The roots of the Burghley Sermon stretch back to 1581 when William Cecil Lord Burghley was at St John's Cambridge
A tradition which dates back to 1581 was being marked in Stamford on Sunday morning. The reading of the Burghley Sermon saw a joint benefice service at St Martin’s Church – the Stamford mace from the Town Hall will lead the procession there. The Sermon was a gift to St John’s College in Cambridge from William Cecil, Lord Burghley, who was Lord High Treasurer of England and Chief Minister to Queen Elizabeth the first. Under the terms of the gift, the College sends preachers to each of Lord Burghley’s principle estates, which means a service at St Martins in Stamford, and St Etheldreda’s next to Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. Choral music is also performed. This year’s preacher in Stamford was the Reverend Alun Ford, chaplain to the Bishop of Southwark. He spoke to Rutland & Stamford Sound after the service, as did current House Director, and direct descendant of William Cecil, Miranda Rock who told us she was delighted the tradition continues:
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