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| Stamford, Lincolnshire |
Stamford was proclaimed by Sir Walter Scott as 'the finest stone town in 'England'. Located in South Lincolnshire, on the Old Great North Road (the A1 now bypasses around the town), it is exactly 100 miles north of London and almost equidistant from both London and York.
For Accomodation in Stamford Click Here
Stamford stands at the junction of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire and has a strong historical, religious and architectural heritage. With a population of just 18,000 the town is home to a plethora of listed buildings, churches and public houses, dating back to medieval and Georgian times - Stamford was declared a conservation area in 1967. The river Welland runs through the town and alongside you will find the Meadows area, perfect for picnics and relaxing on a warm summer day. The Boudicea plaque nearby, records her pursuit of the Romans, and is the starting point for the Jurassic Way.
Famous as a coaching stop in the past, Stamford has more recently been used as a film set for several productions including Middlemarch and more recently, the 2005 film, Pride and Prejudice. Alongside the town Bridge and at the gateway to the town is the internationally famous George Hotel, one of Englands most ancient coaching inns, dating back to the 10th Century. The Gallows still stretch across the Old Great North Road outside The George Hotel, as a reminder of the town's past during the era of the stagecoach and highwaymen. Daniel Lambert who weighed in at 52 stones, died in the town whilst visiting in 1809.
On the Southern tip of Stamford is located one of the finest Elizabethan Stately homes – Burghley House, which is home to the Burghley Horse Trials each year. To the west of Stamford is the largest man made lake in Europe – Rutland Water, with a cycle path running around it’s 26 mile perimeter, a water sports centre and Internationally famous nature reserve. 3 Miles outside of the town, at Little Casterton, is the Elizabethan Tolethorpe Hall, now home to Stamford Shakespeare Festival, who perform an annual season of plays in their purpose built outdoor theatre.
Stamford History
Stamford history began when The Romans set up camp slightly to the North of Stamford, at Great Casterton. Later, the Saxons and the Danes developed sites on both sides of the River Welland. Under The Normans, the town prospered with an economy based on wool.
Stamford occupies a strategic point on the Great North Road, being almost halfway between London & York. This provided a wealth of passing trade and visitors to the town including Kings and Queens. By the 13th century Stamford was one of the 10 largest towns in England. It had a castle, 14 churches, 2 monastic institutions, and 4 friaries; parliaments met here and there was a tradition of academic learning which finally led to the establishment of a short-lived breakaway university in the mid 14th century. There are many examples of buildings from this era still apparent in the town.
Rich merchants, like The Browne family, helped rebuild the towns churches in the 15th Century when the town suffered from the decline of the wool trade. William Browne founded an Almshouse which can be found on Broad Street (see below).
William Cecil, who was secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth I, built the magnificent Burghley House on the outskirts of Stamford. The great tombs of Cecil and his descendants lie in St Martin's Church. Cromwell laid siege to the house during the Civil War of the 1640’s and the house was visited in May 1646 by the fugitive King Charles I.
Stamford flourished once again after the Restoration of 1660 as trade grew along the Great North Road and the Welland was made navigable by a canal. Merchants visited the town and built fine houses which now provide the character of this town. The George became an important coaching inn and this trade continued until the 1830’s with the advent of the railways which took trade away from the town.
Stamford Town
Browne's Hospital
Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PF
Telephone: +44 (0)1780 763153
Ancient almshouses founded in 1475 by wool merchant William Browne. They are still in use today. The hospital is noted for the medieval stained glass in the Chapel and features a museum of almshouse life and an annual visiting exhibition.
St. Leonard’s Priory
Founded in the early 12th Century by the Benedictines of Durham Abbey. Its purpose was to manage the order’s southern estates and prepare students for entry into Oxford University. It fell into disrepair following its dissolution in 1536 and today all that remains is the nave and arcade of which the magnificent west front is a feature.
Stamford Museum
Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PJ
Telephone : +44 (0)1780 766317
A history of Stamford through the ages - including interesting features and displays such as a locally-stitched Millenium Tapestry and a life-sized model of the 52 stone Daniel Lambert who died in the town whilst visiting in 1809.
Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm all year and Sunday afternoons in summer.
Barn Hill
A well-preserved and picturesque cobbled stoned street nestled behind All Saints Church. This setting provided key locations for the BBC TV series Middlemarch and the Merchant Ivory movie (2000) The Golden Bowl.
