Uppingham | |
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The Market Place and church |
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Uppingham shown within Rutland | |
Population | 4,745 Census 2011 |
OS grid reference | SP865999 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | OAKHAM |
Postcode district | LE15 |
Dialling code | 01572 |
Police | Leicestershire |
Fire | Leicestershire |
Ambulance | East Midlands |
EU Parliament | East Midlands |
UK Parliament | |
Uppingham is a market town in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England, located on the A47 between Leicester and Peterborough, about 6 miles (10 km) south of the county town, Oakham on the A6003 road.
The market square is transformed once a year into the only fatstock show still to be held in temporary penning in a traditional market town. The first recorded show was in 1889. In 2011, 140 sheep, 24 pigs and 20 cattle were entered. The event attracts farmers from all over the area who exhibit their prize livestock and toast their acquaintances afterwards in The Falcon Hotel.
A little over 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north-west at Castle Hill are the earthwork remains of a medieval motte and bailey castle. The Church of St Peter and St Paul, Uppingham is largely 14th century. It is perhaps known particularly for the early ministry of Jeremy Taylor. Uppingham Workhouse was first recorded in 1777 with space for 40 inmates. Until 1834 it was a parish workhouse, but in 1836 the Uppingham Poor Law Union began, and a new Union workhouse was built on Leicester Road to house 158 people to a design by architect William Donthorne. In the World War I, the building was used as an auxiliary hospital staffed by a Voluntary Aid Detachment. The workhouse was closed in 1929, and taken over by Uppingham School which uses the building as a boarding house for 60 girls called Constables.
The Eyebrook Reservoir near Uppingham was used by Avro Lancasters flying from RAF Scampton as the final practice run for Guy Gibson's 617 Squadron Dambusters prior to Operation Chastise, the attack on the Ruhr valley Dams on the night of the 16/17 May 1943.