Stagecoaches & Highwaymen
by Mary McCarney

In bygone times, weary travelers on the ancient road from London to York enjoyed rest, refreshment and a warm welcome in Stamford. For couples and honeymooners touring Britain today, this charming little town with its legendary coaching inn still offers a relaxing, romantic retreat - an escape from the beaten track.

Described by Sir Walter Scott as 'the finest stone town in England', Stamford lies halfway between London and York and is famous for its quaint, unspoilt streets and Georgian architecture. The town’s olde worlde character has proved irresistible to movie makers, who have cast Stamford as the filming location of many costume dramas, including the BBC television adaptation of ‘Middlemarch’. The town has over 600 listed buildings and is bordered by the impressive Elizabethan mansion, Burghley House. This grand house remains a family home for the descendants of William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth 1, and is open to visitors during the summer months.

As travelers of old discovered, Stamford is the ideal place to stop and unwind. Here, you can take time out to stroll cobbled lanes and browse charming antique shops together. For the most romantic lunch, reserve a table for two at the intimate cellar restaurant of Candlesticks Hotel. Warm summer evenings are ideal for champagne picnics in the grounds of Tolethorpe Hall, before an open-air performance of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Or on a cold winter night, just snuggle up in front of a blazing log fire at the cozy George Hotel.The George was established as an inn around 1000 years ago. The site originally included a religious building for medieval knights and the romantic Monastery Gardens, where young crusaders once strolled, can still be enjoyed by hotel guests today.

In 1597, The George was rebuilt by Lord Burghley of Burghley House, whose coat of arms adorns the front entrance of the hotel. The Elizabethan stone mullioned windows in the upper storey also date from this time. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, The George enjoyed great royal and noble patronage. King Charles I was a guest in 1641 and 1645, and other royal clientele included William III and the king of Denmark.

For visitors to the inn today, there is a strong sense of stepping into the past. On arrival, modern guests are greeted by doors marked "London" and "York". These open to reveal two beautifully panelled rooms where eighteenth century stagecoach passengers waited while their horses were changed. Forty coaches passed through Stamford every day and the gallows, which still stretch across the road outside, were erected as a grim warning to highwaymen (such as the notorious Dick Turpin) who roamed the Great North Road at that time.

With its colorful history and romantic legends of kings, knights and highwaymen, The George of Stamford has long been a hostelry of great renown. Today it blends old traditions with modern comfort – luxurious rooms, outstanding restaurants and a warm welcome that has lasted for centuries. The inn is licensed to host civil wedding ceremonies and the gorgeous four-poster bedrooms are extremely popular with honeymooners and couples spending romantic stopovers in Stamford.

The crusaders and stagecoaches may be long gone and the Great North Road from London to York is now a busy modern highway, but in this pretty English town few things have really changed. Follow the path of those ancient travelers and explore its cobble-stoned streets. Rest a while at its charming coaching inn, and together you’ll discover that in Stamford, time seems to stand still.

More Details

* Stamford is situated 100 miles north of London, just off the main A1 road.
* By rail, travel from London King’s Cross to Peterborough (55 minutes) and catch a connecting train to Stamford.

* Stamford Tourist Information Centre
27 St. Mary’s Street
Stamford
Lincolnshire
Tel. 01780 755611
Email: stamfordtic@skdc.com
www.stamford.co.uk
http://www.southwestlincs.com/stamford.html


* The George of Stamford
Four-poster rooms from £175 per night.
A la carte restaurant and informal garden lounge open daily.

The George of Stamford
St. Martins
Stamford
Lincolnshire PE9 2LB
Tel. 01780 750700
Email: reservations@georgehotelofstamford.com
www.georgehotelofstamford.com

* Burghley House
Open: daily March – October
Admission £7.10

Burghley House
Stamford
Lincolnshire PE9 3JY
Email: burghley@burghley.co.uk
http://www.burghley.co.uk

* Candlesticks Hotel & Restaurant
1 Church Lane
Stamford
Tel. 01780 764033
Email: candlesticks@candlestickshotel.co.uk
www.candlestickshotel.co.uk

* Stamford Shakespeare Festival at Tolethorpe Hall
Open-air performances June – September.
www.stamfordshakespeare.co.uk

© Mary McCarney 2003

Mary McCarney is a teacher and freelance writer from England. She writes articles and reviews books for a range of newspapers and magazines. She is also a contributing author of a new History study guide.