MELBOURNE parish
contains the townships of Melbourne and Kings Newton, 3,463A. 3R. 5P. of
land, including 62A. of public roads and 37A. 2R. 27P. of the river Trent,
571 houses, and 2,583 inhabitants, of whom 1,191 were males, and 1,392
females. Population in 1801, 1,861 ; in 1831, 2,301. Rateable
value, £7,029.
MELBOURNE, township and improving market
town, pleasantly situated on the Derby and Ashby-de-la-Zouch road, 8 miles
S.S.E. from Derby and 6 miles N.W. from Ashby, contains 2,670A. 2R. of
strong fertile land, and 2,288 inhabitants. Rateable value, 5,720
5s. 7d. The Marquis of Hastings is lord of the manor, holds a court-leet
annually ; and owns 610A. of land, including 60A. of woods and plantations.
Lord Melbourne owns 1,866A. of land, including 90A. of woods. Sir
John Harpur Crewe, Bart., Mr Thomas Hemsley, and others, are owners.
The church, St Michael’s, is a vicarage, valued in the King’s book £9
13s. 4d., now £179. Bishop of Carlisle patron and appropriator,
and the Rev. Joseph Dean, M.A., incumbent. The church is a large
venerable edifice, with nave, chancel, side aisles, a low embattled tower,
and 4 bells ; has a gallery at the west end, and an organ. Here are
some ancient monuments to the Hardinge family, particularly that of Sir
Robert Hardinge, Knt., who died in 1670, and of his wife, Elizabeth, daughter
of Sir Richard Sprignall, of Highgate, who died in 1673, with their effigies
cut on white marble slabs. The church is open to the road on all
sides, the churchyard being at some distance, in which about the year 1550
was a handsome Gothic structure, but which has long been demolished.
King John granted the church of Melbourne to Benedict de Ramsay, about
1203, and afterwards to Simon de Waltham, after whose death Walter Maclere,
Bishop of Carlisle, either by grant or purchase, annexed the church with
the parsonage manor to that See. In 1229, the Bishop had the grant
of a fair. The vicarage is a neat stone house near the south side
of the church, and has 72A. 22P. of glebe land. The chantry of St
Catherine was founded by William Bars, in 1379, and was a detached building
near the church ; that of St Michael by Simon de Melbourne, clerk, and
others, in 1400. The chantry roll speaks also of one founded by Lee
Hunte. The Baptists have a handsome chapel, to seat about 700 persons,
and a Sunday school of 180. The Independent chapel, built in 1779
and enlarge in 1841, is a stone building with brick front and stone dressings,
will seat about 270, and has a Sunday school of 120. The Swedenborgian
chapel was opened in 1825, will seat 120 persons. The Friends’ meeting
house is now used as a library room by the Mechanics’ institute.
The National Schools, which consist of a large building of two stories,
were erected in 1821, through the exertions of the Rev. Mr Bagge, the curate
; when a house, in which the master of Lady Elizabeth Hastings’ school
had been permitted to reside, was in part pulled down, and the present
school built on the site, the remainder of the old building being fitted
up for the master’s residence. Towards the expense, which amounted
to £550, the sum of £250 was given by the National school society,
and nearly £100 was raised by private subscriptions and such part
of the master’s salary as accrued during the progress of the building ;
the rest was advanced by the Rev. Mr Bagge, and the schools were opened
December, 1822. £19 10s. is paid to this school from Lady Hastings’
charity, for which 12 boys are educated free. Lord Melbourne gives
£10 annually for the education of 12 poor boys. A market is
held on Saturday, for butter, poultry, vegetables, &c. In 1836,
a handsome post for a lamp was erected in the centre of the Market place.
The Feast is held Sunday after 11th of October, or that day when Sunday,
and a statute for hiring servants on the Monday. Here is one Odd
Fellows’, two Druids’, and one Foresters’ Lodge ; 4 male, and 2 female
benefit societies. In 1841, a Mechanics’ institution was established
by subscription, to which the late Joseph Strutt, Esq., gave 150 volumes
of books and £5, and Lord Melbourne £10. It has 400 volumes,
12 honorary and 100 other members. Mr John Holland is treasurer,
Mr John Clemson secretary, and Mr Thos. Ward librarian. Here are
about 150 lace machines, principally used for manufacturing silk gloves.
The manor of Melbourne was part of the ancient demesne of the crown.
Henry, Earl of Lancaster, had, in 1327, a charter for a market on Wednesdays,
and a fair for 3 days at the festival of St Michael, long disused.
The castle and manor continued attached to the Earldom and Duchy of Lancaster
till the year 1604, when King James granted them to Charles, Earl of Nottingham.
The Earl soon afterwards conveyed them to Henry, Earl of Huntingdon ; from
whom they have descended to the present proprietor. Melbourne castle
was for many years the prison of John, Duke of Bourbon, taken at the battle
of Agincourt in 1415. Leyland, about 1550, describes it then
in “meteley repair.” A survey of the manor made in 1602, describes
it as a “faire ancient castle which her Majesty keepeth in her own hands.”
The Earls of Huntingdon suffered it to go to decay. About 50 yards
of the outer wall of the castle, which enclosed an area of about 10 acres
of land, still remains. A few years ago, on it site, some floors
and rooms were discovered of beautifully chiselled stone, with curious
ornamented mouldings. The Bishops of Carlisle had a palace here with
a park, at which they occasionally resided. Bishop Kirkby is recorded
to have held his ordination here on account of the Border wars. It
was long held on lease under the see of Carlisle, together with the impropriate
rectory. The first of the Coke family who settled at Melbourne as
lessee under the Bishop of Carlisle, was Sir John Coke, secretary of state
to King Charles I. In 1701, an agreement was made between Bishop
Nicolson and Thomas Coke, Esq., that in consequence of an increase of the
annual rent from £45 to £70, and of the vicar’s stipend from
£20 to £35, the fee should be vested in perpetuity in Mr Coke,
his heirs and assigns. This agreement was confirmed by an act of
parliament in 1704. The sister and heiress of George Lewis Coke,
Esq., who died in 1750, brought Melbourne Hall and the parsonage manor
to Sir Matthew Lamb, Bart. Sir Penistone Lamb, Bart., his son, was
created an Irish peer, by the title of Lord Melbourne, in 1770, and in
1780 he was advanced to the dignity of a Viscount. The palace was
taken down about 1830, when many ancient reliques, coins, earthen vessels,
&c., were found. It was a large building with pointed gables,
and the park had long been converted into tillage. The Hall, situated
near the church, is a large modern stone mansion, commanding some fine
views, having in front a sheet of water covering 28 acres. In the
gardens and shrubberies, which are extensive, is a walk of yew trees supposed
to be several centuries old. This beautiful mansion is the seat of
the Right Honourable William, Viscount Lord Melbourne.
KINGS NEWTON township and village,
pleasantly situated on the declivity of a hill, 1 mile N. from Melbourne,
7 miles S.S.E. from Derby, contains 793A. 1R. 4P. of land, 59 houses, and
205 inhabitants. Rateable value, £1,308 15s. 5d. Marquis
of Hastings is a small owner and lord of the manor, which was granted in
1322, with that of Melbourne, to Sir Robert Holand. Lord Melbourne
owns 542 acres. Mr George Sims, Mr. Joseph Earp, Rev. W. Cantrell,
and others, are small owners. The Hall, an ancient mansion in the
Elizabethan style, was erected by one of the Hardinges, and was for many
generations the residence of that family. It is now the property
of Lord Melbourne, and the seat of George Vaudeleur, Esq. King Charles
II. was entertained here by Sir Robert Hardinge, Knt., when, after his
Majesty’s departure, some writing was discovered on a pane of stained glass,
and signed Carlos Newton Regis, hence the name Newton Regis. Holy
Well, a spring formerly much in repute, over which a stone arch was
constructed in 1660, with an inscription in latin upon it. In the
16th century, here was a weekly market and a yearly fair. A wooden
cross, which was curiously carved, was taken down about 1780, and a lime
tree planted on its site by Mr Thomas Scott, which is very thriving.
Near this place, a golden spur was found some years ago. The manor
house was situated near the Trent, of which there are no remains ; its
site is called the Hall Close.
CHARITIES. - Melbourne School. - Lady Elizabeth Hastings, by indenture,
1738, among many other charities principally in the county of York, appointed
the yearly sum of £10 to a charity school in this parish, to be paid
to the vicar there ; and a provision for enabling the vicars of Ledsham,
Thorpe Arch, and Cottingham, in the county of York, to advance the sums
to each as the rents increased. In pursuance of this power, this
school now receives £19 10s.
