Equidistant between the M1 and A1, just west of Rutland Water, Oakham was the county town of Rutland, once England's smallest county and soon to be independent of Leicester again. The museum, which is opposite the District Council offices, is housed in an old riding centre. This was built for the Rutland Volunteer cavalry, one of a number of militia units raised in the county in the early 1790s.

The museum covers all aspects of county life, including the nearby Ruddles Brewery. The Friends of Rutland Museum recently raised œ 32,000 to provide a new annexe featuring a small, but well presented, exhibition of all the units raised in the county. The regular 58th Foot served throughout the Napoleonic Wars, including at Waterloo, then in colonial campaigns, most famously at Ulundi during the Zulu Wars, ending its existence after the two World Wars and Korean campaign.

A large number of volunteer and militia units were also raised in the early 1790s to defend Britain against Revolutionary France. Details of these are displayed with a number of uniforms, side-drums and a cavalry guidon, together with various public notices.

Interestingly, the display notes that although Rutland was first to establish its infantry and cavalry units in 1794, there was a marked lack of enthusiasm when the second call to arms went out in 1803. There is also a non- regulation French Napoleonic Eagle, which was found nearby and appears to be part of the insignia of a French officer boarded out from the nearby Norman Cross POW depot.

Photography, but no flashguns, is allowed in the well-lit annexe, but there are no postcards, etc. of the Napoleonic artifacts. However, they sell G. Steppler's Britons - To Arms (£ 14.95). which relates the histories of the various volunteer units of Rutland and Leicestershire from the Napoleonic Wars to WW2. Open 10.00am to 5.00pm daily, Sundays 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Admission is free.

Quite a lot of weaponry used by the early militia units is displayed at Belvoir Castle, home of the Dukes of Rutland, 12 miles to the north and 5 miles west of Grantham. The castle is open from Easter to September, except Mondays (open on Bank Holidays) and Fridays. There is an admission charge.