Fradwell was first mentioned as part of the Colwich parish in the Domesday Book, where it is listed as Frodawelle or Frodeswelle, and it is likely to have been an Anglian settlement established during the Dark Ages.

[2] The village received a church of its own in the 13th century, when the Chapel of Saint James The Less was established.

In 2015, it was awarded a Big Lottery grant of £450,000 to demolish the 1924 wooden village hall and build a new fit-for-purpose community hub, opened by local children in 2016.

The hub runs regular monthly community events throughout the year.

In January, the Fradswell Wassail is an evening event with flaming torches, percussion and melodies by which the community "wake" the apple trees in expectation of a good summer crop.