Uppingham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Disambiguation: "Uppingham" is the colloquial name for Uppingham School
| Uppingham | |
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| Population | 3,781 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Rutland |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OAKHAM |
| Postcode district | LE15 |
| Dial code | 01572 |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Rutland and Melton |
| European Parliament | East Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England | |
Uppingham is a small market town in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located on the A47 between Leicester and Peterborough, about 6 miles south of the county town, Oakham. It is the second largest town in the county.
Uppingham is notable as the home of Uppingham School, an independent school founded in the 16th century, and twinned with Oakham School near by. It is claimed that the school has the largest playing fields of any school in the country, although that is contested by Christ's Hospital.
There is also a state secondary school (Uppingham Community College) and two primary schools — Leighfield and Uppingham Church of England School. A proposal to replace the primary schools with a newly built school was rejected in 2007.
Uppingham ward, which includes the neighbouring parish of Beaumont Chase, has three councillors on Rutland County Council. It is the only ward in the county to have more than two representatives.
Uppingham railway station, at the end of a branch line from Seaton, was opened in 1894 and was located at the bottom of Queen Street. Passenger services were withdrawn in 1960 and the line closed completely in 1964. The station area has now been redeveloped as an industrial estate.
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 the Leicester Road to house 158 people to a design by architect William Donthorne. In the Great War, 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 who use the building as a boarding house.
