Sculpted in honey-hued stone and spanning 115 historic rooms, the 16th-century Burghley House isn't just one of Britain's most breathtaking Elizabethan properties – it is also a home. Growing up at the magnificent estate on the Lincolnshire-Cambridgeshire border was a huge adventure for Miranda Rock and her younger brother, Richard.
''We had a lot of freedom to explore and roam about,'' recalls Miranda, a 16th-generation descendant of William Cecil, the first Lord Burghley, who built the stately home between 1555 and 1587, ''but it was sometimes quite scary. We slept up a flight of 72 stairs, far away from our parents, and the plumbing system in this house can make some pretty strange noises at night, which only fuelled our imagination!''
A childhood exploring the estate
Now Miranda, 55, is the custodian of one of the grandest houses in Britain, one suiting the status of William Cecil, who was Lord High Treasurer and chief adviser to Queen Elizabeth I. It is a spectacular property, as seen here in these stunning photographs from a new book, Burghley House, published by Rizzoli.
She spent countless hours as a child exploring its state rooms, filled with paintings and priceless treasures, part of an exceptional collection of European Baroque works of art, many of them brought back by her favourite ancestor, the 5th Earl of Exeter, from his ''shopping trips'' in Europe.
The Earl, who lived in the second half of the 17th century, probably did more than anyone to enrich the collections at the house. He also commissioned the Italian artist Antonio Verrio to produce the jaw-dropping wall paintings on the Hell Staircase and its accompaniment, the Heaven Room. If the scenes look familiar, it's because they served as a backdrop in the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley.
The Marquess
© Ashley HicksMiranda was 11 when she moved to Burghley in 1981. At this time, her mother, Lady Victoria Leatham, took over the running of the estate on behalf of the Burghley House Preservation Trust, which had been founded by Lady Victoria's father, the 6th Marquess of Exeter, in 1969. With no surviving direct male heir, he needed a long-term solution for the protection of the estate.
The Marquess was known for his sporting prowess. At 23, then known as David Cecil, Lord Burghley, he won an Olympic gold medal in 1928 in the 400m hurdles and a silver medal in the 4x400m relay four years later. His story was immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire and when Lord Coe visited after the 2012 London Games, he donated his Olympic torch to Burghley House in his honour.
'HRH Princess Anne is a great champion and veteran of the sport of three-day eventing' - Miranda Rock
As well as opening the house to the public in 1957, the Marquess introduced the annual Burghley Horse Trials in 1961, held in the 1,500-acre park, landscaped by Lancelot "Capability" Brown.
''It's the highlight of our year and it has really put Burghley on the map internationally,'' says Miranda. ''We always fill the house with friends, but they need to be pretty self-sufficient because we have responsibilities all weekend.
''HRH Princess Anne is a great champion and veteran of the sport of three-day eventing. She won at Burghley in 1971 and has generously come to support the event on a couple of occasions since then, most recently when her very talented daughter Zara Tindall, the Olympic silver medallist, was also competing.''
Royal visitors
© Ashley HicksThe late Elizabeth II was also a regular visitor and stayed with Miranda's grandparents on more than one occasion. ''We were very privileged to welcome the late Queen into the house during her Diamond Jubilee year before she attended a county picnic in the park,'' adds Miranda.
The late Queen was not the only monarch to enjoy the hospitality of Burghley House. Her ancestor, Queen Victoria, was hosted by the 2nd Marquess of Exeter on a three-day visit in November 1844 with her new husband, Prince Albert.
''Preparations for this visit were immense, suites of furniture were embellished, rooms were redecorated, the Great Hall was altered to include a Minstrel's Gallery and screen passage – all for a great banquet,'' says Miranda. ''By all accounts, they were quite good friends and Prince Albert stood as sponsor during the baptism of Lord Exeter's daughter, Lady Victoria Cecil, in the chapel during their visit.''
Yet Elizabeth l never got to stay. ''From what we know, Queen Elizabeth I had planned to stay at Burghley during one of her progresses to the north, but allegedly the daughter of William had smallpox at the time. But she was able to see the house and was rumoured to comment that 'thy wit and my money have built a great house'. He must have been very disappointed!''
Creating a family life
© Ashley HicksAlthough Miranda grew up at Burghley and studied art history, she had to undergo a rigorous selection process before she was appointed its guardian – or executive chair of the Preservation Trust, as she is officially known – when her mother retired in 2007.
''The house I knew and loved, the works of art felt like old friends, but managing a large team with a great variety of skills in very different areas and departments from the get-go was daunting,'' she admits.
At the same time, she and her husband Orlando Rock have four children to bring up.
''Burghley is a public attraction all year round and the place of work for a great number of people. It’s important to be able to switch off and just be a family.
''We realised before we moved in that we needed to create a family kitchen that was relatively private and it has become the heart of our home.''
It helps that Orlando is a furniture expert and the chairman of Christie's UK.
''I couldn’t do it without him!'' Miranda says. ''He is such an important sounding board and his expertise in all fields, particularly decorative arts, is invaluable to us here.''
Exciting new projects at Burghley
© Ashley HicksMiranda has spearheaded countless projects at Burghley, including the introduction of a new adventure playground for children, as well as this book with Rizzoli, with the renowned historian John Martin Robinson, and Ashley Hicks, whose stunning photography has brought the house to life.
She also has built on its starring role in the film industry. The house has featured in several productions, including Pride & Prejudice, The Da Vinci Code, The Crown, Top Gear and The Flash.
''The Crown used the Great Hall as a set for the Queen’s private office and I remember going to have a look after hours and noticing that the in-tray on the desk had stamped letters waiting to be opened.
''Each stamp had the head of Olivia Colman printed on it and all the family photographs were the cast posing in character as if on a family holiday. The attention to detail was incredible.''
For Miranda, ''Burghley gets under your skin. It's really a village. There are so many of us who live and work here and we all care passionately about this place. It's beautiful and ancient and it takes a huge team of very skilled and dedicated people to keep it going.
''We are immensely lucky that, even after nearly 500 years, Burghley is on a sound footing and will, we hope, still be just as relevant, loved and valued in many years to come.''
Burghley House by John Martin Robinson, photographs by Ashley Hicks and foreword by Miranda Rock is published by Rizzoli, priced at £60.
