West Woodhay

Located west of the village is West Woodhay House, which is a Grade I listed building, that was erected in 1635. Notable residents of the house have included poet and politician Benjamin Rudyerd, soprano Susannah Cibber and the notorious prankster Horace de Vere Cole.[3]

St Laurence's Church

The present church, St Laurence's, is the third church to stand in the village,[4] with the first record of a church in West Woodhay in 1332.[5] By the early 18th century, the medieval building was in a damaged state, and was replaced in 1717 by a new church.[5] This church was located in the grounds of West Woodhay House, and was designed by John Vanbrugh.[4] The 1717 building was demolished and replaced in 1882/3 with the current church, designed by Arthur Blomfield,[6] which stands on a slightly different site to the church preceding it. The current Grade II listed church is built in flint and Bath stone, and consists of a chancel, aisleless nave, south porch and bell tower on the south side.[6] The tower contains two bells, one of which is from the 1717 church, cast by the foundry in Aldbourne. A Willis Organ was added in 1902. The church today forms part of the Church of England Walbury Beacon benefice.[4]

The remains of a small medieval motte lie in woodland near the village centre. The mound is 30 feet (9.1 m) in diameter, and 8 feet (2.4 m) high.[7] Pottery found near the motte suggests possible occupation between the 12th and 14th centuries,[8] and it may have been used as a moated hunting lodge.[9] There is no indication of building on the central mound. It was excavated in the 1880s (possibly after being mistaken for a barrow), and excavated again in 1935–6.[8]