Rutland is the smallest historic county in England. It covers 147 square miles (382 km2) in the East Midlands and had 41,342 residents at the 2021 census, fewer than any other ceremonial county except the City of London.
Oakham is the county town, Uppingham the only other town, and everything else is a village. The whole county is run by one unitary authority, Rutland County Council.
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Region | East Midlands |
| Status | Ceremonial county and unitary authority |
| Former name | Rutlandshire |
| Area | 147 sq mi (382 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 41,342 |
| Density | 108 people per km2 (280 per sq mi) |
| County town | Oakham (about 12,100) |
| Other town | Uppingham (about 4,700) |
| Motto | Multum in Parvo (much in little) |
| Postcode areas | LE15 for most of the county, PE9 in the east |
Towns and Villages in Rutland
Rutland has 50 named settlements: two towns and 48 villages and hamlets, listed alphabetically from Ashwell to Wing.
- Ashwell
- Ayston
- Barleythorpe
- Barnsdale
- Barrow
- Belmesthorpe
- Belton
- Bisbrooke
- Braunston
- Brooke
- Burley
- Caldecott
- Casterton
- Clipsham
- Cottesmore
- Edith Weston
- Egleton
- Empingham
- Essendine
- Exton
- Glaston
- Greetham
- Ingthorpe
- Ketton
- Langham
- Lyddington
- Lyndon
- Manton
- Market Overton
- Morcott
- North Luffenham
- Oakham
- Pickworth
- Preston
- Ridlington
- Ryhall
- Seaton
- South Luffenham
- Stoke Dry
- Stretton
- Teigh
- Thistleton
- Thorpe by Water
- Tickencote
- Tinwell
- Tixover
- Upper Hambleton
- Uppingham
- Whissendine
- Wing
Geography
Rutland is limestone and ironstone country, gently rolling and almost entirely farmed. The Welland forms the southern boundary, the Chater and Gwash cross the middle, and the Eye Brook runs down the western edge.
Rutland Water fills the Gwash valley between Oakham, Empingham and Edith Weston. At about 3,100 acres it is one of the largest reservoirs in England by surface area, and its western arms are a national nature reserve and an internationally recognised wetland for waterfowl and ospreys.
The county borders Leicestershire to the west and north, Lincolnshire to the north-east and Northamptonshire to the south. Stamford, just across the Lincolnshire line, serves the eastern villages as their market town.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 41,342 residents, a rise of about 4% on 2011. Roughly two in five live in Oakham, which holds about 12,100 people; Uppingham has about 4,700.
Ketton, at about 1,900, is the largest village and the biggest settlement in the east. Ryhall, Langham and Cottesmore each hold around 1,000 to 1,500, and most other villages number in the hundreds.
Rutland has an older and more affluent profile than England as a whole, with high home ownership and few flats. Military households at Kendrew Barracks in Cottesmore and St George’s Barracks at North Luffenham make up a visible share of the population in the north-east.
Economy and Local Life
Farming and quarrying still matter here in a way they no longer do in most of England. The Ketton cement works has produced cement from local limestone since 1928 and remains the county’s largest industrial employer, and Clipsham and Ketton stone has been quarried for building since Roman times.
Rutland Water carries the tourist trade: sailing, fly fishing, cycling on the 23-mile perimeter track and birdwatching at the Egleton and Lyndon reserves, where ospreys have bred since 2001. Oakham School and Uppingham School are large independent boarding schools and major local employers.
Oakham holds a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Uppingham on Fridays. Both towns keep a working high street of independent shops, which is unusual for towns of their size.
History
Rutland appears in Domesday Book as a distinct territory attached to Nottinghamshire, and it has been recognised as a shire since the twelfth century. Oakham Castle’s Norman great hall survives with a collection of more than 200 ceremonial horseshoes, one demanded from every peer of the realm passing through.
The county was abolished in 1974 and absorbed into Leicestershire, against fierce local objection. Campaigning restored it: Rutland became a unitary authority again on 1 April 1997, and the county council still uses the motto Multum in Parvo.
Two finds have put the county in the news recently. A Roman villa mosaic depicting scenes from the Trojan War was uncovered near Ketton in 2020, and a 10-metre ichthyosaur, the largest complete fossil of its kind found in Britain, was excavated at Rutland Water in 2021.
Getting There
The A1 runs along the eastern edge past Stretton and Empingham. The A47 crosses from Leicester to Peterborough, the A606 links Oakham to Melton Mowbray and Stamford, and the A6003 runs south from Oakham through Uppingham to Corby.
Oakham station is on the Birmingham to Stansted Airport line, with trains to Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Peterborough and Cambridge. Stamford and Peterborough stations serve the eastern villages, and Peterborough gives fast East Coast Main Line connections to London.
The nearest airports are East Midlands, about 35 miles west, and Birmingham, about 70 miles away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Rutland?
41,342 at the 2021 census. It is the least populated ceremonial county in England apart from the City of London.
What are the towns in Rutland?
Only two: Oakham, the county town, with about 12,100 people, and Uppingham with about 4,700. Ketton, at about 1,900, is the largest village.
How many villages are there in Rutland?
The gazetteer lists 50 settlements in total, so 48 villages and hamlets alongside the two towns.
Is Rutland a real county?
Yes. It was abolished in 1974 and merged into Leicestershire, then restored as a unitary authority and ceremonial county on 1 April 1997.
How big is Rutland Water?
About 3,100 acres of water surface, filling the Gwash valley east of Oakham. It was built between 1971 and 1975 and flooded the villages of Nether Hambleton and Middle Hambleton.
Where is Rutland?
In the East Midlands, between Leicestershire to the west and north, Lincolnshire to the north-east and Northamptonshire to the south.