View source for Oakham

{{short description|Market and county town of Rutland, England}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox UK place
 | country                  = England
 | official_name            = Oakham
 | static_image_name        = Cmglee Oakham Cutts Close Park.jpg
 | static_image_caption     = Cutts Close Park in Oakham, with [[All Saints' Church, Oakham|All Saints' Church]] in the background (September 2012)
 | coordinates              = {{coord|52.6705|-0.7333|display=inline,title}}
 | population               = 12,149
 | population_ref           = ([[United Kingdom Census 2021|2021 Census]])
 | civil_parish             = Oakham<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakham Town Council Website |url=https://oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/ |website =Oakham Town Council |access-date=20 February 2022}}</ref>
 | unitary_england          = [[Rutland]]
 | lieutenancy_england      = [[Rutland]]
 | region                   = East Midlands
 | constituency_westminster = [[Rutland and Stamford (UK Parliament constituency)|Rutland and Stamford]]
| parts_type                = Areas of the town
| p1                        = [[Barleythorpe]] (Village)
| p2                        = [[Burley, Rutland|Burley]] (Village)
| p3                        = [[Egleton]] (Village)
| p4                        = [[Langham, Rutland|Langham]] (Village)
| p5                        = Town Centre
 | post_town                = OAKHAM
 | postcode_area            = LE
 | postcode_district        = LE15
 | dial_code                = 01572
 | os_grid_reference        = SK857088
 | london_distance          = 
}}

'''Oakham''' is a [[market town]] and [[civil parish]] in [[Rutland]] (of which it is the [[county town]]) in the [[East Midlands]] of [[England]]. The town is located {{convert|25|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} east of [[Leicester]], {{convert|28|mi|km|0}} southeast of [[Nottingham]] and {{convert|23|mi|km|0}} northwest of [[Peterborough]]. It had a population of 12,149 in the 2021 census.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastmidlands/rutland/E63002527__oakham/ |title=City Population. Retrieved 12 March 2023. |access-date=12 March 2023 |archive-date=8 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108154848/https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastmidlands/rutland/E34001373__oakham/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Oakham is to the west of [[Rutland Water]] and in the [[Vale of Catmose]]. Its height above sea level ranges from {{convert|325|to|400|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}}.

==Toponymy==
The name of the town means "homestead or village of Oc(c)a" or "hemmed-in land of Oc(c)a".<ref>{{cite web |author=University of Nottingham - Institute of Name Studies School of English |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Rutland/Oakham |title=Key to English Place-names |publisher=Kepn.nottingham.ac.uk |date= |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-date=13 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513162332/http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Rutland/Oakham |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Governance==
There are two tiers of local government covering Oakham, at [[civil parish|parish]] (town) and [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary authority]] level: Oakham Town Council and [[Rutland County Council]]. The town council is based at Rol House on Long Row.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakham Town Council |url=https://oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/ |access-date=19 August 2024}}</ref> The county council is also based in the town, at [[Catmose House]].

Oakham was an [[ancient parish]], and gave its name to the [[List of hundreds of England#Rutland|Oakham Hundred]], one of the five historic [[hundred (county division)|hundreds]] of Rutland.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakham Hundred / Soke |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10075725 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=18 August 2024}}</ref> When elected parish and district councils were created under the [[Local Government Act 1894]], Oakham was given a parish council and included in the [[Oakham Rural District]]. The parish was removed from the rural district in 1911 to become the [[Oakham Urban District]], with the parish council being replaced by an urban district council. The urban district was abolished in 1974 and a new parish council established, taking the name Oakham Town Council.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Local Government (Successor Parishes) Order 1973|year=1973|number=1110|access-date=19 August 2024}}</ref>

Oakham, along with the rest of [[Rutland]], has been represented at [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Westminster]] by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] Member of Parliament [[Alicia Kearns]] since 2019.

