Oundle, has been occupied continuously since the Iron Age. In Roman times there was an extensive settlement at Ashton, near the old railway station.

The first written reference to Oundle occurs in Saxon times: the Venerable Bede writing in the eight century states that Saint Wilfrid died ‘in his monastery in the region of Oundle’. This suggests that Oundle was already a place of some importance.

The town comprises many listed buildings, churches, restaurants, pubs, cafés and shops including two supermarkets.