All Saints Church
Dating back to the 13th Century and rebuilt by the Brownes after suffering damage during the Wars of the Roses, this striking church in Red Lion Square has Browne family memorial brasses, a carved angel roof, stained glass windows and a reredos of the Last Supper. Open daily.
Stamford Arts Centre
27 St Mary's Street
Stamford, PE9 2DL
Website: Stamford Arts Centre
E-Mail: boxoffice@stamfordartscentre.com
Telephone: +44(0)1780 763203
166 seat Cinema / theatre and a multifunctional ballroom. We have two coffee shop eating areas, an ice cream kiosk, a bar in the cellar, a gallery, toilets with access for disabled and baby changing facilities, we have rooms to hire out for everything from small meetings to evening functions and we house the Stamford Tourist Information Centre. Here at Stamford Arts Centre we aim to provide the best in live arts for Stamford and the surrounding area developing an ever-widening programme consisting of a broad range of Drama, Cinema, Dance, Classical Music, Folk, Jazz, Comedy, Literature, Talks, Children's Shows and a variety of workshops for both children and adults.
Stamford Brewery
22, All Saints Street, Stamford
Tel. +44 (0)1780 752186
Originally established in 1825 as a steam-operated brewery, it was restored in the late 1990's to produce specialised fruit beers from a micro-brewery known as Melbourn Bros. All Saints Brewery. It has a coffee lounge, restaurant and brewery shop and is open for guided tours and tastings by pre-arrangement
The George Hotel
71 St. Martins
Stamford, PE9 2LB
Tel: +44 (0)1780 750750
Details: The George Hotel
An important coaching inn in the 17th and 18th centuries, the George is one of England’s most ancient inns, possibly dating from the 10th century. It flourished until 1461 when Lancastrian forces destroyed much of the town, however the main block was rebuilt in 1597 by Lord Burghley, hence his coat of arms over the entrance. Famous guests include King Charles I, William III and Sir Walter Scott.
Burghley House
Barnack Road
Stamford, PE9 3JY
Telephone : +44 (0)1780 752451
E-Mail: burghley@burghley.co.uk
Website: Burghley House
Burghley House is the largest and greatest house of the first Elizabethan age. The house was built between 1565 and 1587 by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. Burghley is still a family home, lived in by Lady Victoria and Mr Simon Leatham. Lady Victoria is a direct descendant of the first Lord Burghley and looks after the House on behalf of the The Burghley House Preservation Trust, a charitable trust, set up by her father and which is dedicated to the maintenance of the House and its contents for future generations.
Today visitors can access eighteen state rooms filled with paintings, furniture and fine art. The lead roof extends to three quarters of an acre, restoration and rebuilding of which began in 1983 and took nearly ten years to complete. Visitor facilities include the Orangery Restaurant, Gift Shop, Sculpture Garden and beautiful walks around the historic parkland laid out by Capability Brown and still occupied by a herd of fallow deer.
The park is open daily to visitors and the sculpture garden, house, gift shop, crafts gallery and cafe daily from Easter to October.
Pride & Prejudice – Burghley House
Website: www.visitprideandprejudice.com
Top British film company Working Title turns to the 19th century world of Jane
Austen for a new film version of the beloved novel Pride and Prejudice. Filming at Burghley House lasted from 18th to 22nd July 2004 for scenes in which Burghley portrays Rosings, the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh (played by Dame Judi Dench). The film also starred Kiera Knightley and Donald Sutherland. Town scenes were filmed in St. Georges Square in Stamford close by.
Burghley Horse Trials
Burghley has been holding the Autumn 3 day event horse trials on its estate since 1961 when it ceased to be held at Harewood. It holds the record for the staging of championships on an international horse trials site, two world championships, six European and one Young Riders European, and is the longest, continuous running international event.
Mid Lent Fair
The Mid-Lent Fair appears to have been held for over a thousand years, dating back to King Edgar’s days and provided most of the town’s trade and a major source of income. Nowadays it is a huge funfair which fills most of the town centre from bath Row to the High Street. It is held on the Monday following Mothering Sunday and runs until the following Saturday.
Tolethorpe Hall - Stamford Shakespeare Festival
Little Casterton, Stamford
Website: Tolethorpe Hall - Stamford Shakespeare
The Stamford Shakespeare Company presents an annual season of plays in June, July, August and the first week of September at Rutland Open Air Theatre in the grounds of historic Tolethorpe Hall, Little Casterton, just off the A1, two miles north of Stamford.
