REPTON is probably best known as the village associated with the "public" (private) school. The many school building within the village mean that it dominates the life of the village. The school itself is private. However, the church at Repton is well worth a visit and as the visit to the church develops it becomes clear what an historic place it is.

Most of the history of England seems to begin with the Domesday book, commissioned by William of Normandy. However, Britian has a longer history, much of it lost in the mists of time and Repton is part of that history. It is a place which was important before any of the local towns or cities existed, but now remains a fascinating sleepy backwater.

THE CHURCH.

The church is dedicated to St. Wystan. Wystan was the grandson of King Wiglaf and he was murdered in 850AD by Berhtferht, the son of Wiglaf's successor and was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather at the then existing monastery at Repton. Miracles occurred and a column of light shot to heaven from the place where he was murdered and this continued for 30 days. King Knut (1016-1035) caused his remains to be removed to Evesham where more miracles were reported.

Christianity was brought to the Middle Angles in 653AD and there is evidence of an Abbey at Repton in the 7th Century. Bede's Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that in 757AD King Ethelbald of Mercia (a central kingdom of which Derbyshire was a part) was murdered at Seckington and buried at Repton.

Repton is on low lying ground close to the River Trent and the invading Danish wintered at Repton in 874-75AD. In winter, when the mists rise from the river, it is easy to imagine the maurauding Danes camping here in the distant past.

The Danish invasion ultimately led to the settlement at Derby, which bears a Danish name.

The crypt of the church is fascinating and still probably hold something of the remains of these early Anglo-Saxon Kings of Mercia.

 © Kogan Communications Ltd. 2002