In 2016 the Burghley House Preservation Trust recognised that the Dairy needed urgent repairs and the decision was taken to restore the Dairy and to spare no expense in giving it a new lease of life as a unique and luxurious holiday house.
Take a look inside
Offering great flexibility for guests, the Dairy can be taken either as one large residence for up to 20 people, or it can be separated into two houses where guests can enjoy staying in either Exeter House or Cecil House, which both sleep 10. The Dairy is ideal for a group of friends, family reunions and all manner of celebrations including wedding parties. The Estate engaged an international award-winning interior designer, Thomas Hamel, to create a comfortable and adaptable living space that has resulted in a refreshing modern twist on an authentic country house atmosphere. Wherever possible, original features from the dairy have been kept and reused along with the introduction of some antique paintings, prints and furniture from the collections at Burghley House. Thomas Hamel has created spectacular dining and living spaces enjoying open fires and wonderful views, every room has the advantage of an en-suite bathroom, with deep bathtubs and walk-in showers and there is space for dogs and an enclosed garden.
History of the Dairy
The Dairy at Burghley was commissioned by Brownlow, 2nd Marquess of Exeter as part of his ambitious renovations to the park and the creation of a model dairy farm. The Dairy sits at the heart of the Capability Brown parkland, landscaped during the 1760’s, which is enriched with majestic chestnuts and oak trees and offers unsurpassed views of Burghley House itself, seen across mature parkland planting and the great lake. The 2nd Marquess of Exeter was an enthusiastic and extravagant breeder of native shorthorn cattle – including, Telemachus his champion bull – and this livestock tradition continued at Burghley until the mid-20th Century, when the dairy herd was no longer sustainable and the Dairy itself fell into disrepair.
The Dairy is walking distance from Burghley House
Burghley House offers a full calendar of events and facilities. This includes concerts, country fairs and food markets, car rallies and the world class Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. The Orangery Restaurant, is open most days from mid-January to Christmas and while the park around the House is accessible all year during daylight hours, the House and Gardens can be enjoyed from mid-March until November.
Guests at the Dairy will have privileged access through the park and be able to walk down the 18th Century drive known as ‘Capability’s Cutting’ to the beautiful Lion Bridge and across the lake, one of Brown’s most iconic landscape features.
Stamford, a historic market town.
Stamford is just over a mile from the Dairy, a beautiful and historic market town, popularly voted one of the top places to live in the UK. Stamford is a thriving place, with numerous independent and high quality restaurants and shops and a bustling market on Fridays.
