burghleys almshouses

Question 1

who was lord burghley

Answer 1

William Cecil (Lord Burghley) was born in Lincolnshire in 1520. There is a general agreement that he was the greatest of all of Elizabeths ministers. he worked for the queen in most of her reign, first as secretary of state, and then as lord treasurer from 1572 to his death in 1598. he demonstrated a talent for administration which brought him to Elizabeths attention in 1550 which is when she appointed him to oversea her states. much of his later career continued to be associated with financial management. Burghley promoted policies which attacked religious extremists, whether from the puritans or catholics and sough to preserve englands independence abroad by treading a careful path between france and spain.

Question 2

the almshouses

Answer 2

William Cecil, Lord Burghley established almshouses for 13 poor men in Stamford in Lincolnshire in 1597.
He was a committed Protestant who believed it was his Christian duty to help others who were poor through no fault of
their own. As a nobleman he would be expected to and would want to provide charity to assist the impotent poor. Religious
obligations would naturally be influencing Cecil’s actions. It is impossible to disentangle Christian beliefs from other
motivating factors and to a large extent this would have a bearing on one of the final actions of Cecil’s life. The residents
were expected to regularly attend St Martin’s Church close by on the High Street.

Question 3

leaving a legacy