Bronze age remains have been found here from 1500 BC.  An ancient long boat was found here and it is now in the Derby Museum.  This site is close to the River Trent, which is navigable from the river port as far as the North Sea.  There are also Medieval bridges crossing the Trent at this point. The village is on the Manchester to London turnpike road (A6) and the Trent and Mersey Canal runs to the South of the village.

St. James church was built in 1838 and serves the parish of Wiln and Shardlow