Stilton Community Archive is a developing collection of images and memories of Stilton from its early history to present day. We are keen to incorporate material - documents, maps, photos and also reminisces - from as many sources as possible, so please press the 'C' to become a contributor, or e-mail contact@stilton.org.
Stilton's history is strongly bound to the road it lies astride, and the Fens it lies beside.
The Romans established Ermine Street as a route between London and York, and that became the Great North Road which established Stilton as a coaching stop having a large number of inns. That in turn led to the distinctive blue-veined cheese from Melton Mowbray being sold at the inns, and it became known as Stilton Cheese.
The railways led to the demise of the coaches, and Stilton became quiet, but the Great North Road became the A1 with the growth of the motor car, and the village became busy again. Too busy - the village was bypassed in the 1950s, and reverted overnight to sleepy backwater.
To bring back lost custom, the shopkeepers and publicans began a unique event, and now the village hosts the World Stilton Cheese Rolling Championships every May Day, where teams of four, often in fancy dress, roll 'cheeses' down the High Street.
The Time Team dig of 2006 investigated a Roman industrial site on the edge of the fen, and also found suspected Neolithic remains, pushing the occupied history of the area back to 5,000 years ago.
Stilton village website
One of Stilton's distinctive village signs