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History
Draycott (Draicote and Dry Cote are amongst its
earlier names) has developed slowly since its first
appearance in records as far back as 1500 years ago
into todays modern rural village.
The Romans had built a straight road from Derby
(Little Chester) to what is now Trent Lock to
transport their lead from the Derbyshire mines.
Progressively a small community established itself
along this road and is certainly mentioned in the
Doomsday Book as Dry Cote (a ‘dry place’). Over the
same period a smaller, but at that time possibly
more important; village of Wilne (a ‘clearing in the
willows’) is chronicled as located just to the south of
Draycott.
In the 16th century Draycott and Church Wilne fell
within the Manor of Sawley and in 1549 the then
Bishop of Lichfield sold his part of the manor to
Richard and Thomas Whalley. Richard was a local
property dealer and soon sold his purchase onto
the Stanhope family. It is recorded that this part of
the manor was in the hands of Sir John Stanhope of
Elvaston by 1582.
The manor of Sawley changed hands many times,
firstly, the Bishop of Lichfield granted the lease to
his brother Roger Booth but when the lease expired
in 1550 to Geoffrey Edmundson and then 1627 to
Sir Edward Leech of Shipley. In 1732 the Holden
family of Aston-on-Trent bought it.
For many reasons it is difficult if not impossible to
separate the history and development of the two
villages ( Draycott and Church Wilne). Indeed it is
highly probable that Church Wilne was the earlier
settlement in the 7th or 8th century as St Chad used
it as his base to spread Christianity thought what
was then the Kingdom of Mercia. Progressively
though the ages the village of Church Wilne has
disappeared and its inhabitants have migrated to
Draycott some 1.5 miles away. Initially this was
probably due to the flooding problems in the
Derwent plain but it accelerated through the 18th
and 19th centuries as the Industrial Revolution
brought canals, railways and later electricity to
Draycott. With them came the development of mills
perhaps the most important single event in that
period of the village history. These mills have now
disappeared although a number of the buildings
remain. Chief amongst these is the Victoria mill that
at the time of its completion in 1907 was the largest
lace manufacturing plant in Europe – some say in
the world. The four-storey building with its green
copper capped ornamental clock tower still
dominates the skyline.
So, from being a Mercian village whose importance
relied much upon its river crossing and wonderful
agricultural values Draycott has now evolved into a
largely dormitory village but one where a number of
relatively small niche businesses have made their
bases.
Home to some 3000 people it is well placed upon a
regular bus route between Derby and Nottingham.
Its local services include some 20 shops, 4 car
repair/service centres, a garage, a childcare nursery
and last but not least five quality taverns.
Various young peoples organisations flourish in the
village including a junior football club, the Scouting
organisation, the Army Cadets and the Draycott and
Long Eaton Table Tennis Club.
There are also a range of facilities varying from an
enclosed safe play area for toddlers located by the
village primary school, extensive playing fields and
the Millennium green (for those a little older) and an
enclosed floodlit multi purpose games area for all
ages. Other amenities include a fish and chip shop,
a Chinese take-away and the village café.
Further reference to Draycott in Kelly’s Directory
date 1891.
Draycott village history