There is evidence that the Romans settled in Drayton as in 1849 labourers unearthed Roman pottery and an ampoule or flask. You can see why early settlers chose this area with its sheltered, green river valley. The stream, which is now piped under the ground, would have been a good supply of drinking water for their animals.

From 1882 to 1959 Drayton had a railway station, which was on the Midland and Great Northern line. During the First World War it was used for the movement of troops, but today it is an industrial site.
The sign erected in 1968 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of WW1.
It wittily features an image of a dray carrying a ton of logs. Logs are depicted as 'Draituna' (as Drayton was commonly known as at the time of the Domesday Book) meant 'dragging or porterage of logs'.