OAKHAM CASTLE

Rutland

Oakham is the county town of tiny Rutland and possesses the only major Castle in the county (although there are four others).

Although a timber Castle was erected here soon after the Conquest, it is the finely preserved Great Hall that is the main focus of the Castle today, and indeed is one of the best preserved of all Norman Great Halls in England.

The original Castle was greatly enlarged and stone walls were added around 1184 by Walkelin de Ferrers.  A few scraps of the curtain walls remain.  The Hall also dates from this period.

The curious practice of sticking horseshoes on the walls of the interior of the Hall dates back to Walkelin de Ferrers, who was Royal Farrier. He had the right to demand a horseshoe from any person who passed through the parish for the first time.  The practice reached astonishing heights and some of the horseshoes inside the Great Hall are the size of small boats!  The horseshoe now features on the Rutland coat of arms.

The Castle is open to the public most of the year.

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© Text copyright - Raving Loony Productions, Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
© Photos and Artwork - Andrew J. Müller and Roy Barton
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2001