The village of Etwall is situated roughly half way between Derby and Burton upon Trent (view map). Its local authorities are South Derbyshire District Council and Derbyshire County Council. It has a population of about 2,500 and a housing area of approximately 1 square kilometre, set in an overall size of just under five square kilometres, primarily of farmland.

The village developed as a major stopping point on the Derby-Uttoxeter turnpike and had a train station on the old Great Northern Line. The former railway track is now part of the national cycle network. The A516 ran through the centre of the village until 1992 when the bypass was opened. Most of the residents occupy houses built in the 1950s and 1960s when the number of dwellings increased from around 100 to about 900.

Robert Bakewell Gates

The influx of young families when the village expanded means that the age profile of the population forty years on is weighted toward the elderly.   At present there are just over 1,000 houses in the village. More information can be found in the Parish Plan which can be downloaded here. (note: the document will show in a separate window).

Places of interest

Some of the main places of interest in the village are described here.  Alternatively, take an interactive  tour of the village courtesy of Google Maps by clicking here.  If you like walking you could also try the ‘Etwall walk.’
 

Well Dressing

Since 1970 the village has staged its annual Well Dressing Festival on the third weekend in May, 2010 marking the 40^th anniversary. The Well Dressing Festival attracts visitors from far and wide and is a major source of the village’s sense of identity.   The well dressings are designed, produced and mounted by societies, clubs and groups of residents and celebrate a variety of themes.   The event raises money for prominent local charities and contributes substantially to the local sense of community.  For more information, visit the Etwall Well Dressing site here.