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Standing opposite the point where the Dove comes into the Trent, Newton Solney has houses big and small, from the almshouses in the village street to the great stone house of Newton Park, by a lovely bit of sunken road, and the early 19th century Bladon Castle, on a hill 150 feet above the river.
From this high end of the village we look into Staffordshire and away towards the distant hills of the Peak.
A charming grass-bordered road with an avenue of trimmed limes leads to a fine house and the church by the river. In the shadow of the church is buried Thomas Gayfere, his stone telling of his lasting monument in Westminster Hall along with Henry VII's Chapel, which he helped to restore early last century.
The church which shelters them was built originally in Norman days, and has remains of that time in its north doorway, some stones with chevrons on the outside walls of the chancel and the tower, and perhaps the priests doorway. Most of the rest is 600 years old; the tower and spire, the nave arcades, and most of the chancel. The clerestory is a century younger, and two windows are of the 13th century, one an unusual double lancet with a head carved on the middle shaft, inside and out. A carved oak flower on a beam under the tower is 500 years old, and four oak benches are of the 17th century.
The oldest of the monuments is the battered stone figure of a 13th century knight in armour, with his hands resting on a sword. Another stone knight lies on a tapering stone, perhaps Norman de Solney of about 1275; he has a sword and wears a surcoat with some parts of his armour of banded mail visible. There are not many examples of this banded mail in England.
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