Enjoy a pre-performance buffet meal in the charming dining rooms of historic Tolethorpe Hall, order a pre-prepared picnic to eat in the beautiful gardens or bring your own!
Tolethorpe Hall has origins going back 800 years to the early 11th century when the first manor house was built on the site by a Norman family who came over from France after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The setting of the hall overlooking classic English parkland in attractive Rutland countryside has changed little over centuries.
Places to Visit In the Stamford Area
Rutland Water
Location: West of Stamford on the road to Oakham
Website: Rutland Water Website
Rutland Water is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in Europe and is located in Rutland, England’s smallest county. Set in 3,100 acres of countryside, it has a 25-mile circular track for walking and cycling. The site includes the Anglian Water Bird Watching Centre with its fascinating exhibition and internationally famous nature reserve with 20 bird hides. It is the site of the first breeding ospreys in England for 150 years and is also the home of the British Bird Watching Fair each August.
The Tourist Information Centre at Sykes Lane offers a video presentation, a shop, and can organise guided visits around the reservoir. Next to the Tourist Information Centre is the Butterfly and Aquatic Centre, which features a Twilight Zone and a Drought Garden at the Barnsdale site, which was designed by the late Geoff Hamilton.
The Church Museum at Normanton is a stunning building, which contains the history of Rutland Water and archaeological finds. A pleasure cruiser sails on the reservoir, windsurfing, canoeing, sailing, and other water sports are also available. Rutland Water is world famous for its trout fishing with a fleet of 65 powered boats for hire and courses throughout the season. Pike fishing available in October. The range of healthy activities also include the Rockblok outdoor climbing tower which is great fun for youngsters.
Grimsthorpe Castle
Grimsthorpe, Bourne, PE10 0LY
Telephone: +44 (0)1778 591205
Website: Grimsthorpe Castle Website
Built for a visit by Henry VIII in 1541, the imposing Country House sits amongst rolling Lincolnshire countryside surrounded by formal gardens, extensive woodland and a 50-acre lake. Descendants of the deer that King Henry hunted now roam the parkland, grazing under the ancient oaks. There is the chance to soak up the atmosphere and 'Spirit of Place' in a House that has been home to the family since 1516. It is filled with fine furniture, paintings and tapestries. Visitors can enjoy refreshments in the tea room. Pre-booked groups are welcome, with the option of taking a candlelight supper tour of the House.
Rockingham Castle
Corby, Northamptonshire.
e-mail: estateoffice@rockinghamcastle.com
Website: Rockingham Castle Website
Built on a commanding hill site, previously occupied by Iron Age, Roman, and Saxon tribes. Rockingham Castle was built by William the Conqueror and was a Royal fortress for 450 years. For the last 450 years it has been the family home of the Watson family. The pre-dominantly Tudor building, within Norman walls, has architecture, furniture and works of art from practically every century. Twelve acres of formal and wild gardens command a splendid view of five counties.
The castle overlooks the picturesque village of Rockingham, whose main street, lined with thatched and slated cottages, leads into the Welland valley. Charles Dickens was a frequent visitor during the 19th century. He wrote a large portion of Bleak House during his stays at the castle, and is reputed to have seen Lady Deadlock's ghost behind the 400-year-old yew hedge.
Tallington Lakes
Barholm Road, Tallington, PE9 4RJ
Telephone : +44 (0)1778 347000
Website: Tallington Lakes Website
160 acres of naturally spring fed, clean, clear water - ideal for water sports enthusiasts plus 110 metre dry Ski Slope, tobogganing and ski shop. Activities available include water-skiing, jet skiing, sailing, lakeside bar & restaurant, holiday homes, dry land activities for children of all ages.
Stamford Information
Market Day:- Friday (limited Parking)
Tourist Information – Stamford Arts Centre, 27 St Mary's Street
Stamford, PE9 2DL
Railway Station: Station road, Stamford (Norwich & Stansted Airport to Birmingham)
To Find Stamford On a Map, Click Here
Useful Websites:-
Stamford.co.uk
Southkesteven.gov.uk
Southwestlincs.com
Rutland Water
Visit Lincolnshire.com
For Accomodation in Stamford Click Here
George Hotel of Stamford - Click Here
Crown Hotel, Stamford - Click Here
The Collyweston Slater, Collyweston - Click Here
Hambleton Hall, Rutland Water - Click Here
The Haycock Hotel, Wansford - Click Here
Ramada Peterborough - Click Here
Holiday Inn, Peterborough - Click here
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