Gartree Road, a Roman Road, runs through the parish, adjacent to both Little and Great Stretton, and is the reason for those settlements' names (see: Stretton).
There are seventeen places in England named Stretton, of which all but two are evidently located on a Roman road.
Later it acquired a dialectical meaning of "straggling village", which were often laid out on the verges of Roman roads and these settlements often became named Stretton.
The Stretton in the name comes from the Roman road which passes east-west through the village, Sugwas derives from Sugwas Pool.
The A5 is Watling Street, a notable Roman Road, and another Roman road passes through Stretton from Mediolanum (Whitchurch), forming a junction with Watling Street near to the bridge over the River Penk.
Stretton (disambiguation) | Stretton | Church Stretton | Antony Stretton | Gordon Stretton | Antony "Tony" Stretton | All Stretton | Alan Stretton |
It also contains many small villages and hamlets, including Mitton, Coppenhall, Whiston, Lapley, High Onn, Blymhill, Dunston, Bradley, Levedale, Stretton, Moreton, Orslow, etc.
On 28 July 1813, Captain Stretton received the thanks of Lord Wellington, conveyed to him through William V, Prince of Orange, for the gallant defence made by the 40th, under his command, supported by two Portuguese regiments, in defending the position on the heights before Pampeluna.