Melbourn

Melbourn is a large clustered village located in the far south-west of Cambridgeshire, England. It is close to the town of Royston, Hertfordshire, about 3 miles to the northwest. The village has over 4,600 people living there and is part of the South Cambridgeshire district.

One interesting fact about Melbourn is that the Prime Meridian passes through the south west corner of the village. This special line marks zero degrees longitude and was historically very important for navigation and timekeeping.

The village has a traditional high street that is bypassed by the A10 road, which helps connect Melbourn to other nearby places. For those interested, Melbourn is different from the well-known Australian city of Melbourne.

History

Melbourn has a long history, thanks to its springs and old paths. Important paths like the Icknield Way pass nearby, and there are signs of people living there during the Bronze Age. A Roman settlement was also found in the village.

The village is mentioned in five places in the Domesday Book. Its name "Melbourn" comes from an old word meaning "stream of a man named Melde".

Church

The village of Melbourn has had a church since at least the 12th century. The current church is called All Saints and was carefully restored in 1882. Parts of the church, like the tower and the arch leading to the altar, date back to the 13th century. The special bowl used for holy water in the church is even older, from the 11th century.

Village life

Melbourn has a primary school and a secondary school called Melbourn Village College. There is also a famous science park. You can find a butcher's shop, a co-op grocery store, five hair salons, a barber shop, two shops that help people buy homes, two pubs, a store that sells newspapers, a smaller post office, two gas stations, and three churches (Anglican, Baptist, and URC). Sheene Mill, located on the River Mel a little north of the village, is now a hotel and restaurant. It used to belong to a TV chef named Steven Saunders and is very important historically, so it is a Grade II listed building.

The closest train station is Meldreth, in a nearby village. It opened in 1851 and is on the Cambridge line.

Pubs

In the 1600s, many travelers visited Melbourn, and by 1622, the village had an inn. By the late 1700s, there were three pubs: the Dog, the Red Lion, and the Hoops. Over time, many more opened, like the Black Horse, the Star, the White Lion, the Anchor, the Carriers Arms, and the Red Cow. The Rose Inn and the Coach and Horses opened around 1850. Today, the oldest pub is the Dolphin, which was built in 1818.