Oundle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oundle |
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 North Street, Oundle |
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 Oundle
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| Population | 6,254 (2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | TL038880 |
| • London | 69 miles (111 km) |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PETERBOROUGH |
| Postcode district | PE8 |
| Dialling code | 01832 |
| Police | Northamptonshire |
| Fire | Northamptonshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Oundle is a busy market town in North Northamptonshire, England. It sits on the left bank of the River Nene. In 2021, about 6,254 people lived there. The town is about 69 miles (111 km) north of London. It is also 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Peterborough. Oundle is famous for Oundle School, a well-known boarding school.
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History of Oundle
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The name Oundle might come from an old tribal name, 'the Undalas'. People have lived in Oundle for thousands of years. This is shown by old items found there. These include things from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman times.
Many Roman coins and pins have been found. A piece of a Roman cup was found in St. Peter's Church yard. Later digs found more Roman coins, some from Emperor Claudius's time. Red tiles and building stones near Ashton Road suggest a Roman villa might have been there.
The Saxon people arrived later. A tribe called Undalas settled here. Oundle had a hospitium (a place for monks to help travelers) in 638 AD. St Wilfrid died here in 709 AD. He had built a church and a monastery in Oundle. Today's St Peter's Church is on the same spot as his first church.
The first clear mention of Oundle was in 715. Eddi, a singer for St Wilfrid, called it Undolum.
Saint Cetta is the Patron Saint of Oundle. He was buried near the River Nene around 1000 AD. A chapel was built for him in the 11th century. A royal charter for a market was given in 972. These things helped Oundle grow in the 12th century.
The Domesday Book of 1086 listed Oundle. It had 36 households and a mill. Its value grew from £0.3 in 1066 to £11 by 1086.
Oundle has had a grammar school since at least 1465. Sir William Laxton went to school there. In 1556, he left money to start Laxton Grammar School. This school is now known as Oundle School.
In 1743, soldiers from the Black Watch were caught near Oundle. They had left their army group. They were upset about being sent abroad instead of staying in Scotland. The Old Town Hall was finished in 1830. It replaced an older building from the 16th century.
How Oundle is Governed
Oundle is part of the Corby area for the UK Parliament. The person who represents Corby in Parliament is called a MP. The current MP for Corby is Tom Pursglove. He is from the Conservative Party. He was first elected in 2015. He used to be a local councillor.
Locally, Oundle has a Town Council. Twelve people are chosen every four years to be on this council. The council works to help Oundle's community and economy. A Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen by the council each May.
Geography of Oundle
Oundle is in the North Northamptonshire area. It is located on the River Nene. The town of Corby is 9 miles (14 km) to the west. Peterborough is 12 miles (19 km) to the north-east. Oundle's postcode starts with 'PE8'.
The Oundle Parish covers about 900 hectares. This includes the town and countryside. The River Nene forms its boundary to the east and south. The boundary goes west to Oundle Wood and north to Park Wood. This area was set in 2013.
Geology of the Area
The land around Oundle is made of rocks from the Jurassic age. Oundle itself is built on a type of sedimentary rock called oolite.
Economy
Oundle is home to one of two factories for Fairline Yachts Ltd.. This company makes fancy motor yachts. The original company, Fairline Boats, went out of business in 2015. But new owners bought it in 2016.
Landmarks to See
Public Houses (Pubs)
The Talbot Hotel is one of Oundle's oldest buildings. It was built with stone in 1626. The stones came from the ruins of Fotheringhay Castle. The hotel is said to be haunted by Mary Queen of Scots. She was executed at Fotheringhay in 1587. The hotel has an oak staircase. People say Mary walked down it to her execution.
One room is called the Drumming Well Room. It is named after a well in the yard. This well was said to make a drumming noise. This noise warned of bad events or someone's death.
Other pubs include The Rose & Crown, from the 17th century. The Ship Inn is a 14th-century coaching inn. There are also The George and The Riverside.
Churches
Oundle has several churches. The most famous is St Peter's Church. Its spire is 210 feet tall. This makes it the tallest in Northamptonshire. It has the main churchyard. There are also Methodist, Baptist, and Roman Catholic churches. The Baptist church meets at Oundle Church of England Primary School.
