134 MELBOURNE CASTLE AND PARK. 



among his possessions. From him it passed to his daughter 

 Blanche, and her husband, John of Gaunt, Earl of Richmond, 

 who was created Duke of Lancaster by his father. King Edward 



III., A.D. 1363. 



Upon John of Gaunt's son becoming King Henry IV., the 

 Dukedom of Lancaster was erected by Act of Parliament into a 

 Principality, separate from the Crown, and thenceforth the Manor 

 and Castle of Melbourne became " parcel of the Duchy of 

 Lancaster." 



Of the formation of the Park of Melbourne there does not 

 appear to be any trace in the Public Records. The ordinary 

 license from the Crown to authorise a subject to inclose a park 

 was not necessary, as the park was formed in the King's own 

 demesne. The limits of the Park are well marked by the 

 bank (formerly carrying a paling) which is still conspicuous in the 

 ground, and is defined on the recent Ordnance Survey with a 

 circuit of 3! miles. It occupied the south-eastern portion of the 

 parish of Melbourne, and is now divided into fields, in the 

 occupancy of three tenants of Earl Cowper. The farm-house and 

 buildings now known as Park Farm, were formerly called Lodge 

 Farm, and occupy the site of the " Lodge " mentioned in the 

 " Minister's Accounts." Near it are grounds, designated in an 

 old map " Queen's Garden" and " Queen's Walk," perhaps from 

 Melbourne Manor having been part of the dower of Katharine, 

 widow of King Henry V., the Queen referred to in the latter part 

 of the extract from Minister's Account, No. 6174, and who died 

 3 January, 1437-8. 



Duchy of Lancaster. Ministers' Accounts. 

 Extracts (extended). 

 A.D. No. 6,149.1 Compotus Petri de Melborne Constabularii 

 1392-3 Melborne (^ Castri ibidem a festo Sci Michaelis Arch- 

 angeli anno regni Regis Ricardi Secundi 

 post conquestum xvj usque idem festum 

 proximum sequens anno ejusdem Regis xvij 

 per unum annum integrum. 



