The lords of that manor equally held lands here and were significant patrons of the church, the early 19th century free school founded here and funded the construction of the village hall.

St Paul's Church, Quarndon has informal regular community involvement – it hosts clubs for children and their carers and wide-reaching coffee and cake, exploration of life meetings.

The lowest point is at the end of a projection to the south, following Markeaton Brook, which rises at two sources, one in the village and the other from above the lake of Kedleston Park, a large landscape garden in the neighbouring parish to the west.

[9] Starting with a digression to the neighbouring house and park reflective of his landed class, Daniel Defoe wrote in the early 18th century: In our way we past an [ancient][10] seat [Kedleston Hall], large, but not very [ornate],[11] of Sir Nathaniel Curson, a noted and (for wealth) over great family, for many ages inhabitants of this county.

a little ragged, but noted village, where there is a famous chalybeat spring, to which abundance of people go in the season to drink the water, as also a cold bath.A brief extract of a large Victorian geographical, historic and economic Topographical Dictionary reads: It comprises 790 acres (3.2 km2)...619 grass-land, 160½ ploughland and gardens, and 10 acres plantations...The soil in the lower part is a very rich marl, and in the higher a light dry sandy soil...the surface is undulated, and the scenery picturesque.

The village, which is scattered, is considerable, being nearly a mile and a half in length; it is of pleasant appearance, and contains some very neat modern houses...church is an ancient structure, with a campanile tower nearly covered with ivy, and a Norman arch at the entrance.

In the village is a chalybeate spring, which was much resorted to upwards of a century since, and is still visited in summer, the water being highly beneficial in cases of debility.The church cost just over £4,000 (equivalent to £451,000 in 2023) to build.