The Stahl Theatre
The Stahl Theatre is a theatre with 264 seats. Oundle School owns it. It used to be an old church chapel. Oundle School bought the building in the late 1970s. They turned it into a theatre. It opened in 1980.
The theatre is named after Ronald Stahl. He was an American who lived in Oundle in 1900. Today, many local groups use the theatre. These include Oundle School and the Oundle Gilbert & Sullivan Players.
War Memorial
The Oundle and Ashton War Memorial is at the corner of New Street and West Street. It was built in 1920. It cost £600. It remembers local people who died in the First World War. It also includes those who died in the Second World War.
The memorial is a tall stone pillar with a cross on top. It stands on a stepped base. In 1974, it was made a Grade II listed building. This means it is a very important building. The memorial lists 95 people who died in the wars.
Getting Around Oundle (Transport)
Roads
Oundle is near the A605 road. This road connects the A14 at Thrapston to the A1 at Peterborough. The road around Oundle was improved in 1985. The Oundle bypass opened on December 12, 1985.
Trains
The Oundle railway station closed in 1972. So, there are no train links in Oundle now. The station first opened in 1845. The original station building is now a private home.
Buses
Oundle does not have a main bus station. But, buses stop regularly in the market place. There are other stops around town. The main bus route is the X4. It links Northampton and Peterborough daily.
Education in Oundle
The most famous school in Oundle is Oundle School. It is a public school (which means a private school in the UK). It has about a thousand students, mostly boarders (students who live at the school).
The other schools in town are Prince William School and Oundle Church of England Primary School. Prince William School is a comprehensive school (a state school for all abilities). Oundle Church of England Primary School was rated "Outstanding" in 2011.
Media and News
Local news and TV shows come from BBC East and ITV Anglia. You can also get signals from BBC East Midlands and ITV Central.
For radio, you can listen to BBC Radio Northampton and BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. Other stations include Heart East and Smooth East Midlands. There is also OSCAR Radio, a school radio station from Oundle School.
Local newspapers are the Peterborough Telegraph and Nene Valley News.
Culture and Community Life
Oundle has many yearly events:
- The Oundle International Festival (OIF) is a music festival. It teaches young organists how to play the pipe organ. It started in 1985.
- The Oundle Festival of Literature has events all year. It features new and well-known authors.
- The Oundle Fringe Festival started in 2011. It shows off local music and writing talent. It lasts for 10 days every July.
- The Oundle carnival has happened every year since 2009.
A farmers' market is held in the Market Place every second Saturday. There is also a local market every Thursday. Oundle has a park with swings and climbing frames. There is also a skatepark built in 2005. An annual fair and circus visit the park.
Oundle has shops, pubs, cafes, and restaurants. It also has three supermarkets: Co-op, Waitrose, and Tesco.
Filming Locations
Some outdoor scenes for the 2012 film The Woman in Black were filmed near Oundle. They were shot at Cotterstock Hall.
In September 2022, parts of the Netflix series The Crown were filmed in Oundle. Filming took place near the Market Place and North Street.
Town Partnerships
Oundle has partnerships with other towns:
- Andrésy, France
- Nauort, Germany
Notable People from Oundle
Many interesting people have connections to Oundle:
- William Abell – a wine merchant born in Oundle.
- George Blagden – an actor who went to Oundle School. He has been in TV shows like Vikings.
- Richard Dawkins – a famous scientist who studied in Oundle.
- Bruce Dickinson – the singer for the band Iron Maiden. He went to Oundle School.
- Himesh Patel – an actor from EastEnders and the film Yesterday. He went to Prince William School.
- Ebenezer Prout – a music expert and composer born in Oundle.
Sports in Oundle
Football
- Oundle Town Football Club was started in 1883. They play in the Peterborough and District Football League. They have teams for all ages, including kids, youth, and ladies.
Rugby
- Oundle Rugby Club was started in 1976. They have a senior team and teams for younger players.
Cricket
- Oundle Town Cricket Club was started in 1826. Their main team plays in the Northamptonshire Cricket League. They also have ladies, girls, and junior teams.
Hockey
- Oundle Hockey Club was started in 2012. They have men's, ladies', and junior teams. They play their matches at Oundle School.
See also
In Spanish: Oundle para niños
