Breedon on the Hill is a village and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England. It is situated 2.6 miles (4.2 km) from the market town of Melbourne and had 404 households and a population of 958 in 2001. The civil parish includes the settlements of Tonge which lies to the east of main village and Wilson which lies due north alongside the Leicestershire/Derbyshire boundary. Breedon's limestone hill rising above the village green and war memorial Breedon is most noticeable for its carboniferous limestone hill which rises 122 metres (400 ft) above a generally flat landscape and provides distant views across several counties. A large portion of the hill has been cut away by an active quarry operated by Ennstone Johnston. On top of the hill is a church with a history dating back to the 7th century. Evidence of settlements have also been traced back to antiquity. Surrounding villages include Calke, Isley Walton, Tonge, Wilson, and Worthington. The country houses of Staunton Harold and Calke Abbey are also nearby. The village has major transport links being 3 miles (4.8 km) from East Midlands Airport and 5 miles (8.0 km) from the intersection of the A42 road and M1 motorway. The village is near the River Trent, and Donington Park motor circuit. Brief historyThe name derives from the Celtic word "bre" for hill and the Anglo Saxon word "dun" for hill.[3] Hence in its current form the name has 3 forms of the word hill. "Briudun", an early spelling, has been traced as far back to 731 A.D. and evidence of human activity on the hill dates back to at least the 1st century BC. Breedon Priory ChurchMain article: Church of St Mary and St Hardulph The Church on the summit of Breedon HillThe Priory Church of St Mary and St Hardulph was originally a monastery founded in about 676 on the site of an Iron Age hill fort. It was refounded as an Augustinian priory in the early 12th century. Before becoming a monastery it was a hermitage. What is left of the abbey church contains many examples, of Anglo-Saxon sculptures as well as a fine family pew and Renaissance church monuments. Present day Breedon boasts 2 public houses (the Holly Bush and Three Horseshoes), a post office shop, a small primary school, and a butcher. There was a third pub (The Lime Kiln) but this is now a private residence. There is also an 18th century village lock-up (similar to the one in the nearby Worthington) that was used for detaining local drunks or lost cattle.