The Country House was the nucleus of English life when most of the population lived in rural areas. Not only were people employed as servants, but farms and cottages were rented from the aristocratic residents. It was they who controlled local politics and economy. Burghley House, near Peterborough, is an excellent example of how the way of life in an English Country House has changed over the centuries.

Built in the late Sixteenth century, Burghley is one of the most important and spectacular houses in England. It has been passed down through generations of the Cecil family for more than 450 years.The house first opened its doors commercially during the 1950's, and has become an important tourist attraction in the area.

This study of Burghley is one essential component when trying to understand the local social history of Peterborough. This website will lead you on a journey through the past five centuries presenting the changes at Burghley House, and the lives of the people involved in its upkeep and development.

Other websites of interest concerning the English Country Houses and Burghley House are the Historic Houses Association, the Stamford Tourism Board, and the Burghley House website. (These three links open in new windows.)

To navigate this site you can either use the navigation bar at the top or very bottom of the pages, or you can opt for a more linear visit by using the red feathers at the bottom of the pages. Blue arrows indicate a return to the previous page. For any problems trying to access video, audio or activity files, visit our plug-ins page.