Melbourn
Encyclopedia
Melbourn is a large village
in the far south west of Cambridgeshire
, England
. It is located next to the A10
just north of Royston
. Melbourn has over 4,400 inhabitants. Melbourn is located in the South Cambridgeshire
District, but is served by the Royston, Hertfordshire post town
.
The Prime Meridian
passes to the west of Melbourn.
runs to the south of the parish and Ashwell Street and the Roman Cambridge-Royston road are also believed to follow prehistoric trackways. Pottery and burial finds show evidence of Bronze Age
residents, and a Roman settlement has been found at the north-east edge of the village. Excavations in the 1950s discovered 28 graves from a 7th century Christian burial site close to Ashwell Street.
The Domesday Book
compiled in 1086 has this listing for the village:
The name Melbourn comes from Meldeburn, the "stream of a man named Melde".
cemetery shows that Christianity
has been present in Melbourn since the 7th century. The village also probably had an 11th century chapel but the first record of a church is from 1152. The present church, dedicated to All Saints, includes sections of the 13th century building, including the chancel arch and sections of the tower. The font is 11th century.
, Melbourn Village College
. There is also a well-known science park
and a railway station
in the neighbouring village, Meldreth
. There is a butcher
's, a Co-op
food shop, five hairdressers, a barber shop
, two estate agents, two pubs, a newsagent
, a sub-post office
, two garages and three churches (Anglican, Baptist and URC
). Melbourn has two well-known restaurants, The Pink Geranium and Sheene Mill, formerly owned by the television chef Stephen Saunders.
The village is served by Meldreth railway station
that opened in 1851.
The oldest of the three present public houses is the Dolphin, which is listed from 1818. The Rose Inn and the Coach and Horses opened in around 1850.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the far south west of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located next to the A10
A10 road
The A10 is a major road in England. Its southern end is at London Bridge in the City of London, and its northern end is the Norfolk port town of King's Lynn...
just north of Royston
Royston, Hertfordshire
Royston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
. Melbourn has over 4,400 inhabitants. Melbourn is located in the South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire
South Cambridgeshire is a mostly rural local government district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Chesterton Rural District and South Cambridgeshire Rural District. It surrounds the city of Cambridge, which is administered separately from the district by...
District, but is served by the Royston, Hertfordshire post town
Post town
A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system. Including the correct post town in the address increases the chances of a letter or parcel being delivered on time. Post towns are usually based upon the location of...
.
The Prime Meridian
Prime Meridian
The Prime Meridian is the meridian at which the longitude is defined to be 0°.The Prime Meridian and its opposite the 180th meridian , which the International Date Line generally follows, form a great circle that divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.An international...
passes to the west of Melbourn.
History
The parish has a long history of occupation, stemming from the presence of springs at Melbourn Bury and the several ancient trackways that cross the parish; the Icknield WayIcknield Way
The Icknield Way is an ancient trackway in southern England. It follows the chalk escarpment that includes the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills.-Background:...
runs to the south of the parish and Ashwell Street and the Roman Cambridge-Royston road are also believed to follow prehistoric trackways. Pottery and burial finds show evidence of Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
residents, and a Roman settlement has been found at the north-east edge of the village. Excavations in the 1950s discovered 28 graves from a 7th century Christian burial site close to Ashwell Street.
The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
compiled in 1086 has this listing for the village:
Melleborne / burne: Abbot of Ely. 2 hides and 1 virgate. Land for 5 ploughs. 6 villagers, 9 smallholders, 3 cottagers. Mill; meadow; pasture for village livestock. Value 100s; TRE £6. The Abbot also holds from Earl Roger ½ hide less the fourth part of 1 virgate. 1 villager. Meadow for ½ plough. Value 5s. Goda held this land before from Earl Algar. Colswein holds 3 virgates from Count [Alan]. 3 smallholders, 1 slave. Meadow. Value 20s; TRE 40s. Durand holds 1 hide and 1 virgate from Hardwin. 1 villager with 2 smallholders, 3 cottagers. Meadow; pasture. Value 25s; TRE 40s.
The name Melbourn comes from Meldeburn, the "stream of a man named Melde".
Church
The finding of a SaxonSaxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
cemetery shows that Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
has been present in Melbourn since the 7th century. The village also probably had an 11th century chapel but the first record of a church is from 1152. The present church, dedicated to All Saints, includes sections of the 13th century building, including the chancel arch and sections of the tower. The font is 11th century.
Village life
It has a primary school and a state secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, Melbourn Village College
Melbourn Village College
Melbourn Village College is an Academy, located in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, England that serves an extensive area of South Cambridgeshire. The school has over 500 students aged 11-16.-Village College:...
. There is also a well-known science park
Melbourn Science Park
Melbourn Science Park is a science park located in the village of Melbourn, England, south of Cambridge.It is owned by The Technology Partnership group.Melbourn Science Park covers with nine buildings covering over .-External links:*...
and a railway station
Meldreth railway station
Meldreth railway station serves the villages of Meldreth and Melbourn in Cambridgeshire, England on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line.- Services :Meldreth station receives stopping services on First Capital Connect's Great Northern line. Trains on this route operate between London King's Cross and Cambridge...
in the neighbouring village, Meldreth
Meldreth
Meldreth is a village in South Cambridgeshire with about 1,600 inhabitants lying around 10 miles south-west of Cambridge.-History:The village of Meldreth grew in Saxon times, and the parish is home to Mettle Hill that was probably the original meeting place of Armingford Hundred...
. There is a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
's, a Co-op
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
food shop, five hairdressers, a barber shop
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, two estate agents, two pubs, a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
, a sub-post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, two garages and three churches (Anglican, Baptist and URC
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
). Melbourn has two well-known restaurants, The Pink Geranium and Sheene Mill, formerly owned by the television chef Stephen Saunders.
The village is served by Meldreth railway station
Meldreth railway station
Meldreth railway station serves the villages of Meldreth and Melbourn in Cambridgeshire, England on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line.- Services :Meldreth station receives stopping services on First Capital Connect's Great Northern line. Trains on this route operate between London King's Cross and Cambridge...
that opened in 1851.
Pubs
Melbourn was much visited by travellers by the 17th century and is listed as having an inn in 1622. By the late 18th century the village supported three: The Dog, of unknown history, the Red Lion, that closed towards the end of the 19th century, and the Hoops, that closed in the early 20th century. In 1865 the village had 11 inns and pubs, including the Black Horse, the Star, the White Lion, the Anchor, the Carriers Arms and the Red CowThe oldest of the three present public houses is the Dolphin, which is listed from 1818. The Rose Inn and the Coach and Horses opened in around 1850.