Melton Mowbray Guided Tours

Why not join me on one of my Melton Mowbray Guided Tours around the town center to discover more about Melton’s rich heritage and famous characters.

Yes, Melton Mowbray is famous for Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese as well as many other food products, but if you think that the Rural Capital of Food is just about Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese, then think again!

Melton Mowbray can be traced back hundreds of years. Archaeological remains from the Bronze Age (c.600BC), Roman (43-409AD), Anglo Saxon (500-650AD), and Viking/Danelaw (800-900AD) periods have all been found in the town and surrounding area.

However, the first documented evidence of Melton was in the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as “Medeltun”. Medeltun or “Middletown” comes from it being a central township with a mother Church (St Mary’s) surrounded by 5 hamlets: Burton Lazars, Eye Kettleby; Sysonby, Welby & Freeby.

Over the years, the name Medletun has morphed into Melton.

The Mowbray part of the name comes from the Mowbray family who were granted the land after the Norman Conquest and became Lords of the Manor.

Download a leaflet here.

Fore further details about the tours and the next public tour date, please see below.

Airborne & Commando General Tour

During World War Two, Melton Mowbray became home to ‘Red Devils’ when hundreds of paratroopers made the town their home after returning to England from fighting in North Africa and Italy. Whilst in Melton they were based at both the Vet Camp and local houses/lodges in town whilst training for operations for D-Day and Arnhem.

Newport Lodge was used as billets by 156 Bn, but prior to WW2, it was also the family home of the Laycock family and Robert, one of the children, became Major General Sir Robert Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO otherwise known as the Commando General and Commander of of the Lay Force.

For more information about the Airborne & Commando General Tour, click here.

Melton Mowbray Heritage Trail

Our wonderful market town of Melton Mowbray is full of history going back 1,000’s of years. As part of this Melton Mowbray Heritage Trail, we will look at the town’s rich history including our Lords of the Manor, The Magna Carta, Royalty, Socialites, Fox Hunting and much more.

For more information Melton Mowbray Heritage Trail, click here.

Military History Walking Tour

The military history tour is crammed full of intriguing military history including Victoria Cross recipients, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Boer War, English Civil War, the RAFs highest scoring fighter pilot, military working dogs, plus much more.

For more information about the Military History Walking Tour, click here.

Melton Mowbray Navigation Tour

The Melton Mowbray Navigation Tour looks at the history of Melton’s canal that was set up in 1791 by an Act of Parliament.

The introduction of the railways in 1848 slowly saw a reduction in canal traffic and the Melton Mowbray Navigation was officially closed by an Act of Abandonment in 1877.

For more information about the Melton Mowbray Navigation Tour, click here.

Painting the Town Red Walking Tour

Melton Mowbray is famous for Fox Hunting and one of the historic ‘stories’ from the 1830s relates to the Marquis of Waterford and the expression “painting the town red” which came about when the Marquis, who was well known for his hooliganism, and his friends caused havoc in throughout the town painting buildings red.

On this walking tour, we look at the story of Painting the Town Red, as well as taking a look at some of the hunting lodges around town as well as some of the characters and the antics they got up to whilst staying in Melton.

For more information Painting the Town Red Walking Tour, click here.

Royal Melton Tour

King Richard the Lionheart is the first King recorded to have visited Melton Mowbray when in 1194 he paid a visit to the Lord of the Manor, William de Mowbray. Following Richards visit, over the next 300 years, 11 out of 15 Kings visited Melton.

During the height of the foxhunting period from the late 1700’s through to the early – mid 1900’s the town & sport attracted many Royals including Indian Princesses, the Empress of Austria, Russian Demidovs to name a few.

For more information about the Royal Melton Tour, click here.

Private Tours

If you would like to book a private tour, please get in touch via email or phone, see here for contact details

Supporting Local Businesses

As part of my inititaive to support local buisinesses within the Melton Mowbray town centre, customers of HistoryFare tours will be given a leaflet at the end of the tour with discount vouchers for various premises around town.