132 



^tliiourne (JEastle antf ^arlt. 



By W. Dashwood Fane. 



HE following extracts from the Duchy of Lancaster 

 Ministers' Accounts (formerly preserved in the Savoy 

 Chapel, but now in the Public Record Office in 

 London) • relate to the ancient Castle and Park of 

 Melbourne in Derbyshire. 



The Castle stood at the eastern side of the town, opposite to the 

 end of Potter Street (a street so called in an existing deed of 

 5 Henry VHL). Remains of the Castle are still visible in a 

 ruinous wall, formerly of great thickness, standing on the southern 

 verge of the " Castle Farm " yard, and in the semicircular base of 

 a turret recently unearthed in the garden of " Castle Cottage." 

 About five years ago considerable foundation walls were un- 

 covered (and covered again) in many parts of the garden which 

 lies between that ruinous wall and that turret, now the property of 

 Lord Donington. 



The Manor of Melbourne (" Mileburne ") is described in the 

 Domesday Record as belonging to the King. 



The Rectory of Melbourne was annexed to the Bishopric of 

 Carlisle at or soon after the creation of that See in a.d. 1132. 



In the Itinerary of King John, compiled by the late Sir 

 Thomas Duffus Hardy, it appears that that monarch lay at Mel- 

 bourne at five different times during his reign. Whether the 

 place of his abode was a royal mansion, or the Rectory-house, 

 is uncertain. The King long kept the Bishopric of Carlisle 

 vacant, and the Rectory-house of Melbourne was at his disposal. 



In the Calendar of Close Letters (page 51) is an order of King 

 John in a.d. 1205 that 40 tuns of wine be conveyed fron> Bristol 



