OUNDLE AND THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS
Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 (2001 census). It is 80 miles north of London and 12 miles (20 km) southwest of the City of Peterborough.
Oundle is attractively situated on rising
ground beside a meander of the River Nene. Skirted by water meadows which are a haven for
wildlife, and increasingly popular with walkers, artists and anglers, this picturesque town is
built of local Jurassic limestone with roofs of Collyweston slate.
The mainly 13th
Century parish church, with its striking spire, is considered to be one of the most beautiful in
the Nene Valley and is visible for miles.
Oundle is also famous for its public school,
which contributes many buildings of outstanding historical and architectural interest, and
occupies buildings throughout the town.
Well known throughout the county for the
excellent quality of its friendly, family shops and small businesses, Oundle's thriving
local community organises a welcoming and diverse range of sporting, cultural and recreational
activities.
Over 20 stalls can be perused at the interesting and lively market held every
Thursday, and on the second Saturday of each month a Farmers' Market provides the
opportunity to enjoy delicious local produce.
History
Oundle, like many other villages and towns in England, was originally a
trading place and market for local farmers and craftsmen. As the area became more prosperous,
wealthy traders set up shops and houses, and guilds were formed.
Buildings
Among
the oldest buildings in Oundle is the Talbot Inn. This inn was initially constructed out of
timber; it was later rebuilt with stone from the ruins of nearby Fotheringhay Castle. Other
public houses in the town include The Rose & Crown, The Ship Inn (a 14th century coaching
inn), The Angel, and The George.
There are a number of churches in Oundle. By far the
largest and most prominent – with the largest steeple in the area – is St Peter's
parish church, which occupies the main churchyard. There are also Methodist, Baptist and Roman
Catholic churches in Oundle. However, the Baptist church does not have its own building and
holds services on Sunday mornings in Prince William School.
Other major buildings include
the Stahl Theatre, a primary school, and many very large Oundle School buildings which are
sometimes open to the public. These include a full-length swimming pool and the school's
Great Hall.
There is also a park where play equipment such as swings and climbing frames
can be found, as well as a skatepark, built in 2005 to accommodate the skateboarders and
rollerbladers in the town. A fair also arrives annually, attracting many locals each
year.
Oundle is home to two of the three factories producing the world-renowned luxury
boats from Fairline Boats, the third factory being situated in Weldon, near Corby. The original
factory is based at Barnwell Road in Oundle and the newer factory in Oundle is at the Nene
Valley site. The company has a multi-million-pound turnover.
Schools
The town has a primary school, an
award-winning middle
school and a secondary school / 6th form college which has nearly 1200 pupils, Prince William School and
Sixth Form Centre. There are several village primary schools nearby, such as Glapthorn, Polebrook and Barnwell.
There are also two independent schools: the famous Oundle School, and,
for children aged 5-11 years, Laxton
Junior School.
Festivals
The Oundle International
Festival (OIF) is a music festival and pipe organ school. OIF was founded in 1985, with
the training of young organists as its core component. The summer schools are centred upon an
organ, built by Frobenius of Denmark and installed in Oundle School Chapel. A concurrent
festival programme for the general public was also planned as a recurrent feature of the
enterprise.
The Oundle
Festival of Literature takes place in March each year and features a programme of author
events, poetry, philosophy, politics, story telling, biography, illustrators and novelists for
young and old.
For more information, click here to visit Oundle Tourist Information
MAP OF OUNDLE AND DISTRICT
Nearby Villages
ASHTON
The building of Ashton village commenced in 1885
under the instruction of the mercantile Rothchild family as a model village. Designed by the
fashionable Victorian architect, William Huckvale and overseen by Walter Charles Rothchild, the
village was created as a community facility for the tied Ashton Estate workers. The pub and
cottages surrounding the village green were built from limestone quarried from the estate, all
with thatched roofs.
BARNWELL
BRIGSTOCK
BULWICK
COTTERSTOCK
ELTON
FOLKSWORTH
FOTHERINGHAY
GLAPTHORN
HEMINGTON
KINGS
CLIFFE
LILFORD
LOWER
BENEFIELD
LUDDINGTON
LUTTON
NASSINGTON
PILTON
POLEBROOK
Polebrook
is a quiet village of some 400-odd inhabitants, tucked in the north-east corner of
Northamptonshire, near Oundle. Its buildings are mainly stone, so that it looks like a displaced
part of the Cotswolds. It has a church, one pub, a primary school, and no shops.
SOUTHWICK
STOKE
DOYLE
SUDBOROUGH
TANSOR
THURNING
UPPER BENEFIELD
WADENHOE
WARMINGTON
WINWICK
WOODNEWTON
YARWELL