History of Hardwick Village
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The name Hardwick has been locally interpreted as meaning ‛the place at the winding of the river (wick) where the herd of pigs usually feed’ – possibly upon the acorns from the many oak trees which would have grown here in ancient times. There was once a hospital (founded about 1340) in the parish. Dedicated to St Lazarus, it was probably devoted to the care of lepers, who were not uncommon in medieval England. Today Hardwick has some 70 houses surrounded by attractive agricultural land. Together with neighbouring Shelton, it forms a single parish (with a combined population, in the 2011 Census, of 298 people). The parish’s Village Hall is located in Hardwick and hosts a number of community events, and a Post Office on Saturday mornings. |
