ENGLISH COUNTIES

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about 

Things you didn’t know about Rutland!

England’s Smallest County is Quite Interesting… National Treasure and original presenter of QI, Stephen Fry was a student at Uppingham School – before being expelled! In homage to QI, here are some rather interesting and intriguing factoid’s about Rutland:

Forward-thinking and environmentally aware, Rutland was the first county to offer region-wide coverage for charging electric cars. In 2012, regional partnership Uppingham First, installed four charging points in the county; at the Larkfleet Homes showhome in Oakham, the Falcon Hotel in Uppingham, Greetham Valley Hotel and Golf Club and The Barnsdale. 

In the village of Wing you will find a medieval turf maze, one of only eight surviving in England. Wing Maze this 14 meter unicursal would have been crawled along by penitents on hands and knees.

Rutland was reinstated as a county in 1997 after being absorbed into Leicestershire in 1974.

The county of Rutland covers 151 square miles; North to South it measures 16.3 miles and East to West is 16.53 miles and is home to the UK’s largest man-made reservoir by surface area, Rutland Water is similar in size to Lake Windermere in the Lake District.

Residents of Rutland are known as ‘Raddlemen’, although are usually referred to nowadays as Rutlanders.

Peers of the realm who pass through Oakham for the first time must present a horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor.  This unique custom started more than 500 years ago. Over 200 horseshoes are displayed in Oakham Castle (which is actually a Norman Great Hall). The oldest surviving horseshoe is said to have been given by Edward IV in about 1470. The horseshoe has been Rutland’s emblem for hundreds of years.

In Rutland, all horseshoes are hung with their tips at the bottom, which some people consider to be upside down and bad luck. There are several reasons given for hanging them this way, including the belief that the devil cannot make a nest in the bottom of the horseshoe if it’s hung with the tips to the bottom. Some people believe that luck falls from the horseshoe and is bestowed on those that walk beneath it.

Oakham Castle is the oldest English court building that remains in continuous use, with trials taking place there as early as 1229.

Interior of Oakham Castle showing a wall covered in Horseshoes

In the 17th Century, Rutland was home to England’s smallest man, Sir Jeffrey Hudson, who was 18 inches tall (45cms) and was presented to Queen Henrietta Maria in a cold pie! Sir Jeffrey lead an exciting and adventurous life that included being feted by the Royal Court, killing a man in a duel, being captured by Barbary pirates and spending 25 years as a slave in North Africa before being rescued and returned to his home in England.

Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire is the home of Their Graces, the 11th Duke and Duchess of Rutland; David Manners, His Grace, The 11th Duke of Rutland and Emma Manners, Her Grace, The Duchess of Rutland.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking