Melbourn

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For other uses, see Melbourne (disambiguation).

Melbourn
Melbourn shown within Cambridgeshire
OS grid reference	TL385445
District	South Cambridgeshire
Shire county	Cambridgeshire
Region	East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROYSTON
Postcode district	SG8
Police	Cambridgeshire
Fire	Cambridgeshire
Ambulance	East of England
European Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Cambridgeshire

Coordinates: 52°04′55″N 0°01′14″E / 52.081975, 0.020516

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 4400 inhabitants. Melbourn is located in the South Cambridgeshire district, but is served by the Royston, Hertfordshire post town.^[1]

It has a primary school and a state secondary school, 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, 5 hairdressers, a barber shop, 2 estate agents, 3 pubs, a newsagent, a sub post office, 2 garages and 3 churches (Anglican/Church of England, Baptist and URC). The pubs in the village are, The Star, The Dolphin and The Black Horse. Melbourn has two well known restaurants, The Pink Geranium and Sheene Mill, formerly owned by the television chef Stephen Saunders.

[edit] History

The Domesday Book 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.