Henry Greene, in 1679, charged all his estates with the payment
of four green waistcoats lined with green galloon lace, to be delivered
to 4 poor women on or before 21st December, yearly. The premises
now belong to Lord Viscount Melbourne, and in lieu of the 4 waistcoats,
which have not been provided for many years, the yearly sum of £2
is disposed of, part in clothing and part in bread.
Thomas Gray, in 1691, directed his executors to lay out £200
in the purchase of lands, out of the rents or profits thereof six nobles
to be given yearly, to buy six waistcoats of grey cloth adges with blue
gallon lace, and 40s. to buy 3 coats of grey cloth to be faced with baize
or some other blue stuff ; 4 waistcoats to be given yearly 4 poor widows
of Castle Donington, and the other to poor widows of Melbourne, and the
coats to be given to 2 men of each of the said places. He directed
copies of his will should be entered in the town’s books of the said parishes
and hung up in the churches, and should be read yearly on St Thomas’s day
or the following Sunday, after prayers ; for the performance of which,
he directed the ministers should have 5s. a-piece ; and also that 15 dozen
of bread should be given to the poor of Castle Donington, and 10 dozen
to the poor of Melbourne yearly, on St Andrew’s day ; and he further directed,
that whatever surplus should remain of the rents and profits of the said
premises should be distributed, two parts thereof for apprenticing poor
children of Castle Donington, and the third part to the poor children of
Melbourne. The yearly sum of £10 15s. 4d. is transmitted to
Melbourne, as the proportion due ; of this, 5s. is paid to the minister
for reading the will. The sum of £1 6s. 8d., together with
£1 10s. part of Greene’s charity above-mentioned, is applied towards
purchasing 3 coats and 3 gowns for poor men and women who are nominated
at a vestry. 10s., with 10s. of Greene’s charity, laid out in the
purchase of sixpenny loaves, and given away about Christmas ; and with
the residue of the rent apprentices are placed out, with premiums varying
from £5 to £10. In August, 1826, there was a balance
in hand of £48 10s. 5d.
MELBOURNE.
Marked 1 reside in Blanch Croft, 2 Castle Street,
3 Chapel Street, 4 Church Side, 5 Church Street, 6
Derby Road, 7 High Street, 8 Market Place, 9 New Yard,
10 New York, 11 Pen Lane, 12 Potter Street, 13
Russell Street, 14 Shaw Field, 15 Shaw House, 16 Woodhouse.
