History
The parish has a long history of occupation, stemming from the presence of springs at Melbourn Bury and the several ancient trackways that cross the parish; the Icknield Way runs to the south of the parish and Ashwell Street and the Roman Cambridge-Royston road are also believed to follow prehistoric trackways. Pottery and burial finds show evidence of Bronze Age residents, and a Roman settlement has been found at the north-east edge of the village. Excavations in the 1950s discovered 28 graves from a 7th century Christian burial site close to Ashwell Street.
The Domesday Book compiled in 1086 has this listing for the village:
Melleborne / burne: Abbot of Ely. 2 hides and 1 virgate. Land for 5 ploughs. 6 villagers, 9 smallholders, 3 cottagers. Mill; meadow; pasture for village livestock. Value 100s; TRE £6. The Abbot also holds from Earl Roger ½ hide less the fourth part of 1 virgate. 1 villager. Meadow for ½ plough. Value 5s. Goda held this land before from Earl Algar. Colswein holds 3 virgates from Count . 3 smallholders, 1 slave. Meadow. Value 20s; TRE 40s. Durand holds 1 hide and 1 virgate from Hardwin. 1 villager with 2 smallholders, 3 cottagers. Meadow; pasture. Value 25s; TRE 40s.
The name Melbourn comes from Meldeburn, the "stream of a man named Melde".
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