One of England’s greatest Elizabethan houses is set to reveal a new look alongside its usual packed calendar of events for the 2023 season.
Burghley House, built over 500 years ago by William Cecil, Elizabeth I’s most trusted minister and chief spymaster, will offer visitors a few new surprises, as well as well as an opportunity to enjoy the spectacular building filled with nationally important historic collections set in landscaped parkland, when it reopens on 18 March.
Located on the edge of the Georgian town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, Burghley will again host family favourites from House and Garden tours, Easter Egg Hunts and seasonal Fine Food Markets, to summer music concerts, the famous Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials and Spooky Tours.
But for 2023, part of the Estate’s grounds will open to the public for the first time after being transformed into a woodland adventure play attraction, called Hide and Secrets, set to open on 29 April. Also new will be an accessible, all-weather car park, which will increase parking capacity.
Among the line-up of exhibition and events will be the annual Treasury Exhibition, which this year focuses on Flora and Fauna at Burghley, featuring items from the Burghley Collections, not normally on view. While the sweeping parkland is open daily free of charge throughout the year, the two formal gardens – the Tudor inspired ‘trick’ Garden of Surprises and the Sculpture Garden – re-open alongside the House on 18 March.
As an extra treat, the South Gardens, normally only glimpsed from the windows of the State Rooms, will open for spring displays(19-31 March), as well as in aid of the National Gardens Scheme (1-2 April) and Evergreen Care Trust (3-6 April). There will also be talks, tours and demonstrations with Burghley’s gardening team: for Spring (11 May); a Rose Tour, Talk and Tea (23 and 27 July) and Autumn Wonders (28 September). Each tour includes refreshments with tickets costing £45 per person, and £55 for the Rose Tour.
Across the Estate, event highlights include the Beastly Boring Tours, fun tours for children with costumed guides available every school holiday throughout the year, along with the Burghley Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday (9 April). and a celebration local food and drink producers at Fine Food Markets in Spring (1-2 Apr 2022) and Summer (26-28 August).
New for 2023, is a chance for a spot of Star Gazing at Burghley (22 and 23 March) offered during two special evening talks from the Peterborough Astronomy Club, ending in the opportunity to use the club’s telescopes to gaze at the night sky from Burghley’s South Gardens. Tickets for each event cost £12.50 per adult and £8 per child.
For a summer spectacle, the House will be the magnificent backdrop for the 18th annual Battle Proms Picnic Concert, acelebration with music, fireworks, spitfire, cannons, and cavalry (8 July). For those who prefer to party the night away to classicanthems under the stars in a family friendly environment, Classic Ibiza is back this year (29 July).
The House will provide a suitably stately backdrop for what is widely regarded as the world’s largest gathering of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars (23-25 June), along with the popular The TVR Car Club rally (2 April). And a different sort of horsepower will again provide a global showcase for the House and parkland as Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, regarded as the world’s greatest 5-star equestrian event, returns (31 August to 3 September).
For full details of opening times, all events and to book online tickets, which start from £18 for adults and £8 for children for a House & Gardens ticket visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.