Horrible history is child’s play at England’s greatest Elizabethan house

Burghley House and Deer

New family tours by costumed guides revealing the grizzly, gruesome and horrible history of England’s greatest Elizabethan house this summer.

New for 2013 at Burghley House, on the edge of the stone town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, is a children’s guidebook called Beastly Boring Burghley, offering a colourful and comical look at the history of one of Britain’s most spectacular Tudor country estates.

Now Beastly Boring Burghley is being brought to life like never before with new daily tours throughout July and August when Burghley’s own ‘Butler and Maid’ will take families on an exciting journey through this remarkable House. 

Free with a House and Gardens ticket, the special guided tours will take place every morning from Monday 22nd July to Saturday 31st August (excluding Fridays and Sundays),

Numbers are limited, but can be booked online with tickets reserving a place on the tour as well as giving access to the House and Gardens for the rest of the day. Every child joining the tour will also get a free Beastly Boring Burghley guidebook.

The 20-page book takes children on a journey around the house, with puzzles, activities and things to spot in each room – such as finding turtle skulls in the Kitchen, secret animal code names in the Billiard Room and English villains in the Pagoda Room.

For those not taking part in one of the special tours, the guidebook covers rooms in the same order as in the adult guidebook, giving parents and grandparents a chance to have a good look around while the Beastly Boring Burghley activities and puzzles keep children entertained! The cartoon-style illustrations and child-friendly text also reveal plenty of historical information too.

For the last four centuries Burghley - built for Elizabeth I’s chief minister William Cecil, the first Lord Burghley - has wowed visitors, whether Elizabethan royalty, locals enjoying the parkland or tourists from across the globe. 

It now offers a packed family day out with a combined ticket giving access to the stunning history and architecture of the House, and its huge collection of treasures, plus two gardens, including the Tudor-inspired Garden of Surprises with its 32 water features. 

For full details of opening times, events and to book online tickets, visit  www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.