History of The Great Oakley Estate
The Estate’s History Spans Centuries & Stories
Today, The Great Oakley Estate remains a living, working landscape where rolling fields, historic parkland, thriving wildlife, and a close-knit community all continue the story of the estate,.
Medieval Roots
Oakley, meaning oak clearing, suggests the settlement formed during woodland clearance in the 9th or 10th century. By 1086, The Great Oakley Hall appears in the Domesday Book as a single manor held by the Lancelin family. In the 12th century the manor was held of the Honour of Huntingdon by de Houton, around the time village boundaries were established. Over the centuries, ownership passed through several families, most notably the de Lyons, an eminent Anglo-Norman family granted land after the Norman Conquest.
Brooke and de Capell Brooke Legacy
The Brooke family, later joined by the de Capell line, brought the estate back together after 1495. Richard Supple inherited The Great Oakley Estate from his great-uncle Wheeler Brooke in 1797 and adopted the surname Brooke alongside de Capell, becoming Richard de Capell Brooke.
The family shaped parish life for centuries, economically, socially, and spiritually. In 1557 they incorporated the 13th-century church and part of the village into the grounds of the newly built Great Oakley Hall, which remains the family home today.
The Saltby Estate in Leicestershire and Stoke Dry Estate in Rutland, part of the wider family holdings, reflects the same philosophy, careful stewardship, long-term planning, and a commitment to community.
Modern Day
The Great Oakley Estate has evolved with the times. The industrial revolution saw it become part of the growing Corby area, yet the family maintained a focus on agriculture and community. In 2000, we partnered with Harpers Brook Farms, linking Home Farm, Great Oakley, and Manor Farm, Little Oakley.
Community investment has remained a cornerstone. In 1921, Sir Arthur de Capell Brooke had a village hall built for social activities. That was replaced in 2011 with the current hall, built on land donated by the estate and partially funded through Harpers Brook Farm. Education has long been another pillar, exemplified by Hugh de Capell Brooke’s creation of Brooke Weston Academy and the ongoing work of the Brooke Weston Trust.
