bagley wood is an ancient wood. except for a few years in the 16th century it has had only two owners since 955. from 955 to 1538 it was owned by abingdon abbey, and since 1557 most of the wood has been owned by st john's college, oxford. bagley wood was historically an extra-parochial area in the hundred of hormer. in 1858 it was made a civil parish, although its population in the 1861 census was only 10. in 1900 the civil parish became part of the parish of radley, and in 1936 it was transferred to kennington when that parish was formed.