Stamford is a market town in Lincolnshire around 12 miles north of Peterborough. It is also close to Burghley House, the residence of the Cecil family. The town prospered due to the wool trade and its position as an important stopping place on the Great North Road from London to Edinburgh. This history of Stamford was published in 1717, a reprint of the 1646 history by the town clerk and local antiquary, Richard Butler.
Due to local opposition to the railways in the nineteenth century, the Industrial Revolution largely avoided Stamford, resulting in the preservation of many of its historic buildings. This has resulted in the town becoming a popular tourist destination and filming location.