Burghley House

Stamford

Lincs

PE9 3JY

We visited Burley House on the 10th October 2009.

The weather started off very over-cast (hence the grey and white skies), but ended up being a lovely clear blue sky.  Due to the admission price of the house AND the gardens, we only visited the gardens, where there were lots of wonderful water features and some very odd sculptures.

The building period of the house extended over a period of 32 years. We know from the State Papers that the East range was erected in 1555 and work continued on the east and south ranges until 1564. Sir William Cecil had purchased Theobalds Manor, Hertfordshire in 1563 and for a whole decade was fully engaged there in building of his great 'prodigy' house. At Burghley in August 1564, Edmund Hall, the surveyor, promised that the South side should be finished by winter. Thereafter, little more work was done until 1575 when the team of masons was reassembled. The West front with its great gate-house (it was originally intended to be the main entrance) was finished in 1577. The North Front was completed in 1587.