[pg 289]

THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

Burleigh, Northamptonshire.

The above is a view of the grand screen and entrance lodges to Burleigh,or Burghley, the seat of the Cecil family, and now the property of theMarquess of Exeter. The house and principal part of the demesne, arewithin the parish of Stamford St. Martin, in the church of which aresome costly monuments to several eminent persons of the Cecil family;and this estate gave title to William Cecil, Baron Burleigh, in 1570.The park was formed, and the mansion, which is one of the most splendidin the kingdom, was mostly built by the great Lord Treasurer, in thetime of Queen Elizabeth, and the following inscription, over one of theentrances, within a central court, records the era of this work:—"W.DOM. DE BVRGHLEY, 1577." Beneath the turret is the date of 1585, whensome grand additions were made to the mansion; and the above GrandEntrance, towards the north, appears to have been added in 1587. Sincethese dates, several material alterations and additions have been madeby subsequent possessors; and the whole, as a building, with its vastand varied collection of works of art, is one of the most magnificentshow-houses in England. The spacious and finely wooded park and largelake are also very fine. The house surrounds a square court, to the eastof which is the great hall, kitchen, various domestic offices, withspacious stables, coach-houses, &c.—all indicative of the splendidhospitalities of the Elizabethean age and old English character. Thesouth front commands a fine sloping lawn, with a broad sheet of water,formed by Brown, together with some interesting park-scenery; thewestern side has nearly the same views, with the advantage of distantobjects in Rutlandshire, Lincolnshire, and the spires of Stamford. Fromthe north front the ground gradually slopes to the river Welland. Acomplete list of the pictures and valuable curiosities of Burleigh willbe found in a Guide published by the ingenious Mr. Drakard, bookseller,of Stamford, as well as in that gentleman's excellent History ofStamford.

About two miles west of Burleigh, are the ruins of Wothorp, or WorthorpHouse. According to Camden, a mansion[pg 290]of considerable size was erectedhere by Thomas Cecil, the first Earl of Burleigh, who jocularly said,"he built it only to retire to out of the dust, while his great house atBurleigh was sweeping." After the Restoration the Duke of Buckinghamresided here for some years.

THE LION'S ROAR.

(For the Mirror.)