Melbourne, Derbyshire
| Melbourne | |
|---|---|
 The Market Place |
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 Melbourne
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| Melbourne shown within Derbyshire | |
| Population | 4,843 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SK385255 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DERBY |
| Postcode district | DE73 |
| Dialling code | 01332 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Melbourne is a former market town and civil parish in South Derbyshire, England. It is about 8 miles (13 km) south of Derby, 8 miles (13 km) north of Swadlincote and 2 miles (3 km) from the River Trent. The population of the civil parish (including Kings Newton) at the 2011 Census was 4,843. In 1837 a then tiny settlement in Australia was named after William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria's first Prime Minister, and thus indirectly takes its name from the village, this tiny settlement, would grow to become the second largest city in Australia and the capital and seat of the Australian Parliament from Federation in 1901 through to 1927, when the capital was moved to Canberra.
The name Melbourne means "mill stream", i.e. the mill by the stream. It was first recorded in Domesday Book (DB 1086 Mileburne = mill stream) as a royal manor.
A parish church building dates from around 1120.
In 1311 Robert de Holand fortified the existing royal manor house to form Melbourne Castle, though the fortification was never completed. Jean, duc de Bourbon, the most important French prisoner taken at the Battle of Agincourt (1415), was detained at the castle for 19 years.
Plans envisaged imprisoning Mary, Queen of Scots at Melbourne Castle in the 16th century, but it had deteriorated into a poor state of repair. By the early 17th century it had fallen into decay and was demolished, although some remains can still be seen.
Melbourne Hall, originally owned by the church, was constructed in stages - mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries.
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Wikipedia