Stamford is located on the River Welland in the county of Lincolnshire, just off the A1 and approximately 90 miles north of London and 14 miles north-west of Peterborough. In addition to the A1, the A14 East/West link crosses the A1 only a few miles south of Stamford, as does the A47 with connections to Leicester and beyond.
The town lies on the Birmingham to Cambridge/Stansted Airport railway line, and Peterborough, with its East Coast line connections to the South and North, is only 15 minutes away.
The town has a population of around 18,350 people and is within the South Kesteven District which covers an area of approximately 364 square miles and has a total population of around 120,000.
Situated in the far south of the county, it is a beautiful market town of predominantly stone buildings which retains its medieval street pattern. Amongst its many notable historic buildings is the 15th-century Browne's Hospital, founded by one of the town's rich wool merchants, and more famously the grand Elizabethan stately home, Burghley House. It is a popular visitor destination and a good base from which to explore the surrounding area.
Historically the town's economy was based upon the wool industry but today has a diverse range of industries with tourism, retail and service sectors being major employers. New high-tech industries have also been attracted into the area.The name Stamford derives from the Old English and means 'stone ford' and refers to its crossing point of the River Welland. The name appeared in the Domesday Book (1086) as Stanford. Â Â