Stretton

Stretton is a small village and civil parish in Rutland, England's smallest historic county, tucked just off the A1 a few miles north-east of Oakham. It sits on the line of Ermine Street, the Roman road that once ran from London to York, and is one of seventeen villages called Stretton in Britain, all but two of which lie on Roman roads. The parish, which also takes in the hamlet of Thistleton, had a population of 1,260 at the 2011 census.

The village itself is unassuming: a scatter of stone cottages, the ancient church of St Nicholas with its mix of Norman, Early English and Jacobean work, and the seventeenth and eighteenth-century Stocken Hall nearby, once the farm for HMP Stocken and now converted into apartments. What makes Stretton a useful base is its position. It is close to Oakham, Rutland's county town, and within easy striking distance of Rutland Water, one of the largest reservoirs in Europe and a magnet for walkers, cyclists and birdwatchers. Anyone staying here is trading big-name attractions for genuine rural quiet, with Rutland's better-known sights only a short drive away.

Top things to do near Stretton

Stretton itself is a place to unwind rather than sightsee, but the surrounding area packs in more than its size suggests.

• Rutland Water — a vast man-made reservoir with a 17-mile circular cycle and walking trail, sailing, fishing and one of the country's best-known ospreys reintroduction projects at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve.
• Normanton Church — the half-submerged former church on the edge of Rutland Water, now a small museum, and one of the most photographed buildings in the East Midlands.
• Oakham Castle — a rare surviving twelfth-century great hall in the county town, famous for its collection of ceremonial horseshoes presented by visiting peers of the realm.
• Rutland County Museum — housed in an eighteenth-century cavalry riding school in Oakham, covering local history, agriculture and rural life.
• Barnsdale Gardens — the former garden of BBC Gardeners' World presenter Geoff Hamilton, near Rutland Water, with more than three dozen individually designed garden areas.
• Stamford — a well-preserved Georgian stone town over the border in Lincolnshire, often used as a filming location for period drama, with independent shops and Burghley House on its outskirts.

Getting to Stretton

Stretton lies just off the A1, making it straightforward to reach by car from the north or south; Oakham is around ten minutes' drive away and Stamford roughly fifteen minutes. The nearest mainline railway station is Oakham, on the line between Birmingham and Peterborough/Stansted, with connections to London via Peterborough. Grantham station, on the East Coast Main Line, is also within reach for faster London services. There is no rail station in Stretton itself, so a car is the most practical way to explore the wider area.

Best time to visit Stretton

Late spring through early autumn suits Rutland Water best, when the cycle paths, sailing and nature reserve are at their most active and Barnsdale Gardens are in full bloom. Ospreys typically return to Rutland Water between March and September, so late spring and summer are the best window for birdwatchers. Autumn brings quieter roads and good walking weather, while winter is markedly still, with Stretton's stone cottages and surrounding farmland making for a peaceful, low-key countryside break.

Where to stay near Stretton

Stretton has no large hotels of its own, so most visitors base themselves in Oakham or around Rutland Water, both a short drive away, or in Stamford for a wider choice of coaching inns and townhouse hotels. Options range from traditional country pubs with rooms to farmhouse bed and breakfasts, with self-catering cottages common across the surrounding villages.

Food and drink near Stretton

Stretton's own dining options are limited, reflecting its size, though the village has long been associated with the Ram Jam Inn, a historic coaching inn on the former Great North Road just outside the village that was reputedly used by Dick Turpin and later gave its name to 1960s band Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band; the pub closed in 2013. For a meal out today, Oakham and Stamford offer a proper range of pubs, cafes and restaurants, and the villages around Rutland Water include several well-regarded country inns.