Oakham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oakham |
|
|---|---|
 Cutts Close Park in Oakham, with All Saints' Church in the background (September 2012) |
|
 Oakham
|
|
| Population | 12,149 (2021 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SK857088 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OAKHAM |
| Postcode district | LE15 |
| Dialling code | 01572 |
| Police | Leicestershire |
| Fire | Leicestershire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
|
Oakham is a lively market town and civil parish in Rutland, England. It's the main town of Rutland, located in the East Midlands region. Oakham is about 25 miles (40 km) east of Leicester and 23 miles (37 km) north-west of Peterborough. In 2021, about 12,149 people lived here. The town is west of Rutland Water and sits in a valley called the Vale of Catmose. Its height above sea level is between 325 and 400 feet (99 to 122 meters).
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Oakham" has an interesting meaning. It comes from old words that mean "homestead or village of Oc(c)a" or "hemmed-in land of Oc(c)a." This tells us a bit about how the town might have looked or been settled long ago.
How Oakham is Governed
Oakham has two main levels of local government that help run the town:
- Oakham Town Council: This council looks after local matters for the town itself. Their office is at Rol House.
- Rutland County Council: This is the larger council for the whole area of Rutland. Their main office, called Catmose House, is also in Oakham.
Oakham has been an important place for a long time. It even gave its name to one of the historic areas of Rutland, called the Oakham Hundred. Since 2019, Oakham, like the rest of Rutland, has been represented in the UK Parliament by Alicia Kearns, who is a member of the Conservative Party.
People of Oakham
The town's urban area now stretches into a nearby village called Barleythorpe, which is to the north-west of the town centre.
Famous Landmarks and Sights
Oakham has many interesting places to visit, especially if you like history! Some of the main attractions include All Saints' Church, Oakham Castle, and the busy open-air market.
All Saints' Church
The tall spire of Oakham's main church, All Saints' Church, was built in the 1300s. It's so tall that you can see it from miles away! The church was repaired in 1857–1858 by a famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott. It's considered a very important historic building.
Oakham Castle
Even though it's called a castle, only the great hall of the original Norman building is still standing. It was built around 1180–1190. The hall is surrounded by earthworks, which are like old walls made of earth. An expert on buildings, Nikolaus Pevsner, said it's the oldest castle hall in England that is still so complete. It's special because it was more like a strong manor house than a typical castle.
The hall has beautiful Romanesque decorations, including six carvings of musicians. It's also a very important historic building. For a long time, until 1970, the hall was used as a court. It's still sometimes used for special court cases or even for weddings today!
Outside the castle hall is a park called Cutts Close. This area used to be the outer part of the castle. You can still see some deep hollows in the park, which are what's left of the castle's old fishponds. During World War II, a ship called HMS Oakham Castle was named after the castle.
Oakham's Unique Horseshoes
Oakham has a very old and unique tradition! For over 500 years, members of the Royal Family and important noblemen (called peers) who visited or passed through the town had to give a horseshoe as a gift.
Today, this custom only happens on special occasions, like when a royal visitor comes to town. When it does, a very large, specially made, and decorated horseshoe is hung in the great hall of the castle. There are now over 200 of these special horseshoes on the walls! Some of the oldest ones might have been ordinary horseshoes given by annoyed noblemen.
The oldest horseshoe that we can date is from around 1470, celebrating a visit by King Edward IV. More recent horseshoes celebrate visits from Princess Anne (in 1999), Prince Charles (in 2003), and Princess Alexandra (in 2005).
You might notice that the horseshoes hang with the ends pointing down. While some people think this is unlucky, in Rutland, it was believed to stop the Devil from sitting in the hollow part of the shoe! The horseshoe is so important to Oakham that you can even see it on the county council's symbol and on labels for Ruddles beer.
Rutland County Museum
The Rutland County Museum is located in an old building that used to be a riding school for a cavalry group called the Rutland Fencible Cavalry. It was built in 1794–1795. Inside the museum, you can find many interesting items that show what local farm life, social history, and archaeology were like in the area.
Statue of Queen Elizabeth II
A new statue of Elizabeth II was revealed on April 21, 2024. This date would have been the late Queen's 98th birthday. The statue is 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and stands on a limestone base. It was paid for by donations from local businesses and people, costing £125,000.
Getting Around Oakham
Oakham has a train station, Oakham railway station, which is on the line between Birmingham and Peterborough. You can catch trains here to many places:
- CrossCountry trains go to places like Birmingham New Street, Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport.
- East Midlands Railway has a few services in the morning and evening to Norwich, Nottingham, Kettering, Melton Mowbray, and Peterborough.
Most bus services in Oakham are run by Centrebus and Blands. These buses connect the town to nearby places like Corby, Melton Mowbray, and Stamford.
Long ago, between 1802 and 1847, the Oakham Canal connected the town to other waterways, helping to transport goods.
Local News and Entertainment
For local news and TV shows, people in Oakham watch BBC East Midlands and ITV Central.
There are several local radio stations you can listen to:
- BBC Radio Leicester on 104.9 FM
- Smooth East Midlands on 106.6 FM
- Hits Radio East Midlands on 106.0 FM
- Greatest Hits Radio Midlands (which used to be Rutland Radio) on 107.2 FM
- Sabras Radio on 91.0 FM
- Rutland and Stamford Sound, a local radio station that broadcasts online and on DAB.
The local newspapers for the area are the Rutland Mercury and the Rutland Times.
Schools in Oakham
Oakham School is a well-known independent school, founded in 1584. The original school building is still there, and it has old inscriptions in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. The school also owns a building that used to be a workhouse, which now serves as two of its houses for girls.
Catmose College is a state-funded secondary school that started in 1920. Next to it is Harington School, which is a sixth form centre for older students. Another college, Rutland County College, moved from the edge of town to Great Casterton.
Sports and Fun
Oakham has several sports teams:
- Oakham United Football Club won a local league in 2015 and moved up to a higher division.
- Oakham Rugby Football Club plays at the Rutland Showground.
- Oakham Cricket Club plays at the Lime Kilns.
Famous People from Oakham
Many interesting people have connections to Oakham:
- Stuart Broad (born 1986), a famous cricketer.
- Sir Jeffrey Hudson (1619 – c. 1682), who became a royal court dwarf.
- Tom Marshall, an artist, grew up in Oakham.
- Thomas Merton (1915–1968), a religious scholar, studied at Oakham School.
- Jonnie Peacock (born 1993), a Paralympic runner.
Sister Towns
Oakham is connected to other towns around the world:
- Barmstedt, Germany
- Dodgeville, Wisconsin, United States
Gallery
-
All Saints' Church from footpath between Church Street and Market Place
-
All Saints' Church seen from Northgate
-
The stocks, under the Buttercross
-
Inscription above the Old School door
-
Cutts Close park - looking southwest towards the original Oakham School building, with the bandstand to the right
-
Plaque on Jeffery Hudson's Cottage
-
Dean's Street, a quiet back street
-
Victoria Hall, built 1839, serves as a community venue and public hall
See also
In Spanish: Oakham para niños
