Burghley House and Gardens This 16th century country house is 91 miles from London and situated in the City of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire. It was built in 1587 by Lord Burghley who was the chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest house built during the Queen's era. This house has 35 major rooms and 80 lesser rooms. This Tudor mansion with an Italian influence had several additions, the main building was completed in 1587. Today the Burghley House resides on 26 acres. Queen Elizabeth I's reign was from 1553‐1603. She was known as the Virgin Queen, because she vowed that she would never marry and did not. Another name associated with her was Good Queen Bess. When the last owner died during the 1980s and without a male heir, the Burghley House Preservation Trust was entrusted to manage the estate. However, the Cecil Family's daughter could reside at the house and oversees the Trust. The descendants of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Elizabeth I's treasurer, continue to live in the house to this day. The Cecil family name origin is Welsh, Selsylit. Each year the Burghley House hosts international horse trials in September. Horses throughout the world are brought to this event. There is a rich prize for top performers. The equestrian event includes dressage, cross‐country and show jumping. Film and television productions have used the Burghley House. The "Da Vinci Code" was one such movie. Nearly 100,000 people visit Burghley House annually. When we were there, a classic automobile show was going on in the fields of Burghley. Burghley House has a restaurant, old kitchen, gift shop, gardens and walk about the parkland. The parkland was laid out by Capability Brown which includes a herd of fallow deer. We were not permitted to take photography within the house. The Old Kitchen Sources: Tour of Burghley House and Gardens, https://www.burghley.co.uk/, https://www.burghley.co.uk/about‐ burghley/burghley‐house/architecture/, https://www.theenglishhome.co.uk/the_guardians_of_burghley_house_1_2307530/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burghley_House and https://www.historichouses.org/houses/house‐listing/burghley‐ house.html. acuri.net John R. Vincenti Burghley House and Gardens .