The history of Stilton is bound up with the history of the Great North Road itself.
Roman origins
The stagecoaching era
There are staging inns all the way along its length but, because Stilton was a day’s horse-ride from London, it became an important overnight staging post. A thriving community of farriers, ostlers, inn-keepers and blacksmiths soon developed. By the early 19th century Stilton had more than 12 inns and stabling for over 300 horses.
Many famous – and infamous – people have stopped in Stilton during their travels. In 1722 Daniel Defoe wrote of being offered a spoon to eat the mites in the cheese! The notorious highwayman Dick Turpin is also reputed to have made a hasty escape from the Bell Inn by leaping from an upstairs window.

This rather romantic engraving of it was made by Hugh Thomson c1880.
Changing fortunes
In the 20th century, the growth of motor transport revived Stilton’s fortunes. Inns, cafes and garages flourished. By 1959, however, the busy High Street had become a bottleneck. The A1 was re-routed around Stilton and the passing trade disappeared overnight. Even the Bell Inn fell derelict.
New housing has grown the population to five times what it was in the 1930’s, with residents commuting to Peterborough, Huntingdon, Cambridge or further afield. The great highway that once brought employment and wealth straight into Stilton now provides its villagers with easy access to these things over a wide area.
20th Century
A journey north along the Great North Road in 1939. Look for Stilton at 3:49.
21st Century
What would the Romans have made of this?
