Melbourne, East Riding of Yorkshire


Melbourne is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of the market town of Market Weighton and south-west of the market town of Pocklington. The village lies just to the south of the Pocklington Canal.
According to the 2011 UK census, Melbourne parish had a population of 793, an increase on the 2001 UK census figure of 755.
In 1823, Melbourne was in the civil parish of Thorton and the Wapentake of Harthill. Within the village was a Wesleyan and a Primitive Methodist chapel. Population at the time was 437. Occupations included two blacksmiths, two shoemakers, a joiner, a wheelwright & machine maker, a bricklayer, a cattle dealer, a shopkeeper, a brick & tile maker, and fourteen farmers, one of whom was the landlord of The Cross Keys public house. Resident in the village were two gentlemen and a yeoman, and Lieutenant General James Wharton, who was a Justice of the peace and the Commissioner of Taxes for the East and North Ridings. A carrier operated between the village and York once a week.

Community

Farming is a main economic driver in the area, however an agricultural machinery business employs about 40 people.
Amenities in Melbourne include a village hall, a playing field, a public house, and a shop.
The Pocklngton Canal Amenity Society runs boat trips from the Melbourne Arm of the canal, on its trip boat New Horizons.
The village school is Melbourne Community Primary School. A pre-school, which operated from the village hall, closed in December 2013.
A sports and playing field association manage the village's playing field at the east end of Main Street. The playing field has a pavilion, scout hut, children's play area, tennis court, and football and cricket pitches. Sports' clubs in the village include a cricket and a football club, both based at the playing fields, and a bowling Club at the village hall.

Gallery