Forum Topic

Origins of Shepherds' Bush

How did the name Shepherd's Bush come about?  Were there originally shepherds in the locality and was it a rural landscape once?  If so, when?  Was it ever called anything else?And for the pedants amoungst us, where do the apostrophies(if any) go - is it Shepherd's or Shepherds'?  And what's the significance of the Bush?

Gerry A. Tan ● 6190d5 Comments

According to a map in my posession, circa 1650AD Shepherds Bush sits in an area known as The Liberties. Maybe that was where skilled Artizans lived,as opposed to tied 'Serfs', only a guess!

Colin Vaughan ● 6182d

"...sorry but that really is a funny question if you think about it!!!"I suppose my question might seem to some to be a bit funny - naive even - but I was serious. Sorry if I'm lowering the tone and seriousness of this excellent forum.  I'm interested in the origins of places.  For instance, where is the actual original centre(geographically) of Shepherds Bush Green?  Did it start with say a pub, a church, a blacksmith's, a few cottages?  If so, where abouts on the Green was the original centre?

Gerry A. Tan ● 6182d

I think the area was a regular stopping point for shepherds bringing flocks of sheep to market in London.Ad of course it was a rural landscape once...sorry but that really is a funny question if you think about it!!!As for the apostrophe, that's a tough one but I'd go for AFTER the s since presumably there was more than one shepherd involved!

Sarah Johnson ● 6185d

Interesting....if a little biblical. But you definitely need an apostrophe in there. Not sure whether it's before or after the S, though.

Lina Leaman ● 6186d

Hi Gerry,  Wikipedia says this "The name Shepherds Bush is thought to have originated from the use of the common land here as a resting point for shepherds on their way to Smithfield Market in the City of London.[1] An alternative theory is that it could have been named after someone in the area, because in 1635 the area was recorded as "Sheppards Bush Green""    I have always spelt it as Shepherds Bush

Lena Armstrong ● 6188d