It was in the 18th century an important centre for the Baptist Church and the minister at Barton was the notable clockmaker Samuel Deacon (1746–1816).

During the Middle Ages the land passed through many hands including several members of the family of Hastings.

[3] In the Domesday Book both are just 'Bartone' and later usage has varied (the meaning of Barton in both cases is probably 'grange' i.e. an outlying farm within an estate).

A popular saying in the county is "Shake a Leicestershire man by the collar and you may hear the beans rattle in his belly": the author John Benjamin Firth quotes this from a contributor to Magna Britannia, 1820.

Dan Taylor, founder of the Baptist New Connexion, found the church 'strenuous advocates' of the 'essential truths' of the Gospel.