|
Oakham
|
|
|
Some twenty miles east from Leicester, well-heeled
OAKHAM
, Rutland's county town, has a long history as a commercial centre, its prosperity bolstered by Oakham School, a late sixteenth-century foundation that's become one of the country's more exclusive private schools. The town's stone terraces and Georgian villas are too often interrupted by the mundanely modern to assume any grace, but Oakham has its architectural moments - particularly in the L-shaped
Market Place
, where the sturdy awnings of the octagonal Butter Cross shelter the old town stocks. Footsteps from the north side of the Market Place stands
Oakham Castle
(April-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-1pm & 1.30-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; Nov-March Mon-Sat 10am-1pm & 1.30-4pm, Sun 1-4pm; free), comprising part of a fortified house dating from 1191. The banqueting hall is the main survivor, a good example of Norman domestic architecture, and inside the whitewashed walls are covered with horseshoes. This is the result of an ancient custom by which every lord or lady, king or queen, is obliged to present an ornamental horseshoe when they first set foot in the town.
Oakham School is housed in a series of impressive ironstone buildings that frame the west edge of the Market Place. On the right-hand side of the school, a narrow lane allows you to see more of the buildings on the way to All Saints' church , whose heavy tower and spire rise high above the town. Dating from the thirteenth century, the church is an architectural hybrid, but the light and airy interior is distinguished by the medieval carvings along the piers beside the chancel, with Christian scenes and symbols set opposite dragons, grotesques, devils and demons.
With regular services from Leicester and Peterborough, Oakham
train station
lies on the west side of town, five minutes' walk from the Market Place.
Buses
connect the town with - amongst many places - Leicester and Nottingham and these pull in on John Street, close to - and also west of - the Market Place. A thorough exploration of Oakham only takes a couple of hours and there are other more interesting places nearby, but, if you do decide to stay, the
tourist office
, at Flore's House, 34 High St (Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-3pm; Nov-March Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat 10am-4pm, Tues & Thurs 10am-1pm; tel 01572/724329,
), can help you find
accommodation
. In addition, the
Whipper-In Hotel
, on the Market Place (tel 01572/756971; A?60-70), is a tempting proposition, its smartly decorated modern rooms set behind an attractive old facade. For
food
, the
Whipper-In
serves excellent bar snacks as does the nearby
Wheatsheaf
, a traditional pub with a good range of brews at 2-4 Northgate. Also near at hand, at 2 Burley Rd, is
Loretta's Bistro
(closed Mon & Tues-Sun eve), which offers a varied range of tasty Greek dishes at very reasonable prices. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
|
United Kingdom,
|