Oakham Castle

What a gem. Ancient building saved by its continuous use as a courtroom.
Huge horseshoes on the walls, a tradition that visiting Royalty and gentry have to leave one makes for a very unusual experience combined with the beautiful oak roof structure.
The volunteer guide brought the history of the place alive for us.
There is a cafe too, sadly closed on our Monday visit.
An unusual war memorial too, with the dates 1914 to 1919.
If you fancy taking yourself off for some quiet time visit the holding cell.
Thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Oakham is a hidd3n beauty spot! If you're in the area and are looking for a place of interest, look no further! Free parking, free entry (dogs are welcome too) with a cafe and toilets inside. The building itself dates back to around the 11th century, being one of the best preserved Norman halls in the country. The inside is adorned with a fascinating array of horseshoes that have been gifted to the hall over the many centuries. The grounds are a nice walk too, being connected to the adjacent park. Well worth a visit for fans of history!

Very interesting place, lots of information inside. Grade 1 listed Great Hall, all that is remaining from the Castle complex. Maintained well and is still a working Crown Court, the oldest in England.

What an interesting building which is in brilliant condition having received lottery funding some years ago, hard to believe that the building was used as Magistrates Court until i think 2002, there is also a memorial plaque displaying names of local residents killed in WW1 but alongside was a detailed service history about most of those listed, just off the main building is a cosy cafe with very friendly staff, good menu and a mean coffee, The grounds have been maintained well and there is a free carpark (time limit) for visitors to the castle

A fabulous wedding ceremony located in the heart of Oakham, Rutland. Pretty grounds with Sensory Garden and a great catering team to provide fizz and canopies after the Wedding ceremony. The unique decor inside the Gt Hall is a stunning backdrop and will certainly remind me of Rutland. Professionally run with kind and friendly people, nothing seemed too much trouble.

All that is left of Oakham Castle is its Great Hall which has survived from Norman times. Unlike Pevensey Castle, it was not fortunate enough to have a Roman base which could withstand the test of time. The Castle is conveniently located in the center of Oakham, the county town of Rutland, the smallest county in England.

One of the unique things about Oakham Castle is its collection of horseshoes. No one knows where this tradition started but every visiting nobleman or royal has to provide a horseshoe to hang on the wall of the Great Hall on their first visit to Oakham Castle. The oldest horseshoe belongs to Edward IV from the 15th century. There are over 200 horseshoes now including horseshoes given by Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria.

The Great Hall at Oakham Castle is surrounded by a large field where the Castle’s outbuildings would have stood. The defensive walls are also still in place. From the top of the hill for the wall, you have fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.

Having grown up in this locality it was a delight to revisit this historic establishment free of charge with a 2 hour parking allowance with its royal horseshoe donations. Even moreso to sample home made cake at the new cafe along with meeting an esteemed acquaintance who was on duty. 😁💙🌞🇬🇧👍

Oakham Castle is really a Great Hall. It is not a huge attraction and you won’t need to spend more than a couple of hours there. That said, it is a real gem of a place with lots of history. The lady who greeted us was lovely and explained a lot of the history to us. We didn’t use the cafe but it looked tempting. If you get the chance to go or can tie it in with something else then I would recommend.

Loved the story and history, you can spend ages studying the horseshoes from Earls, Viscounts, Lords and Ladies, right down to Kings and Queens - all of whom have visited and left a horseshoe as they have passed on through.
The venue is dog friendly with the staff warm, welcoming and helpful.
It will not take you long to walk around as it’s only a small building, but it’s well worth a look !

Oakham town sits in the county of Rutland, a beautiful area to explore. The town is old and steeped in history . It has lovely shops, eateries, pubs, and a nice small Saturday market. The church is beautiful & next door, the castle, what remains of it, which is the main hall, dating back to the 1100s, well worth a visit also connected to the hall a very nice tea room serving very nice food & drinks not cheap but worth it food and service excellent . Rutland is beautiful enough to explore the back lanes and villages such as Uppingham. You step back in time, and same here, plenty of tasty eateries , pubs, and shops, a beautiful little church, the Falcon Hotel worth a visit for tea coffee or something a little stronger. Also, to visit Rutland Waters, a place in springtime where ospreys return from Africa to nest here . This is a nice time to visit the area autumn now with us the leaves are changing into their different beautiful colours . If you decide to explore Rutland, you won't be disappointed . Enjoy.

Very nice place to stop and spend an hour or so. Beautiful grounds and garden and the historical information on the inside is quite interesting. The staff were all very friendly.

The staff are super engaging and friendly and are very proud of the historic site. The main building is the great hall of the castle - the only one to survive. However, the ruined castle walls and motte make for an impressive sight with plenty of good photo opportunities. The space has a café and lots of parking and is wheelchair accessible. The whole place extremely tidy and very well kept after a recent in-depth restoration.

Usual place very interesting . The curator was helpful and full of knowledge . Lovely tea room as well

A fantastic little place, free to visit and run by helpful friendly volunteers. 230 horse shoes on the wall of a court room. Nice information sheet and information boards dotted about and interactive displays on the shoes. Cafe attached and 2 hours free parking by the entrance

A beautiful place to visit.. so many things to do .. whether you are super fit or a plodder... best spend at least one night .. many places to choose from.

Very impressed. All nobility are represented by a horse shoe. A place of trials, and death sentence. Wheelchair friendly, friendly staff, restaurant, lovely for a picnic.

Lovely place. Cafeteria does lovely food too.
Wasn't a fee for going in.

This is an unusual castle which is up a small alleyway leading from the market. The grounds and the building are immaculate, and a nice relaxing place to rest, it is only a very short distance from the town centre. The surprise is
when you enter the main castle
Hall, the walls are covered with
horseshoes of all sizes, which represent Peers of the Realm who pass through Oakham, and who give them to the Lord of the Manor.

Delightful surprise. Very well kept. Good information. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Best of all free entry. Lovely café.

A very interesting piece of history built by the Norman's.
There's a large amount of ornate horse shoes that are a tradition.
Even some costumes for you to try.
Refreshments and Toilets

Free entry