Stamford

Ermine Street crossed the River Welland close to the current town. The stony ford used in Roman times gave the town its name (Steanford in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). The ford is in the meadows to the west of the town; the modern streets of Water Furlong and Roman Bank still follow the ancient road which was heading north to the Roman town at Great Casterton (where Ermine Street crossed the smaller River Gwash).

Stamford prospered during the medieval period and as the post road developed so did the town’s coaching inns.

The 20th century A1 snaked through its otherwise unspoilt Georgian buildings until 1960 when a by-pass to the west accelerated the north-south traffic and left the town to its more traditional role as a charming backwater.

Stamford developed from an Anglo-Saxon settlement and by the 10th century the town had become one of 5 controlling boroughs of Danelaw. By the 13th century it was one of the 10 largest towns in England, with a castle, 14 churches, 2 monastic institutions and 4 friaries.

Stamford became famous for its pottery in the period from about 850 to 1250. It was characterised by wheel thrown thin-walled vessels – sometimes with green and yellow glaze.

The wool trade then became the mainstay of its economic prosperity though by the 15th century this was being lost to other centres in East Anglia.

Stamford held both a weekly market and also a yearly fair, which began in the middle of Lent and eventually extended until Easter. It was the earliest in the year amongst the major English fairs and attracted merchants from across the country.

William Cecil, secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth I, was locally born. He built a palatial mansion just outside Stamford for his mother. Burghley House survives as one of the finest Elizabethan houses in the country.

In the late 17th Century Stamford was boosted by improvements to the Great North Road and the construction of the canal to Market Deeping which re-opened the town to river traffic. Prosperous merchants were attracted to the town leaving a legacy of fine Georgian houses.

The coaching trade elevated old medieval inns like the George into nationally renowned hostelries. It also stimulated the development of breweries: the Phillips brewery in Water Street was founded in 1789, to be followed by Hunts and All Saints.

For 600 years a bull run was held through the streets of Stamford on St Brice’s Day (a date also famous for the slaughter of Danes in 1002). The bull was chased and tormented before being driven to Bull-meadow and slaughtered. After campaigning in the early 19th century the festival was eventually banned with the last run taking place in 1839.

Dragoon Guards heading down the Great North Road to suppress the bull run in 1839. Image Credit: Wikimedia – CC BY-SA 2.0

Held for many years on Barn Hill, in 1782 the sheep fair was moved to an area north of the medieval castle which became known as Sheepmarket.

Postcard showing annual one-day sheep fair, 1905

Events in the 1960s unusually served to preserve the historical centre of the town. Following construction of the by bypass, Stamford was the first conservation area to be designated under the Civic Amenities Act 1967.

The images below provide links to additional information either on this website or elsewhere.

British Pathe newsreel showing the opening of the Stamford by-pass in 1960

Stamford town plan c 1600 – John Speed

John Bangay guide to the Georgian town.