• Wudekirke l.12 YChviii

• Wudekircha 13 YDix

• Wodechirch(ia) 12 Nost 1121 Tockw 14 YDi

• Wodechirk(e) 1130–40 YCh1466

• Wodechurche a.1127 Dugdvi 1138–47 YChviii

• Wodekircha 12 Nost4d

• Wodekirk(e), Wodekyrk 1135–9,1180–1200 YCh1442 1617 Nost40 1284 WCR 1286 Ebor 1291 Tax 1292 Nost63 1293 DodsN 1297 WCR 1504 FF

• Wodkirk(e), Wodkyrk 12 Dugdvi e.13 YChviii 1343 Ass5 1428 FA 1535 VE

• Wodchirche 1288 YI

• Woddekerk 1321 YDvi

• Woodkyrke, Woodkirk(e) 1539 WillY 1587,1605 FF

• Woodchurch 1605 FF 1642 PRRth

Etymology

'Church in the wood', v. wudu , cirice (replaced generally by ON  kirkja). Like Skewkirk (Tockwith) pt. iv infra , which has the same meaning, it was a cell of St Oswald's priory of Nostell (1535 VE).There was a church here t. Hy 1 (Dugd vi, 99 'terram in qua prefata ecclesia sita est'); this was given by William Earl of Warren to Nostell Priory, and a number of Black Canons were sent out to found the cell (ib). Woodkirk has no associations with the Towneley plays, cf. M. H. Peacock, Anglia xxiv, 509–24.