History & Heritage

Breaston lies within the ancient hundred of Morleston and Litchurch and has been  variously known as Breason, Braydeson, Braidstune, Bradeston, Breydison and Breston.  The origin of its name is said to be Braegd's tun, i.e. Braegd's farm.

From a population of 379 in 1801 it had risen to 4,502 in 1991.

The village lies along the A6005 road between Derby and Nottingham. North south roads link the village to nearby settlements such as Risley and Sawley. Long Eaton is to the east of the M1 motorway and Draycott is beyond the railway line to the west of the village. The cities of Derby and Nottingham are 8 miles and 10 miles away respectively.  There is a major motorway access point about 1 mile from the village & the prospect of potential future widening causes concern.

There is a train line running through the village although the nearest stations are either in Long Eaton or Spondon, but with limited stops. At one time there was a train station to the west of the village.  Again prior to 1964 the Derby Canal ran through Breaston; there is now a Canal Trust actively trying to restore this with most people being in favour. The village is in the Trent Valley floodplain area, although the actual river is about 1.5 miles distance from the centre.

The Breaston Wind Engine - built to pump water for use in a paddling stream at the Perks Recreation Ground (built 1935 and restored 2008).

The surrounding countryside is much valued by the community & can be reached within minutes by the good network of footpaths and bridleways radiating from the village & the National Millennium cycle route which passes through the village. Changes in recreational use have led to increasing ‘horsiculture’, so that there are now insufficient bridleways.  There is an added problem in that much of the land is low-lying heavy clay, which hooves churn up in winter months.

This area could benefit from a series of longer route initiatives – such as the Mid-Shires Way and the Trent Valley Way.

The village is sited in the Lower Derwent / Trent Valley and there have been proposals to promote the Trent Valley for recreational needs; for example locally important tourist sites are nearby at Sawley Marina and Trent Lock where several canals and waterways converge.