Kings Newton is a quaint hamlet within the parish of Melbourne. The Kings part of the name appeared around the 12^th Century in order to distinguish the place from the other Newtons in the area. There is one main street with an interesting collection of houses and two pubs! these being the Packhorse and the Hardinge Arms.

To the west of the hamlet, an old trackway descends the hill to cross the river at Swarkestone Bridge, and the nearby hostelry, 'The Packhorse', tells of the traffic which the lane used to carry. Just off the lane,  a spring rises to feed the Trent. This spring has long borne the name of the Holywell.

Factoids

• The Derbyshire naturalist and antiquarian John Briggs lived in Kings Newton

• Kings Newton contains a 17th century Hall

• There's a spring and well dating back to 1366

• Hardinge originates from the Vikings

Ye Olde Packhorse Inn, on the corner of Packhorse Road and Main Street

On the left is Ye Olde Ale House which resides next to the Ye Olde Packhorse Inn, and on the right we have The 1st Melbourne Scout Group HQ on Packhorse Road, the Scouting movement in the area have been active since 1909

17th century Kings Newton Hall, above and below
Robert Hardinge was the tenant of Kings Newton Hall during the Civil War period.  Robert was a staunch Royalist

The Hall also once belonged to Lady Palmerston, the hall was destroyed by fire around 1859, and was left decaying until 1909 when Sir Cecil Paget acquired it, he set about restoring the Hall to its former glory. Sir Cecil was the General superintendent of the Midland Railway.

Defensive look out holes in the wall near to Kings Newton Hall, which would possibly date back to the Civil War period.

Main Street, looking up from the Packhorse Inn towards the Hardinge Arms which is on the right in the distance

The Hardinge Arms on the right and below on the left and right next to the Hardinge Arms we have Four Gables.

This row probably would have been many small cottages originally.

Harding or Hardinge is old Nordic/Teutonic term for "tough guy" and is still used as such in Sweden and Norway today.

The first record of the name Harding in England was here in Kings Newton where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman conquest. The family name Harding emerged as a Scottish clan or family where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates. The late Lord Harding, Scion of the family name, claimed to be descended from Heardingas, a celebrated Viking race who settled here. They were widely recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 and their seat at that time was recorded as Kings Newton in Derbyshire

North View Cottage next to the Hardinge Arms, there's a public footpath next to this cottage leading to Melbourne, shown here on the left

Above and left a fascinating old cruck cottage on Main Street, the picture on the left clearly shows the cruck design, the strange chimney arrangement on the front is also worthy a mention.

General Main Street views above and below

Chantry House on the left and an old barn on Main Street on the right, this old barn has been converted for use as a base for small business's

Listed Red Phone Box on Packhorse Road and a view looking over the Trent flood plains on the right