Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Stamford

Stamford, a market town in Lincolnshire, is one of the showplace towns of England. Constructed of mellow stone from Ketton and Barnack, it stands where the Great North Road crosses the River Welland.

In 1967 Stamford was designated the first Conservation Area in England.

It was one of the Five Boroughs in the Danelaw (the others being Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Lincoln).

Stamford has five mediaeval churches – St. Mary’s Church; All Saints Church; St. John’s Church; St. George’s Church; and St. Martin’s Church, which contains the Burghley chapel and tombs. The churchyard of St. Martin’s contains the grave of the 52 stone Daniel Lambert of Leicester, who died at Stamford in 1809.

Legend has it that Stamford was the site of Britain’s first University, in pre-Roman times. But historical record shows that students from Oxford University moved briefly to Stamford in the 14th century, and the Brasenose Gateway dates from this time.

The George Inn has a rare gallows sign, and the remains of St. Leonard’s Priory have been partly restored on the edge of town. There are also slight remains of a castle.

Other interesting buildings in the town include the Burghley Almshouses and Browne’s Hospital, as well as a splendid museum.

During the Middle Ages, Stamford was famous for its cloth. Cardinal Wolsey chose Stamford cloth to make the tents for the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

Sir Malcolm Sargent, the famous conductor, was brought up in Stamford, as was William Stukeley, the antiquarian who made one of the first studies of Stonehenge. John Clare, the much loved peasant poet, would walk into Stamford from his home at Helpston to buy books.

Just outside Stamford is Burghley House, one of England’s most magnificent stately homes, built for William Cecil, Elizabeth I’s adviser, who was created Lord Burghley. It is here that the famous horse trials take place.

Blue Badge Guide Colin Crosby is available to lead Guided Walks around Stamford for groups.