About Oundle

Oundle Market Place - Photo by Baz Richardson

The Talbot Hotel, Eatery and Coffee House is located in the heart of Oundle, an unspoilt, historic market town on the River Nene. We are about 68 miles north of London and 12 miles south-west of Peterborough, which offers high speed rail journeys into the capital. 

Oundle has been inhabited since the Iron Age and was originally used as a market and trading place for local craftsmen and farmers. Unlike many other local settlements, Oundle was unaffected by the Black Death in the mid-14th Century!

The Laxton School, just in front of the Cloisters. Photograph by Simon Holder.

Oundle is perhaps most famous for its grammar school, which has stood in some form since 1465. The Oundle School and Laxton School attracts students from around the globe and boasts a huge range of facilities as well as being host to a number of art and music events throughout the year.

The Courtyard of The Talbot,  looking towards the oldest part of the hotel.

Among the oldest buildings in Oundle is our very own Talbot Hotel. This was first constructed in timber and used as a holstelry for pilgrims, but then rebuilt with stone from the ruins of nearby Fotheringhay Castle. Once a brewing town, famous for its many breweries, Oundle boasts many fine public houses in addition to the Talbot Bar. These include the Rose and Crown, the Ship Inn, The Angel and The George.

In addition to places to drink and learn (although possibly not in that order), Oundle boasts a number of beautiful churches. St Peter's has the largest steeple in the area (you may see it as you approach Oundle), but there are also Methodist, Baptist and Roman Catholic churches.

An example of a stall at the Oundle Farmers Market.

Foodies will love all the local fare on offer at the Farmers Market, which is held in the Market Place on the second Saturday of every month. If you'd rather have someone cook it for you, The Talbots Eatery menu offers a range of delicious dishes served all day featuring the very best in local and British produce.

There is plenty of local entertainment to be found, with the Stahl Theatre offering a range of plays and films, while the Oundle International Festival is a music festival and pipe organ school, founded in 1985, which provides many fantastic events thoughout the year. In addition, the Oundle Festival of Literature showcases the very best authors, with plays, events, workshops and guest speakers throughout the early Summer.

A competitor at the World Conker Championships. Photograph by Bambography.

If you prefer your entertainment to be slightly sillier in nature, the World Conker Championships, located in Ashton, a village nearby, may be more up your street. The championship takes place in the second Sunday of October and features the games, but also real ale, good food,  Morris Dancers and other traditional local entertainment - making it a great day out for the family!

We will be blogging about all the latest events and festivals in and around Oundle to enjoy - so please bookmark us. If you run a local blog or run any local events, please drop us a comment or email Rebecca at talbot@bpcmail.co.uk and we will link back to you here!