This Scandinavian place-name suggests how long a settlement has existed in the area. The village stands at the juction of several turnpike routes, and before that of ancient packhorse routes. The Junction Inn was built as a coaching house to serve the needs of travellers.

Denshaw Fold, the oldest part of Denshaw Village, is an ancient hamlet. Many of its traditional stone dwellings are listed and are descendants of the cluster of houses first built here in the 16th century.