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07/09/2010 08:06
Putting Melton First
The history & heritage of
Melton Mowbray
As for back as the 13th centrury, Melton Mowbray was a successful wool-growing area. Prosperous merchants from the town funded public buildings including the local church, and lent money to the monarch, which brought about many royal and religious visits. Visitors to Melton frequently brought along their packs of hunting dogs.
With religious and royal patronage, the town grew in wealth and importance. The town's past success can still be seen, by comparing the far more imposing structure of Melton's Parish Church of St Mary, with Leicester's tiny Cathedral.
The effect of such favouritism was that until a little over a century ago main transport routes were centred through Melton, rather than Leicester. When it was necessary to identify a county capital, the choice was a difficult one; Leicestershire could so easily have become Meltonshire.
Markets, hunting & royal visitors
In 1549 the Melton Mowbray Town Estate looked after Melton's highways, pavements and bridges. In 1775 the organisation became chartered and assumed responsibility for education, and in 1849 the Town Estate took over the management of Melton's successful markets.
Listed as the only market town in Leicestershire in the Domesday Book of 1086, Melton's thriving wool and corm trade went on alongside sheep and cattle sales. Originally held in the town centre streets, animal sales were moved into Melton Mowbray Cattle Market in 1870.
As a centre for hunting, racing and gaming, Melton's popularity grew throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. It was the location of the original Grand National, and caused the phrase 'painting the town red', when the Marquis of Waterford's drunken henchmen let loose with red paint throughout the centre of the town one evening in April 1837, and the incident was so headlined in the London newspapers of the time.
By the late 1600s, Melton provided the country home away from London for bachelors and those wishing to live a bachelor life. The Quorn, Belvoir and Cottesmore Hunts all centred on Melton Mowbray and were collectively referred to as the Melton Hunt. The attraction of sport, gentlemen's clubs and what Queen Victoria called, "the fleshpots of Melton", all contributed to the appeal of the town.
The hunting lodge and the abdication
By the 1800s and with rail links to London, Melton had begun to attract wealthy families of note for the duration of the hunting season. Single men were happy to reside in the town's gentlemen's clubs, but family men brought their wives, children and staff, and built and occupied the many hunting lodges and grand houses in and around the area.
Many of the great names of the period bought properties and land in Melton. Colonel Charles Wyndham, who fought at Waterloo, commanded the Scots Greys and later became Governor of the Tower of London, built Wyndham Lodge, which later became the War Memorial Hospital. His neighbour in Melton was Prime Minister of the time, Lord Melville.
In 1856 the Hon. William Craven rebuilt and renamed Burton House. Craven Lodge became the centre of Melton's glittering social scene. This continued when, in 1922, Captain Michael Wardell acquired the property and divided it into apartments. For more than a decade the Craven Lodge Club was the hunting residence for the royal family and their circle.
It was from Craven Lodge Club that Edward, Prince of Wales, conducted his relationship with American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, which ultimately led to the abdication crisis of 1936 and the enthronement of King George VI.
Changing times
For several centuries the history of Melton Mowbray and that of the titled and rich who visited the town, were inextricably linked. All this came to an end after WWII, when air travel made continental resorts more accessible, and changes in society began to be reflected by the media, which no longer protected and deferred to the upper classes.
Melton was no longer far enough from London to protect confidences. Newspapers were increasingly attracted by salacious gossip, and the working classes were beginning to make a mark on society. In this environment hunting to hounds became less acceptable, and over time the sport has undergone a downturn in popularity.
Over recent years most of Melton's hunting lodges have been destroyed, although the area retains a legacy of equestrian expertise and is the home of the Army's equestrian and canine training Defence Animal Centre. The town's economy is now based on agriculture and food processing, from Stilton Cheese to the ever-popular Melton Mowbray Pork Pie.
Also in this section:
Message from Our Melton First Chairman...
Putting Melton First - Melton's lost heritage...
How you can help Melton First...
Read some of Melton First's many letters of support, and send us some of your own...!
Melton First - From the Land to the Hand
With religious and royal patronage, the town grew in wealth and importance. The town's past success can still be seen, by comparing the far more imposing structure of Melton's Parish Church of St Mary, with Leicester's tiny Cathedral. 
Listed as the only market town in Leicestershire in the Domesday Book of 1086, Melton's thriving wool and corm trade went on alongside sheep and cattle sales. Originally held in the town centre streets, animal sales were moved into Melton Mowbray Cattle Market in 1870. 
Many of the great names of the period bought properties and land in Melton. Colonel Charles Wyndham, who fought at Waterloo, commanded the Scots Greys and later became Governor of the Tower of London, built Wyndham Lodge, which later became the War Memorial Hospital. His neighbour in Melton was Prime Minister of the time, Lord Melville. 
Melton was no longer far enough from London to protect confidences. Newspapers were increasingly attracted by salacious gossip, and the working classes were beginning to make a mark on society. In this environment hunting to hounds became less acceptable, and over time the sport has undergone a downturn in popularity. 