==Demography==
Women in the Oakham South East ward had the fifth-highest life expectancy at birth, 95.7 years, of any ward in England and Wales in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=James |display-authors=etal |title=Contributions of diseases and injuries to widening life expectancy inequalities in England from 2001 to 2016: a population-based analysis of vital registration data |url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(18)30214-7/fulltext |access-date=23 November 2018 |publisher=Lancet public health |date=22 November 2018 |archive-date=31 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531054055/https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(18)30214-7/fulltext |url-status=live}}</ref>

The urban area of the town now extends into the neighbouring parish of [[Barleythorpe]], to the north-west of the town centre.

==Landmarks==<!-- This heading linked from redirects for stocks and cross -->
Tourist attractions in Oakham include All Saints' Church and [[Oakham Castle]]. Another historic feature is the open-air [[Market (place)|market]] held in the town's market place every Wednesday and Saturday. Nearby is the [[Oakham Market Cross|Buttercross]] with an octagonal stone-slate roof and the wooden [[stocks]] – both Grade I [[listed building]]s.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1073278 |desc=Market Cross |access-date=1 October 2006}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE |num=1073279 |desc=Stocks |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref> 

===All Saints' Church===
{{main|All Saints' Church, Oakham}}
[[File:Oakham Castle and All Saints' Church.jpg|thumb|right|The great hall of [[Oakham Castle]], with the spire of [[All Saints' Church, Oakham|All Saints' Church]] beyond]]
The spire of Oakham parish church, built during the 14th century, dominates distant views of the town for several miles in all directions. Restored in 1857–1858 by [[Sir George Gilbert Scott]], the church is a Grade I listed building.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1073305 |desc=CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Oakham |access-date=20 June 2017}}</ref>

===Oakham Castle===
{{main|Oakham Castle}}
Only the great hall of the [[Norman architecture|Norman]] castle is still standing, surrounded by steep earthworks marking the [[Motte-and-bailey|inner bailey]]. The hall dates from about 1180–1190. The architectural historian [[Nikolaus Pevsner]], in his ''Leicestershire and Rutland'' volume of the [[Pevsner Architectural Guides|Buildings of England]] series, noted; "It is the earliest hall of any English castle surviving so completely, and it is doubly interesting in that it belonged not to a castle strictly speaking, but rather to a fortified manor house." The building is decorated with [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] architectural details, including six carvings of musicians. It is a Grade I listed building.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1073277 |desc=Oakham "Castle" |access-date=1 October 2006}}</ref> The hall was in use as an [[assize court]] until 1970 and is still occasionally used as a [[Coroner|coroner's court]] or [[Crown Court]]. It is also licensed for weddings.

The outer bailey of the castle, which is still surrounded by low earthworks, lies to the north of the castle. Known as Cutts Close, it is now a park. The park has some deep hollows which are remnants of the castle's dried-up [[stew pond]]s (fishponds).<ref name="Oakham Castle">{{Cite web |title=Oakham Castle |work=Rutland On Line |url=http://www.rutnet.co.uk//pp/Gold/viewGold.asp?id=824 |access-date=20 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301001547/http://www.rutnet.co.uk/pp/Gold/viewGold.asp?id=824 |archive-date=1 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A {{sclass2|Castle|corvette|1}} named [[HMS Oakham Castle|HMS ''Oakham Castle'']] was launched in July 1944.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Castle Class Corvettes |work=Battleships-Cruisers |url=http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/castle_class_corvettes.htm |access-date=20 February 2007 |archive-date=14 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061014061342/http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/castle_class_corvettes.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===Oakham's horseshoes===
[[File:Oakham Castle Horseshoes.jpg|thumb|left|Ceremonial horseshoes in Oakham Castle]]
Traditionally, members of [[British royal family|royalty]] and [[Peerage|peers of the realm]] who visited or passed through the town had to pay a forfeit in the form of a [[horseshoe]]. This unique custom has been enforced for over 500 years, but nowadays it only happens on special occasions (such as royal visits), when an outsize ceremonial horseshoe, specially made and decorated, is hung in the great hall of the castle. There are now over 200 of these commemorative shoes on its walls. Not all are dated and some of the earliest (which would doubtless have been ordinary horseshoes given without ceremony by exasperated noblemen) may not have survived. The earliest datable one is an outsize example commemorating a visit by King [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] in about 1470. Recent horseshoes commemorate visits by [[Anne, Princess Royal|Princess Anne]] (1999), [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] (2003) and [[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy|Princess Alexandra]] (2005).<ref name="Oakham Castle"/> The horseshoes hang with the ends pointing down; while this is generally held to be unlucky, in Rutland this was thought to stop the Devil from sitting in the hollow. The horseshoe motif appears in the county council's arms and on [[Ruddles Brewery|Ruddles beer]] labels.
{{Clear}}

