Ketton: a substantial Rutland village built on stone, church history and old industry

Ketton is one of Rutland's largest villages, lying close to Stamford in a landscape long defined by limestone, agriculture and parish life. It appears in the Domesday Book and later passed from royal control to the de Humez family, a change followed by the ambitious rebuilding of St Mary's Church in the 12th century. Over time Ketton became famous for its quarries, whose oolitic limestone was used widely in regional building, while the modern cement works gave the village an additional industrial significance. Yet its character remains broader than industry alone: Ketton is still a village of church towers, listed buildings, water meadows and long continuity.
Population: 1,926 inhabitants (2011 census).
Distance: about 3 miles west of Stamford and 8 miles east of Oakham.
Traditions and culture: Ketton combines a strong parish identity with the traditions of stone quarrying, village schooling and the social life of one of Rutland's largest rural settlements.
Highlights: St Mary's Church, the historic village core, Ketton stone heritage, nearby former quarry landscapes and easy access to Stamford and the Welland valley.