Celebrating Trevor: Nearly 50 Years at Burghley
After almost half a century of devoted service, we bid a heartfelt farewell to painter and decorator Trevor, as he retires following an extraordinary career spent at Burghley, whose craftsmanship, character and quiet dedication have left their mark on every corner of the House and Estate.
Trevor’s journey began in August 1976, at just 16 years old, on the verge of leaving school. With no clear plan or particular career path in mind, his working life at Burghley began thanks to a chance encounter. A mutual friend suggested there might be work on the Burghley Estate, and with a little encouragement from his father, Trevor found himself speaking to the Clerk of Works on a hot Friday afternoon.
“There are no jobs going apart from plumbing!” Trevor recalls the Clerk saying on arrival. But after a brief conversation with his father, the Clerk added, “Well, you can’t be a plumber because you’re too young… Can you paint?”
The rest is history.
Arriving for his first day the following Monday at 8am, Trevor soon discovered the Clerk had forgotten he had hired him at all. He was met with a few blank, somewhat puzzled faces in the yard that morning. Undeterred, he was sent off to begin work at Burghley’s iconic Bottle Lodges — fittingly a place he would return to on his 40th work anniversary.
Over five decades at Burghley...
Trevor has in the main worked as the Estate’s sole painter and decorator, working across almost every inch of Burghley House, from the visitor State Rooms to the private family areas.
From skirting boards and doors to walls and ceilings, the grandeur of the rooms and the treasures they contain naturally catch every eye first, but it is Trevor’s quiet attention to detail and subtle background embellishments that make everything stand out that much more, while ensuring even the hidden spots you might not notice remain fresh and well finished.
“I’ve done the rounds in the House so many times, I couldn’t tell you how often,” he says. “But I’m always in awe every time I step inside, still discovering new details or areas I hadn’t noticed before. I’ve covered just about every part of the House, really… apart from the Heaven Room and Hell Staircase, of course. Touching up in there is above my capabilities… and my pay grade!”
Among the most challenging tasks he recalls is working high above in the Great Hall, decorating the intricate double hammerbeam ceiling from towering scaffolding. A job requiring both a steady nerve and a head for heights.
And just in case you’ve ever wondered how long it would take to redecorate a house like Burghley, Trevor has done it. In his early years, he was tasked with redecorating around 65 rooms in total, including hallways and corridors. A project that took approximately 12 to 15 months to complete.
His role, however, has extended far beyond painting and decorating in the past. Like many estate workers of the time, Trevor turned his hand to whatever was needed — plastering, papering, carpentry, moving furniture, you name it.
“Everyone mucked in,” he reflects. “That’s just how it was in such a small estate working team back in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. It’s still like that today, but everyone has their own specialties and expertise in an ever-growing Burghley team, so in recent years I’ve just stuck with my paint brushes!”
50 Years at a 500-Year-Old House: Then and Now
During Trevor’s early years, daily life on the Estate looked very different.
“A lorry would drop all the tradesmen off in the morning at any one of your assigned jobs and pick us up at the end of the day,” he remembers, a routine that began on his first day in 1976 and continued into the early 1990s, before workers were provided with Estate vehicles.
“I started working with people who talked about their experiences fighting in the Second World War,” he says. “And now I’m retiring into a world of Instagram and AI, and Burghley has its very own adventure play area. To see Burghley, the place and its people, grow and evolve into what it is today is quite incredible, and I’ve loved every minute of being part of it.”
More so in the modern era, Trevor has overseen and worked across a portfolio of letting properties in Stamford and the surrounding villages, from flats, newer builds and cottages to converted barns and farmhouses, owned by the Burghley House Preservation Trust.
Among colleagues, Trevor is something of a Burghley legend for leaving his name marked in unexpected places in his younger days, with his name etched on the walls of turrets, passageways and corridors, and tucked-away crevices that only the most curious might discover.
We went to seek these out and came across names from colleagues he has worked with over the years, far too many to mention individually, but Trevor reflects:
“I’ve seen people come and go, watched everyone grow up, grow old, and sadly pass on,” he says. “But the House lives on and holds all those precious stories and memories. In the grand scheme of things, I’ve only played a small part in preserving this grand old House, but I’m proud to have done so with all these people.”
Trevor is quick to thank everyone he has worked alongside over the years.
“It might sound cliché, but it’s true, the people are what make this place tick, and that’s what makes Burghley so special. There are genuinely good people here, and the camaraderie… that’s what I’ll miss the most.”
Looking Ahead
Although retiring from his role, Trevor will never be far away. Living on entrance to Burghley House at Pilsgate Lodge for nearly 25 years, he will remain there as a familiar face on the Estate, often spotted walking his dog Barney or enjoying a cup of tea at the edge of the Parkland.
Reflecting on his great career, Trevor says, “Burghley has been far more than just a workplace,” and sums it up:
“I’ve been very fortunate and grateful. There’s no place like Burghley. The Estate and the family have been so good to me since I started in ’76, even if they did forget I was starting! Burghley is, and always has been, a huge part of my life, and I would like to thank everyone here that’s been a part of it.”
Retirement, he says, will bring simple pleasures. Time in the garden with his wife Jennifer and time to care and spend time with his elderly parents.
August 2026 would have marked 50 years at Burghley, so we had to ask… “why not wait for the 50 year anniversary, Trevor?”
“It’s just a number,” he says, “and I’m looking forward to getting outside in the sunshine and down to the coast with Barney this summer!”
Thank you, Trevor!
From everyone at Burghley, we thank Trevor for all dedication and years of service, and wish him a long, happy and well-deserved retirement.
