Melbourne guidebook

Ticknall Main Street

It’s not hard to see why so many people want to live in Melbourne...or why houses virtually sell themselves!

This is country living at its best.  There's a real heart to the village, pretty houses, friendly people, lots of pubs and good restaurants, a picturesque church and plenty to do.

It's a haven of peace and tranquillity, save for two things: because Melbourne is so pretty, it attracts a flood of tourists; and it sits under the flight path of the growing East Midlands airport, just a few miles away.

But if you can put up with those two hindrances, Melbourne’s got everything a village needs, and it oozes atmosphere and warmth.

The attractive central square has covered seats to while away the hours people watching or chatting to total strangers, and is edged with enough shops to make it busy but not chaotic.

Visitors pour in to see the sights including the parish church - described as a 'miniature cathedral'  - and the gorgeous setting. It’s so quaint that even the police patrol it on bikes...bobbies on bicycles, two by two!

Thomas Cook was Melbourne born and started his travel empire from here by selling train excursion tickets; they flattened his birthplace in 1968 but the memorial ‘cottages’ in the village centre remind the visitors of where he started out.

Nearby are two stately homes, Calke Abbey and Melbourne Hall – home to Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, who also gave his name to Melbourne in Australia. The house has roots dating back to King Charles 1.

On the Outskirts

Not far from the village are the two hamlets of Ticknall and Barrow.

Ticknall was an estate village for nearby Calke Abbey until about 30 years ago and it feels like time has past it by, with virtually no new housing, but lots of beautiful, traditional homes.

In contrast, Barrow has seen lots of post-war through to very modern housing springing up.

Together with Melbourne, they all sit in the new National Forest...and the local council has pledged in the parish plan that the “quiet, peaceful character of the area” will be maintained.

This is true English village life, and if you don’t mind rubbing shoulders with tourists and can ignore the roar of the occasional jet, then make a bee line for this beautiful part of the country.

But be warned...it should have a Government health warning that you'll fall in love with the place and won't ever leave!

Property in Melbourne

Melbourne is laid out just like a housing dart board, with the terraces in the bull, post-war through to 90s building at the treble, and the modern stuff at the edge.

The old centre is surrounded by streets of Victorian terraces, ranging from small to large three-storey affairs, and all the streets running from the square are terraced, too. 

As you get further out, the houses change to post-war semis and a fairly large council estate at Queensway, many now privately owned, mixed in with new semis built up until the 90s.

Interspersed are big Victorian and post-war detached houses, with generous gardens and fabulous views. On the edge of town there are brand new little cul-de-sacs containing semis and detached homes.

Modern houses were built on the edge at Spinney Hill, some as recently as the 1990s, and there are provisional plans to build around 130 new homes in Station Road.

What’s there? Melbourne may look like a quaint village but it’s right up to date with modern living. It's virtually self-contained and has a fair number of shops selling all the day-to-day needs.

It also has its own doctor's surgery, dentist, chemist, post office, infants' and junior schools, fire station, leisure centre, recreation ground, playground, bowls club and a pensioners’ centre.

Buyers: It tends to appeal to families who want country living; because prices are above average, there aren't so many first-time buyers.
 
Melbourne also attracts its fair share of buy-to-let investors, and the rental market is quite strong due to workers at the nearby airport.

Pros: Village living in a beautiful setting.

Cons: Some aircraft noise (a petition is under way to try and cut down the number of night flights) and lots of tourists in the summer.

Parking can be an issue for people who live in the terraced houses in the village centre.

Surrounding Areas

Ticknall: This was an estate village to Calke Abbey until about 30 years ago. All the houses are well established, traditional properties which have been modernised to suit 21 st century requirements. 

There's a real mix including wood framed ancient houses, stunning stone and brick terraces in small rows of two or three, or bigger rows of a dozen or so, mixed in with substantial detached houses set in their own grounds.

Building-wise, time has passed Ticknall as it wasn't allowed to be developed while it was an estate village; it's like walking back into Victorian England. It’s a real mish-mash of housing...but a beautiful one.

The village now has three pubs, a couple of shops and a school.

Barrow: A tiny hamlet two miles from Melbourne which is pretty much just a loop off the main road.  It has a little over 220 houses and around 430 residents.
 
There are a handful of terraces, lots of post-war semis, plenty of bungalows, and brand new cul-de-sacs running off the main street.

Living Here

Transport: 

Road: Melbourne is set about eight miles south of Derby, and three miles from the A50 cross country link road connecting the M1 (about six miles away) to the M6 at Stoke.

The A42, which turns into the M42 motorway to Birmingham and the south, is also very close by making Melbourne ripe for commuters.

Nottingham is 15 miles away, Leicester is around 23 miles.

Train: The nearest mainline station is at Derby.

Bus: Regular service to Derby with buses every half hour, but that’s about all.

Air: East Midlands international airport (EMA) is just six miles away.

Shopping:

There's a good cross section of  shopping in Melbourne, including banks, bakery, convenience stores, travel agents, clothes outlets; generally enough for day-to-day living.

Eating and drinking:

Melbourne has ten pubs ranging from upmarket to little back street ones; a good mix.   There are five pleasant restaurants, including Thai and Indian, as well as two tea rooms and cafes.

Ticknall has three pubs, all serving food, and there is one at Barrow.

Sports:

There is a wide range of activities on offer on the recreation ground and at the leisure centre. Melbourne also has two karate clubs, two football teams and two fitness centres as well as facilities for rugby, badminton and squash.

Leisure and Entertainment:

Lots to keep you busy here, including pub music, operatic society, photographic club, a town band, sailing club, male voice choir, large village hall and pool, active cubs and scouts movements, and even a historic research group.

There is a big two-week festival at the end of August featuring music of all sorts from heavy metal to classical, as well as arts and crafts.

The village sits on National Cycle Route 6, known as the Cloud Trail, linking Derby to Leicester, cutting through some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain.

There are two art galleries in Melbourne.

Parks and open spaces:

There is a recreation ground in Cockshut Lane and play areas in Coronation Close and Quick Close, as well as plenty of walks through the stunning countryside.