The date of origin of Upper Cudworth is uncertain. Neither Upper or Lower Cudworth are recorded in the Domesday Book and the first recorded reference to the area comes from the chartularies of Nostel and Bretton in the late 12th and 13th century (Hunter 1831, 398). This polygon is the extent of the village on first edition (1854) maps. At this time the settlement was of quite low density consisting of a cluster of farms. Most of these buildings were replaced by the late 19th/ early 20th century and a higher density of terraced houses were in place. This intensification of housing is likely to be due to the increase of coal mining in the area. There has been modern alteration to this part of the village but many buildings survive from the early 20th century. There is fragmentary legibility of the former town as the roads survive.