Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

 

Melton Mowbray is a town with a population of around 25,500, lying some 15 miles north-east of Leicester in the County of Leicestershire. It was formerly known as a centre for fox-hunting and also as the home of the Melton Mowbray pork pie, as well as being one of the towns where Stilton cheese is made. Fox-hunting is now banned in the UK, but pork pies and cheese are definitely legal and still very popular products of the area.

It is said that Melton Mowbray is the town that gave rise to the saying “painting the town red”. The story goes that in 1837 the eccentric Marquis of Waterford and his friends rampaged through the streets of the town after a day’s fox-hunting, armed with pots of red paint with which they daubed several of the town’s stone buildings, as well as an unfortunate lock-keeper.

Burton Street leads into the town from the River Eye, which changes its name to the Wreake after leaving the town. On this street may be found the Harboro Hotel, the Georgian front of which has changed little since it was one of the town’s main coaching inns.

Also on Burton Street is Anne of Cleves’ House, which was built in 1384 and given by King Henry VIII to his fourth wife after he divorced her in 1540. However, there is no evidence that she ever lived there.

The Bede Houses, on the opposite side of the street from Anne of Cleves’ House, date from 1640 and were founded by a wealthy townsman who endowed the houses for six elderly men and, in the 18^th century, room was made to accommodate six elderly women as well.

At the top of the street stands the gracious parish church of St Mary. It was built between 1170 and 1532, the oldest part of the church being the lower section of the 100-foot high tower. Inside, the church has a set of pillars and arches down each side of the transepts – a feature it shares with only three other English parish churches – and each transept has a rare brass candelabra dating from 1746. The church has a wealth of stained glass, most of which is Victorian, but some of it dates from the 14^th century.

A previous organist and choirmaster of the church was the conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent (1895-1967), who officiated here between 1914 and 1924.

Many people come to Melton Mowbray to sample and buy its famous pork pies, which were first made here in 1831. The pies are handmade according to a particular method for which the town claims the patent - it is illegal to make and sell a Melton Mowbray pork pie other than in Melton Mowbray!

Stilton cheeses also have protected status, as they are not allowed to be made outside the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, although they take their name from a village in Cambridgeshire! Melton Mowbray is one of the centres for its manufacture.

© John Welford