Right Hon. Lord Viscount Melbourne, Hall
7 Adams Geo. parish clerk
12 Allen Mary, confectioner
12 Bailey Wm. hair dresser
2 Best Mrs Sarah
4 Bowman Joseph, gamekeeper
12 Cantrell Samuel, bazaar keeper
5 Carr Mrs Alice, spirit vaults
12 Chambers Miss Frances
12 Coxon James, stationer, &c.
4 Deans Rev. Joseph, M.A. vicar
5 Draper George, veterinary surgeon
6 Dunnicliffe Wm. gent
3 Earl George, horsebreaker and clipper
6 Earp Mr Edward
4 Earp Mrs Mary
4 Earp John, maltster and woolstapler
7 Earp Mr Samuel
6 Elverson Joseph, hat manufacturer
5 Fox Francis Frederick, land agent
6 Gregory Mr. Thomas
2 Gutteridge Mr John
5 Hays Mary, earthenware dealer
12 Hays Edward, dyer
2 Haywood Miss Jane
7 Heap Mr. John
12 Heathcote Jane, milliner &c.
Hodgkinson George, corn miller, Poolhouse
5 Holt Mrs Ann, housekeeper, Hall
7 Livesey Robert, tinman and brazier
5 Marples Samuel, stone mason and builder
5 Mason Rev. William, Swedenborgian
Peat James, bricklayer
5 Pollingdine Samuel, butler, hall
6 Scott Mr Joseph
Smith Joseph, excise officer
6 Sylvester William, warp lace maker
8 Tagg Mr John
1 Tagg Mr. Joseph
10 Tetley Joseph Buckyard, manager
2 Thacker Mrs Elizabeth
7 Timms Mr. Thomas
9 Tivey Henry, rate collector
10 Ward John, huckster
Warren William Brickyard, Bog lane
INNS & TAVERNS 12 Bull’s Head, Thomas Briers
12 King’s Head, John Goodwin
7 Lamb, Charles Dunnicliffe
Melbourne Arms, Thomas Brooks, Common
12 New Inn, Ann Warren
7 Plough, John Hull
12 Roe Buck, Joseph Brookes
14 Sir Francis Burdett, Thomas Bucks
12 Three Tuns, Edward Simpson
5 White Lion, Benjamin Deaville
2 White Swan, Elizabeth Baldry
BEERHOUSES 10 Barber Thomas
8 Lallman Augustine [sic. should read Dallman]
2 Hatton John
2 Houghton John
5 Orme Richard
7 Tailor Thomas
9 Tivey Sidney
ACADEMIES 12 Green Jn. & shoemk
11 National, Wm. & Eliz. Moore
2 Pasteur Miss Eliz. bdng. & day, Castle Cottage
7 Twells Hanh. infnts
2 Wheldel Lucy, infts
6 Wood Jno. Henry
BAKERS 7 Adcock John
12 Adcock Step. Sen.
2 Cartwright Joseph
8 Dallman Hugh
6 Pegg Wm. & cement & plaster dealer
7 Statham Isaac
BLACKSMITHS 5 Hulse James
6 Kirkman Joseph
7 Shepherd Wm.
BOOT & SHOE MAKERS 10 Barber Thomas
10 Bowman Charles
7 Collyer Joseph
13 Collyer Thomas
7 Dunnicliffe Fras.
12 Green John
2 Hatton John
8 Jefferson Jph. whs.
7 Munday John
2 Newton Hiram
12 Orange Joseph
2 Thompson Joseph
7 Wood John
BUTCHERS 8 Dallman Augustine & beerhouse
8 Dallman John
7 Dunnicliffe Chas.
7 Hollingworth Rlnd.
12 Sutton Thomas, & shopkeeper
7 Taylor George
2 Toone James
1 Toone Thomas
7 Toone Thos. Jun.
COOPERS 2 Morris Francis
5 Whitehead George
FARMERS 11 Bailey John
Bauton Wm. Fox, common
2 Dunnicliffe Thos.
16 Gregory John
Hasard Joseph, Lodge hill
2 Haywood Ths. Castl
2 Hemsley Thomas
11 Hollingworth Ths.
15 Robinson Samuel
Taft Eliz. Coppice Nk.
Tomlinson Sml. Field
12 Warren Samuel
16 Warren Wm.
GARDENERS & SEEDSM 12 Jackson Joseph
2 Pass Wm.
12 Salisbury Edward
GROCERS, DRAPERS &C. Marked * are Drapers + Druggists also 7+ Earp John
9* Hyde Benj. & Ths.
12+ Pass Thos.
8 Scot, Mathias
2* Smith Thos.
8* Ward John
PAINTERS 3 Bagnall Samuel and engraver and paper hanger
7 Bates John
2 Whyman John
PLUMBERS & GLAZRS. 7 Brown George
5 Muggleston Thos.
SADDLERS AND HARNESS MAKERS. 8 Marson Thomas
13 Peat Robert
SHOPKEEPERS. 12 Adcock Step. Jun.
9 Clayton George
7 Dunnicliffe Fras.
2 Earp Wm.
1 Elliott John
1 Pitt Wm
10 Pulsford Anthony
8 Snow Richard
12 Sutton Thomas
2 Ward Henry
13 Warren Thomas
TAILORS 7 Earp John
7 Dunnicliffe, Jph
8 Grice Edward
7 Smedley John
7 Smith Francis
TALLOW CHANDLERS 5 Haywood Wm.
8 Scott Mathias
WATCH AND CLOCK MAKERS 12 Bradford Samuel
3 Childs Wm.
WHEELWRIGHTS 6 Dunnicliffe John
7 Hull John
Tomlinson Thomas, Common
2 Ward George
CARRIERS To Derby
8 Jph. Earp, daily
7 Richd. Ward, Monday & Wednesday
To Loughboro’,
7 Richd. Ward, Saty.
KING’S NEWTON.
Bircher George, blacksmith
Briggs John Joseph, farmer
Cantrell Mrs Elizabeth
Dexter Mrs Hannah
Greaves Miss Susanna
Holt Elizabeth, baker
Ince Mary, beerhouse
Pass Samuel, stone cutter
Piddock Mrs Mary
Ratcliffe Jph. vict. Pack Horse, and gardener
Taft Dorothy, shopkeeper
Taft Thomas, wheelwright
Taylor Wm. gent
Vaudeleur George, Esq. The hall