===Rutland County Museum===
{{Main|Rutland County Museum}}
The museum is located in the old Riding School of the [[Rutland Yeomanry Cavalry|Rutland Fencible Cavalry]] which was built in 1794–1795.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rutland County Museum |url=https://rutlandcountymuseum.org.uk/ |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103082732/https://rutlandcountymuseum.org.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The museum houses a collection of objects relating to local rural and agricultural life, social history and archaeology.

===Statue of Queen Elizabeth II===
{{Main|Statue of Elizabeth II, Oakham}}
[[File:Queen Elizabeth statue in Oakham,Rutland.jpg|thumb]]
A statue of [[Elizabeth II]] by [[Hywel Pratley]] was unveiled on 21 April 2024, which would have been the 98th birthday of the late Queen. The 7ft (2.1m) tall sculpture on a limestone base was commissioned by the [[Lord Lieutenant of Rutland]] and funded through donations from businesses and members of the public, at the cost of £125,000.

==Transport==
[[File:oakhamfront.jpg|thumb|Oakham station frontage]]

[[Oakham railway station]] is a stop on the [[Birmingham–Peterborough line]]. It is served by two [[train operating companies]]:
* [[CrossCountry]] operates a generally hourly service between {{rws|Birmingham New Street}}, {{rws|Leicester}}, {{rws|Peterborough}}, {{rws|Cambridge}} and {{rws|Stansted Airport}}.<ref>{{Cite web |work=CrossCountry |title=Trains Timetables |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=27 August 2024 |url= https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/travel-updates-information/train-timetables |quote=}}</ref>
* [[East Midlands Railway]] operate a small number of services in the morning and evening to {{rws|Norwich}}, {{rws|Nottingham}}, {{rws|Kettering}}, {{rws|Melton Mowbray}} and Peterborough.<ref>{{Cite web |work=East Midlands Railway |title=Timetables |date=2 June 2024 |access-date=27 August 2024 |url= https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/timetables |quote=}}</ref>

Most bus services in Oakham are operated by Centrebus and Blands. Routes link the town with [[Corby]], [[Melton Mowbray]] and [[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stops in Oakham|url=https://bustimes.org/localities/oakham-rutland |website=Bustimes.org |access-date=27 August 2024}}</ref>

The [[Oakham Canal]] connected the town to the [[Melton Mowbray Navigation]], the [[River Soar]] and the national waterways system between 1802 and 1847.

==Media==
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC East Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]]. Television signals are received from the [[Waltham transmitting station|Waltham]] TV transmitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Waltham|title= Full Freeview on the Waltham (Leicestershire, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=25 September 2023}}</ref>

Rutland's local radio stations are [[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 and Rutland and Stamford Sound, a community based radio station which broadcast on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] and online to the county and [[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]] in [[Lincolnshire]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rutlandandstamfordsound.co.uk/ |title=Rutland and Stamford |access-date=26 September 2023}}</ref>

The [[Rutland and Stamford Mercury|''Rutland Mercury'']] and ''Rutland Times'' are the local newspapers that serve the area.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://rutland-time.co.uk |title=Rutland Times |access-date=26 September 2023 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-emids/rutland-stamford-mercury/|title=Rutland & Stamford Mercury|date=24 May 2014|website=British Papers|accessdate=26 September 2023}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Image:Oakham Buttercross.jpg|thumb|[[Oakham Market Cross]], with Oakham School beyond]]
[[Oakham School]] is an English [[Public school (UK)|public school]], founded together with [[Uppingham School]] in 1584. The original school building survives, north-east of the church. It has across its south front the inscription ''Schola Latina – Graeca – Hebraica A<u>°</u> 1584'' and above its door a stone with an inscription in [[Latin]], [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]].

