Oakham Caslte

                                                                 OAKHAM CASTLE

Oakham Castle was an early medieval fortified manor house and was built by Walkelin de Ferrers soon after 1180 in the reign of Henry II. The Great Hall still survives along with the uneven surface of a grass covered enclosure. The Hall is easy to locate just off the High Street in Oakham and is now a museum run by the Rutland County Council. The castle was built on an existing motte and bailey and the remains of the motte still form the highest part of the ramparts today. There are some remnants of a curtain wall (very minor), but most of the original castle is now non-existent or remodelled/ The hall itself has been repaired an renovated over time The Great Hall is best known for its collection of commemorative Horseshoes.

The hall is decorated with a range of 12th century sculptures. Above the columns are six musicians, each playing a different instrument. They are made of local stone from Clipsham and although damaged, they are of superb quality. They are believed to have been carved by masons who had worked at Canterbury Cathedral. It was surrounded by earthen banks and stone walls which had at least two towers. To the north were gardens and fishponds.

The castle was the residence of the lord of the manor of Oakham. Sometimes the king held the manor himself and visited the castle. King John came to Oakham in 1206 and King Henry 111 seven times betwenn 1219 and 1258. He granted Oakham to his younger brother Richard. During the Barons war the castle was damaged by fire in 1264. Edward 11 in 1307 ordered castles to be fortified by their keepers and Oakham may have its defences buit up then.. Edward 111 visited in 1375, the 49th year of his reign. The castle then was often in need of repair and deteriorated to being almost an entire ruin by the 1500s.Up to this time there had been 24 lords of the manor mainly linked with the Kings of England. In 1596 the then Lord obtained licence to sell and the property went into private hands of Sir John Harrington and was held by descendants until the Finch Family gave the Castle and grounds to the Rutland County Council in 1944.

Address :

Rutland County Council D.C.
Rutland County Museum
Catmos Street
OAKHAM
Rutland
LE15 6HW

Tel: 01572 758440
Fax: 01572 758445
Email: museum@rutland.gov.uk