Great Dalby, Leicestershire

Flower Delivery to Great Dalby with Clare Florist

Great Dalby in Leicestershire is also known in some census records as Dalby Magna. In days gone past, it was also known as Dalby Chalcombe. Today the village, a mere three miles south of Melton Mowbray, is home to between 300 and 400 people. The Great Dalby parish church is that of St. Swithun. The church was originally constructed in the 13th century and has been remodelled several times since that time.  A group of Knights Hospitallers was founded at St. Swithun in the time of Henry II by Robert de Bossu, Early of Leicester. St. Swithun’s stands on high ground in Great Dalby behind the village pub, representing over 900 years of parish history.

There has been a settlement in the Great Dalby area since well before the Norman Conquest, the very name “Dalby” means “settlement in the Dale” in Old Danish. Immediately after the Norman Conquest, Dalby Manor was held by Hugh de Anaf, who also held Chaucombe in Northamptonshire. De Anaf founded a priory at Chaucombe and gave it to the Church, thus Great Dalby was called Dalby Chalcombe or simply Chalcombe for several centuries.

St. Swithun’s Church spire was stuck by lightning in 1658, causing it into the nave of the church. The damage when unrepaired for years while parishioners collected money for repairs. Although the money was collected, the collectors absconded with the funds. As a result, the tower was capped in an unusual manner. The North Aisle of the church was completely destroyed, along with its ornately carved oak ceiling. Remnants of the carved stone from the original church are found today in the houses, gardens and walls of the modern village as well as in the remodelled areas of the church.

The remodelled church is still in the Norman style, and the five bells date from 1598 to 1684. Two were recast is 1784. The church registry dates from 1591. A Wesleyan chapel also stands in the village.  Land around Great Dalby is used for grazing, and the famous Stilton cheese is made here and in nearby Melton Mowbray.
The modern village lies on the Great Northern and London and North Western joint railway, about 100 miles from London by rail.  Great Dalby hosts the annual Great Dalby History Event each August, featuring the Grown and Made in Great Dalby Show. This is a chance for crafters and flower enthusiasts in Great Dalby to show their finest creations for awards and sales in friendly competition.

In nearby Melton Mowbray, numerous archaeological and historical sites of interest have been catalogued, including historical buildings, ancient monuments and deserted villages. Windmill sites, archaeological smelting sites and ironstone working are but a few pieces of evidence that this region has been densely inhabited since the Bronze and Iron Ages.

We know the Romans fortified the area with numerous military centres and roads, and the Vikings continued use of the area throughout the period of the Danelaw and Saxon periods. Most villages in the area originated well before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Melton Mowbray itself has been a chartered market town for well over 1000 years, the third-oldest market in England.

Need to send flowers to Great Dalby? Clare Florist creates flower arrangements for every occasion in the Great Dalby region. Say thank you to someone special, celebrate an anniversary or birthday, or recognize Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day with beautiful flowers from Clare Florist. Next day delivery to Great Dalby is our speciality.

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