Each room in the house would have its own bell for summoning servants. These were very sophisticated systems. It was convenient for the family, but not for the servants' legs as they would have to go to the bell room, see which room they were needed in, and then go to that room; all before completing the required task, which might take them back down to the kitchen anyway.

Speaking tubes were introduced in the 1840s, but there were disadvantages of eavesdropping from both above and below. Pneumatic and electric bells replaced normal bells around this time, which overcame problems of clogged mechanisms or broken cables.

The advent of the telephone, after 1880, meant that the family could summon a taxi, a tradesman or a friend, without troubling a servant. Most houses like Burghley House, however, only had one telephone, which was installed in the bell room and came under the butler's duties.

The Bell Room at Burghley is known as the Hog's Hall. Servants would await summons there, hence the origin of ‘waiting room’. It was also the place where leather fire buckets were kept.