
THE TRENT AND DERWENT
PARISH CHURCHES
serving the communities of
Aston on Trent, Weston on Trent, Elvaston, Shardlow
Swarkestone, Barrow upon Trent and Twyford

History of St.Wilfrid's, Barrow upon Trent Trent
The church of St Wilfrids is an Anglo-Saxon church, built around 1200 years ago on a knoll on the banks of the River Trent. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
In 1165, the small church, and the land around the parish, was given to the Knights Hospitaller by Robert de Bakepuiz. The Knights created a Camera in the village which farmed the land, and collected income from the surrounding farmland.
The Knights were pleased to receive this gift as it gave them an income to support the Crusades, and also, because of its position on the River Trent with a natural harbour, was a convenient means to transport their income in the form of crops and tithes from across Derbyshire to their headquarters in Clerkenwell in London. Records in Clerkenwell mention the church, the people, and the income from the land.
From 1165 until their departure in 1540, the Knights expanded the church building by adding the north and south aisles to the original nave, and creating the chancel, tower, and porch. The building has not changed structurally since 1540.
In 2020 the parish decided to turn the church ‘back to the future’ by removing the Victorian pews , heating, and floors, and re-creating the open space that would have been its original design. This has created not only a place of continuing worship, but also a comfortable community space for all to enjoy.
We are fortunate to have several unique and important heritage items in the church, including what is believed to be the earliest alabaster effigy of a priest in England, a 13th century font, a drawing of a Knights Hospitaller from the 13th century, and an anchorite cell.