Oakham School is the owner of the town's former [[workhouse]]. Built in 1836–1837 by the Oakham [[Poor Law Union]], it held 167 inmates until its conversion into Catmose Vale Hospital. It now contains two of the school houses for girls.

[[Catmose College]], founded in 1920, is a state-funded [[secondary school]]. [[Harington School]] is a [[sixth form]] centre next to it. [[Rutland County College]], previously Rutland Sixth Form College, moved from the outskirts of the town to [[Great Casterton]].

==Sports and recreation==
[[Oakham United F.C. (Rutland)|Oakham United]] Football Club won the [[Peterborough and District Football League]] in 2015 and gained promotion to the [[United Counties League]] First Division.<ref>Ambitious Oakham United looking to be top local side in the UCL Division One: [https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/sport/ambitious-oakham-united-looking-to-be-top-local-side-in-the-ucl-division-one-1-6768443/ Ambitious Oakham United looking to be top local side in the UCL Division One] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218224100/https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/sport/ambitious-oakham-united-looking-to-be-top-local-side-in-the-ucl-division-one-1-6768443/ |date=18 February 2020}}, accessdate 18 February 2020.</ref> It currently plays in the {{English football updater|OakhamUn}}.

Oakham [[Rugby union|Rugby Football Club]] plays at the Rutland Showground.

Oakham Cricket Club plays at the Lime Kilns off Cricket Lawns.

==Notable people==
*[[Stuart Broad]] (born 1986), cricketer
*[[John Furley (cricketer)|John Furley]] (1847–1909), cricketer
*[[Jeffrey Hudson|Sir Jeffrey Hudson]] (1619 – c. 1682) became a royal court dwarf.
*[[Tom Marshall (artist)|Tom Marshall]] – artist and photo colouriser, grew up in Oakham.
*[[Thomas Merton]] (1915–1968), a religious scholar, studied at Oakham School in 1929–1932.
*[[Titus Oates]] (1649–1705), perjuror
*[[Jonnie Peacock]] (born 1993), Paralympic runner
*[[Weston Stewart]] (1887–1969), Anglican bishop

==Twin towns==
Oakham is [[sister city|twinned]] with:
*[[Barmstedt]], Germany
*[[Dodgeville, Wisconsin|Dodgeville]], [[Wisconsin]], United States

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Oakham Church perspective corrected.jpg|All Saints' Church from footpath between Church Street and Market Place
File:Oakham_Church_and_cottage.jpg|All Saints' Church seen from Northgate
File:OakhamStocks.jpg|The stocks, under the Buttercross
File:OakhamInscription.jpg|Inscription above the Old School door
File:Oakham_Cutts_Close.jpg|Cutts Close park - looking southwest towards the original Oakham School building, with the bandstand to the right
File:Hudson's Cottage, Oakham - geograph.org.uk - 65742.jpg|Plaque on Jeffery Hudson's Cottage
File:Dean's Street, Oakham - geograph.org.uk - 23833.jpg|Dean's Street, a quiet back street
File:Victoria Hall, Oakham.jpg|Victoria Hall, built 1839, serves as a community venue and public hall
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Oakham}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[http://www.oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/ Oakham Town Council]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121027210654/http://www.oakhamtownpartnership.co.uk/ Oakham Town Partnership]}}
*[http://www.discoveroakham.org/ Discover Oakham] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128132231/https://www.discoveroakham.org/ |date=28 November 2019 }}
*[http://oakham.oakhamteam.org.uk/ All Saints Church, Oakham] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119180306/http://oakham.oakhamteam.org.uk/ |date=19 November 2015 }}
*[http://www.aboutbritain.com/OakhamCastle.htm Oakham Castle]
*[http://www.rutland.gov.uk/ Rutland County Council]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060924122206/http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/Oakham/Oakham.shtml Oakham workhouse]

{{Rutland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Oakham| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Rutland]]
[[Category:County towns in England]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Rutland]]
[[Category:Market towns in Rutland]]