An alternative look at the town of Melbourne in Derbyshire

As I drove home after my sojourn in Melbourne and began formulating in my head what I might write about, I encountered a problem.

How, I asked myself, would I tone the piece down to ensure it didn’t come across too hyperbolic – because I truly found Melbourne that good.

However, the fact I immediately sought out the diary when I got home and pencilled in a return trip, this time with the family in tow, is testament to the impression this stunning South Derbyshire town left on me.

Firstly, an admission. This was the first time I can recall, certainly as an adult, coming to Melbourne.

It got me thinking – is the town one of Derbyshire’s best kept secrets? Or has it just, for one reason or another, evaded me all these years?

As I drove towards Melbourne, the cooling towers of Willington Power Station appearing in the distance followed by the trip over the iconic Swarkestone Bridge, I became intrigued.

My satnav was telling me I was a mere mile away from the town centre of Melbourne, yet it seemed like I was rolling into a quaint village. It felt a world away from my hometown, which I had left behind an hour ago.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Matlock, but for all its outstanding attributes, a stress-free drive into the town centre isn’t necessarily one of them.

I parked up at Melbourne Assembly Rooms on High Street, still somewhat astonished at how calm everything felt.

The former home of Thomas Cook Photo: Nathan Fearn It didn’t take me long to locate the former home of Thomas Cook, the founder of modern travel, next to what I assumed were once Almshouses.

Close by, a white plaque on the wall reads: ‘Thomas Cook born 22nd November 1808 in Quick Close opposite these cottages. Founder of modern travel. Died 18th July 1892.’

It made me smile as it felt somewhat ironic that a man living in such a beautiful place would make his name by visualising travel to far-flung places.

With Thomas Cook in mind, even the gentle hum of the low-flying aeroplanes up above, coming into land at nearby East Midlands Airport, felt mildly poetic and fitting.

There were a few early impressions as I leisurely made myself around a town which all felt very contained. Firstly, the architecture of Melbourne, almost without exception, is simply stunning.

Thatched Cottage – a true delight Photo: Gary Wallis Row after row of gorgeous Georgian buildings, fine houses and even outstanding thatched cottages, the most striking of which I found was aptly named ‘Thatched Cottage’.

Another aspect I noticed pretty quickly were the number of churches – I counted four around the town while I was there.

After returning home I did have to look up how many buildings in Melbourne are Grade I listed (described as ‘Buildings of exceptional interest’) on account of the fact so many appeared truly exceptional.

The answer surprised me in one sense, and in another, didn’t – 24 across the parish; a phenomenal number really for a small area.

On High Street, I loved how old buildings had been so thoughtfully and smartly repurposed by local businesses, interspersed with residential properties which run through all areas of the town.

RECOMMENDED READING

The Handsome House, and Frocks & Fippery were two such examples, while the name of other buildings throughout the town shone a light on their past – Bank House; The Old Brewery; The Old School; Workhouse Yard; The Old Bakehouse; and Pump House to name a few.

The latter I found on the corner of Castle Street, the name of which piqued my interest. How big had this castle been? Where exactly had it once stood? What was the cause of its demise? I got no answers on this visit, but there’s always next time.

A little further on, where Castle Street meets Potter Street, I came across the Old Market Monument which, in a very faded stone calved inscription, told me that the market had reopened here on July 30, 1836.

Across the road, the aforementioned Thatched Cottage looked simply divine in the bright sunshine, its bright white painted exterior blending with the creams and reds of Georgian buildings around it.

At the top of Potter Street I came across the Town Square and Market Place for the first time, conscious that my rather haphazard route through Melbourne’s streets would probably appear unnecessary and dizzying to a resident or someone with more local knowledge.

The square is, as you’d expect, typically pretty. One shop over the road at 30 Market Place particularly caught my eye – The Melbourne Cobbler. It’s lovely to see more traditional industries and services so prominent in the heart of a town.

The shelter was almost empty as I observed it, save a lady presumably waiting for a bus. The accompanying plaque informed me that it was built to commemorate the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and that the monument and shelter was restored by the Melbourne Parish Council to commemorate the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of Queen Eliabeth II on June 7 1977.

Melbourne is quaint but it doesn’t lack quality-looking establishments in which to spend leisure time. Bay Tree looked appealing and I enjoyed a brief pitstop at Harpur’s of Melbourne, a lovely place with an equally lovely atmosphere.

