Stamford hotels

Hotels in Stamford

The historic town of Stamford sits on the River Welland in Lincolnshire, England. It is best known for the wonderfully preserved core of timber-framed architecture, 17th – 18th century stone buildings and five medieval parish churches. Stamford was recently rated as the best place to live by the Sunday Times newspaper.

History

There was extensive Roman activity around Stamford and the River Welland, but it was the Anglo-Saxons who made it a prominent town. By the Middle Ages the town was growing prosperous through the production of wool and woollen cloth which during Henry III's reign was known as far away as Venice. A Norman Castle stood here, but was demolished in the 15th century and today a small part of the curtain wall can still be seen.

For more than 600 years Stamford was the site of the Stamford Bull Run Festival, which was held annually on 13th November until 1839. According to tradition, the custom began after William de Warene, the 5th Earl of Surrey saw two bulls fighting in the meadow below his castle, and after two butchers parted the beasts, one of them fled into the town. The earl gave chase on horseback and so enjoyed himself that he gave the meadow to the butchers of Stamford, on the condition that they provided a bull to be run through the town each 13th November!

More recent historical highlights include RAF Wittering, originally a Royal Flying Corps [RFC] base opened in 1916 that became the ‘Home of the Harrier', Britain's innovative and iconic ‘jump jet'.

Landmarks

Stamford was the very first conservation area designated in England and Wales under the 1960s Civic Amenities Act, and since then the entire old town has been made an outstanding area of architectural or historic importance. Stroll around today and you will be surrounded by more than 600 listed buildings! Crucially, the Industrial Revolution left Stamford largely untouched, so much of the 17th and 18th-century town centre, built in Jacobean and Georgian style remains. The streets are characterised by quaint and beautiful timber-frame and stone buildings that use the same limestone found on the great Lincoln Cathedral, and there are lots of little shops tucked away in narrow alleyways.

Nearby you can visit Burghly House, a huge and ornate Elizabethan mansion, built by the First Minister to Queen Elizabeth I, Sir William Cecil.

Restaurants and Pubs

Stamford has 30 pubs and 20 restaurants. For a relatively small town it's an impressive count. There is a good mix of local independents and popular national chains, and a lovely selection of traditional pubs in fantastic premises. You might try Melbourne Brothers Brewery, the gorgeous Millstone Inn, The Pear Tree or The Periwig, but really there's a wealth of choice.