Oakham Castle

The history of the venue

The splendid Great Hall of Oakham Castle is one of the finest examples of late 12th century domestic architecture in England.

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.

History of the horseshoes

240 horseshoes hang on the walls of the Great Hall. These represent the unique custom that every peer of the realm must give a horseshoe to the lord of the manor on their first visit to Oakham. The custom has been followed for at least 500 years and probably dates back to the 12th century. The oldest surviving horseshoe is said to have been given by Edward IV in about 1470. The most recent were given by HRH The Princess Royal in 1999, HRH The Prince of Wales in 2003 and HRH Princess Alexandra 2005.

Weddings

Looking for an interesting wedding venue? The Great Hall of Oakham Castle is licensed for Civil Partnerships and Marriage ceremonies.

The Great hall

The Great Hall may be hired for events that are open to the public during our opening hours or for private events when it is closed to the public.
It has good accoustics and will comfortably accomodate up to 100 people.

The No. 1 Court

The No. 1 Court may be hired separately, or in conjunction with The Great Hall (see above). It is suitable for meetings involving up to 40 people.