Talking of atmosphere, I was struck with just how friendly everyone appeared to be. I lost count of the number of dog walkers who looked up, smiled and offered a ‘hello’ or ‘good afternoon’ which felt very much in keeping with the laidback nature of this town.

Jack Teece Photo: Jack Teece I wondered whether my experiences of friendliness were felt by those who are based here and spoke with Jack Teece, owner and maker at Native Nomads, which creates beautiful Bentwood Yurts from locally sourced Ash.

‘Melbourne is a wonderful place to live and work,’ he tells me.

‘For the past four years I’ve run my business crafting yurts and I’ve found a lovely sense of community. You can wander off in any direction and find something interesting, get out into the surrounding fields and forests or visit spaces for people to gather.

‘My favourite place to spend time is Whitstlewood Common. I’ve found bundles of creativity here and it’s a great place to meet people, connect and share ideas. People are kind and always willing to lend a hand.’

Jack’s description of Melbourne as a place which places heavy emphasis on community is backed up by a noticeboard I spotted.

All the events promoted on it are current, ranging from ‘Messy Pancakes’ at Melbourne Parish Church, Yoga and Meditation at Thomas Cook Hall, to a Camera Club, hosted by the Melbourne Photographic Society.

My increasingly enjoyable journey of discovery to Melbourne continued as I meandered my way to Church Street, passing Creative Melbourne Gallery.

Of all the churches to be found in Melbourne, the most impressive is undeniably the Grade I listed St Michael and St Mary’s Church, thought to date back to the 12th century and of Norman origin.

As it came into view I marvelled at how self-contained and perfect this part of the town felt. The church commanded the space but didn’t appear ostentatious.

My only regret from my time in Melbourne is that I didn’t spend more time around Church Square and the adjoining Pool Road. In reality, I could have spent hours here.

This is where, I discovered, Melbourne Hall and Gardens is to be found – not open on the day I was there but a surefire excuse to return to the area in the near future.

A sign on the gate at the entrance to the hall amused me – ‘Cars obstructing this gate will be towed away’.

I imagined how out of place a tow truck pulling a car away would look in this peaceful and picturesque spot and wondered whether it has ever happened.

The Courtyard Photo: Gary Wallis While the Hall and Gardens were closed on the Tuesday I visited, Melbourne Hall Courtyard was still open and I enjoyed looking at the names of all the local stores – The Bear at Home; Barney’s Barn; and Pierre Hourlier Wines among them.

Also found within the courtyard is Maria Alicia Jewellery, producers of ethically sourced precious metal jewellery, handcrafted using traditional techniques right here in Melbourne.

Maria Ryan Photo: Maria Ryan Next month Maria Ryan, the owner, celebrates a year there, as she explained to me.

‘It has flown by and I still have pinch me moments,’ she says. ‘I’ll often wander down to the beautiful Melbourne Pool early before work to watch the ducks for a moment, such a lovely, peaceful place to be.

‘There are some fantastic little independent businesses here in Melbourne and everyone has been so welcoming. To be able to further my passion for this beautiful craft and thrive in such a vibrant and supportive community is wonderful.’

Melbourne Pool, a great place to rest and reflect Photo: Gary Wallis The thought of spending a bit of quiet time down by Melbourne Pool to start the day feels positively idyllic and, as luck would have it for me, it is less than a minute from the courtyard.

Past the entrance to the hall I went, past the impressive church and then I was hit by the glistening of sunlight shimmering and dancing off a large blanket of still water, the only noise that of geese and the footsteps of dog walkers.

What a place. The definition of serenity if ever there was one. The water is so expansive and against the backdrop of the church and gardens it is as pretty as a picture.

Then, after making friends with a pony at the far end of the walkway, I did something I don’t recall having done on my tour around Derbyshire’s towns to date – I simply found a place to sit and watched the world go by for a while.

The plaque on the bench where I took the weight off my feet read: ‘This seat is dedicated to the people of Melbourne in memory of Grenadier Guardsman Daniel Blinco, killed in Northern Ireland on December 30th 1993 aged 22 years.’

As I made my way back to High Street I was overcome with a strange feeling of cognitive dissonance. In some respects, I felt entirely fulfilled – Melbourne had met my expectations and then exceeded them.

Yet in another way I felt unfulfilled in the respect that I felt it had more to give me, a feeling that I had only scratched the surface of what this fabulous town has to offer. The simple solution, of course, is to return.

I honestly think I could have driven for three or four hours to reach Melbourne and the journey would have been worth it. It optimised what this year-long series of discovery is all about.