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Oakham Castle horseshoes — Castle Grounds Market Place
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Oakham Castle horseshoes

Oakham Castle in Rutland is a captivating place to visit for history lovers in the UK. Over 300 horseshoes from Royalty and Peers of the Realm hang on the walls. Ancient tradition demands that peers present a horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor on their first visit to the town. Ma...

Photo · Alina P.

Oakham Castle horseshoes — Castle Grounds Market Place, UK.

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Castle Grounds Market Place
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Other
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About Oakham Castle horseshoes

Oakham Castle horseshoes - Castle Grounds Market Place | Secret World Trip Planner

Oakham Castle in Rutland is a captivating place to visit for history lovers in the UK.

Oakham Castle horseshoes - Castle Grounds Market Place | Secret World Trip Planner

Over 300 horseshoes from Royalty and Peers of the Realm hang on the walls. Ancient tradition demands that peers present a horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor on their first visit to the town.

Many of the first horseshoes were nailed to the Castle Gate. Later, the horseshoes became more ornate and were gilded and inscribed with the donor’s name.

In the 1700s, it became the fashion to add a coronet (a small crown) denoting the rank of the donor. The horseshoes are hung with their ends facing downwards as they have been for centuries as depicted on the County Coat of Arms.

The earliest mention of the custom was found in Henry VIII’s State Papers from 1581.

Frequently Asked Questions

Over 300 horseshoes hang on the castle walls due to an ancient tradition requiring peers and royalty to present a horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor on their first visit to Oakham. This custom dates back to at least 1581, when it was first documented in Henry VIII's State Papers, making it one of England's most enduring traditions.
Starting in the 1700s, donors began adding coronets (small crowns) to their horseshoes to denote their rank and title. The earliest horseshoes were simpler, but over time they became increasingly ornate and gilded with the donor's name inscribed, allowing visitors to identify both the giver and their social status.
The horseshoes have hung with their ends facing downwards for centuries, a tradition so significant that it's depicted on the County Coat of Arms of Rutland. This unusual orientation has been maintained throughout the castle's history and remains unchanged to this day.
The tradition of presenting horseshoes to the Lord of the Manor is one of Britain's oldest customs, with its earliest documented mention found in Henry VIII's State Papers from 1581. Originally, horseshoes were simply nailed to the Castle Gate, but they eventually evolved into elaborate, gilded pieces inscribed with donors' names and coronets indicating their rank.
The horseshoes are hung on the walls throughout Oakham Castle, with the earliest ones having been nailed to the Castle Gate before the practice evolved. Today, visitors can view the entire collection of over 300 horseshoes, which showcase centuries of royal and aristocratic patronage in one remarkable display.

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