Situated just six miles southwest of Derby, Willington sits in a beautiful location between the River Trent and a 240-year-old canal. Surrounded by the greenery of the countryside, but with all the local amenities, it’s the ideal place to raise a family.
With three historic pubs at its heart, the village of Willington was once the highest port on the River Trent and for centuries thrived on trade and transport, with goods coming in and out on a daily basis. Today the
brightly painted narrow boats that breeze up the canal carry holidaymakers rather than coal, and the buzz of commerce has been replaced by a calm community atmosphere. It’s a place where traditional old farm cottages mix with lush green spaces and more recent redbrick homes with all the modern features.
A few minutes’ walk will take you into the gorgeous south Derbyshire countryside, while a few minutes’ drive will see you onto the A50 for a quick and easy link to Derby or nearby Burton on Trent.
Local amenities
Though it has fewer than 3,000 residents, Willington puts everything you need on the doorstep. The Rising Sun, Green Man and Dragon pubs are supplemented by local restaurants and cafes, and the village has a Co-op, post office, general store and several other small shops and businesses. There’s an excellent primary school in Willington, with a highly reputable middle school and sixth form nearby in Etwall. The railway station provides regular services to Derby, Burton and Birmingham making the village ideal for commuters. A drive into Derby city centre takes under 20 minutes, offering a wider range of shopping, eateries, cinemas, theatre, live music, art galleries and more.
Area highlights
The name Willington comes from the Old English for ‘farm on the willows’ – a peaceful-sounding notion that couldn’t be more fitting. It’s a quiet and friendly village, surrounded by nature. Nearby quarries have been turned into lakes with a wetland nature reserve, and you can take a pleasure cruise on the canal or hire a longboat and sail away on holiday. Willington hosts an annual arts festival, while every June crowds gather to celebrate the historic 1839 bridge over the Trent to Repton with a raft race. Local landmarks include its old farm cottages, a 200-year-old Mediterranean cedar and the impressive cooling towers of the now-defunct power station, where a pair of peregrine falcons now nest.
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