After becoming King, William the Conqueror gave the village of West Hallam to Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Flanders. The village continued to be owned by the Lords of the Manor (the de Cromwells, the Hunlocks, the Powtrells and latterly the Newdigates) up to the early 20th century. This has resulted in a certain unity of style and building in the older part of the village.

In St Wilfrid's Church, which is over 700 years old, there is a fine tomb with effigies of Walter Powtrell, former Lord of the Manor, and his wife. St Wilfrid's has an attractive churchyard with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. By the church gates is the unique War Memorial which is a statue of two Lewis gunners on a plinth.

John Scargill, Rector until his death aged 74 in 1662, provided in his will for the establishment of a school. The Scargill Boys' and Girls' schools are recognised as having special architectural merit. One is now the Village Hall and the other a private residence, but this has not altered their historic character. The present Scargill Infant and Junior Schools are on Beech Lane.

The area around West Hallam lies within the South Derbyshire coalfield and was mined from the 1600's until just after World War II.
The village's colliery was linked to Shipley Colliery with the Erewash Canal via the Nutbrook Canal which was built in 1795.

West Hallam Station opened in 1878 and was part of the Great Northern Railway. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries the station dealt with 90,000 passengers a year. The station's last passenger train left in 1964.

Near the corner of St Wilfrid's Road the High Lane (built up as a Turnpike Road in the eighteenth century) stands a rare bottle kiln, which has been developed into a buttery, art gallery and plant nursery.