About
Rutland County Museum stands as the principal museum for England's smallest historic county, a remarkable institution that celebrates the distinctive character and deep history of Rutland in a uniquely appropriate setting. The museum is housed in a former indoor riding school built in 1794 for the Rutland Volunteer Cavalry — an imposing and atmospheric building of considerable architectural interest that adds a layer of historical texture to every visit.
Rutland's status as England's smallest county has lent it a particular pride of place identity, and the museum reflects this with collections that range from prehistoric finds through the Roman period, the medieval landscape, and into the agricultural and social history of the modern county. Rutland's story is in many ways the story of rural England — a largely agricultural landscape shaped by its geology, its drainage patterns, and the farming communities that have worked it for millennia.
Archaeology forms a significant part of the museum's collections, with finds from Roman-period Rutland being particularly notable. The county was crossed by major Roman roads and contained several significant Roman settlements and farmsteads, and the archaeological record is rich. More recently, the extraordinary discovery of a Roman mosaic near Rutland Water — depicting scenes from the Trojan War and dating from the fourth century AD — has brought international attention to Rutland's Roman heritage, placing the county on the archaeological map in a dramatic way.
The agricultural collections document the farming life that has shaped Rutland for centuries, with a comprehensive array of farm implements, tools, machinery, and domestic objects reflecting the rhythms of the agricultural year and the craft traditions of the rural community. Horse-drawn machinery, hand tools, dairy equipment, and craft items connected to rural trades are displayed in the generous floor space of the former riding school, which is well-suited to displaying larger objects that would be difficult to accommodate in a conventional gallery setting.
Rutland Water — one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Europe, created in the 1970s — is a defining feature of the modern county, and the museum explores the story of its creation including the communities and farmland that were submerged and the ecological and recreational landscape that emerged. The museum serves as a vital repository of memory for a county that has experienced profound change while maintaining a strong sense of its own identity.
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Highlights
The Former Volunteer Cavalry Riding School
The building that houses Rutland County Museum is itself one of the most remarkable features of a visit.
Constructed in 1794 for the Rutland Volunteer Cavalry — a militia unit raised during the period of the French Revolutionary Wars — the indoor riding school is an impressive structure designed to allow mounted training in all weather conditions. The soaring roof, open floor, and generous proportions of the original riding hall are perfectly suited to displaying the large agricultural machinery and heritage objects that form the core of the museum's collections, and the building's history adds an additional layer of interest to every exhibit displayed within it.
Roman Rutland — An Extraordinary Heritage
Rutland lies across major Roman road systems and the county contains evidence of significant Roman-period settlement, agriculture, and industry. The museum's Roman collections include finds from numerous excavated sites across the county, illustrating the high level of Roman investment in this part of the East Midlands.
The recent discovery near Rutland Water of a large and exceptionally well-preserved Roman mosaic depicting scenes from the Trojan War — dating from the fourth century AD and representing one of the most significant Roman finds in Britain in recent decades — has transformed understanding of the wealth and cultural sophistication of Roman-period Rutland and has brought international attention to the county's archaeological heritage.
Agricultural Collections
The agricultural collections are the most extensive element of the museum, filling the great floor of the riding school with an extraordinary array of farm equipment, hand tools, horse-drawn machinery, and domestic objects that document the farming life of Rutland across centuries. Ploughs, harrows, seed drills, threshing machines, and horse-drawn wagons illustrate the physical work of the agricultural year, while smaller items — dairy equipment, basketry, harness, hand tools for hedging and ditching — reflect the craft skills and daily routines of rural communities.
These collections represent the living memory of a way of life that has been transformed almost beyond recognition within living memory.
Rutland's Story Through Archaeology
The archaeological collections span Rutland's human occupation from the Palaeolithic through the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Romano-British periods into the medieval era. Flint tools, Bronze Age metalwork, Iron Age pottery, and a wealth of Roman material — coins, brooches, pottery, tiles, and structural remains — build up a picture of continuous human presence in this small but strategically significant area.
Medieval finds from Oakham and surrounding villages, including material from excavations of deserted medieval settlements, add depth to the understanding of how the Rutland landscape was shaped by successive generations of inhabitants.
Collections
Rutland Through the Ages — Archaeology and History
A comprehensive display of archaeological finds and historical material tracing Rutland's human occupation from prehistory through the Roman period, medieval era, and into modern times. Includes significant Roman finds and recently discovered mosaic material.
The Agricultural Year
The museum's extensive agricultural collection displayed in the former riding school, exploring farming life in Rutland through large machinery, hand tools, horse equipment, and domestic objects from the agricultural community.
Rutland's Rural Crafts
Objects and displays documenting the traditional crafts and rural industries that sustained Rutland's communities — from blacksmithing and wheelwrighting to domestic textile production and basketmaking.
Current Exhibitions
The museum presents changing temporary displays drawing on its collections and community engagement activities. Check the Rutland County Council website for current exhibitions and events.