High, fast and fabulous
The earliest record of shooting on the Burghley estate is captured in a painting dating back to 1683: the 6th Earl of Exeter is standing proudly with his gun in hand and faithful dog at foot.
The flintlock was invented at the end of the 16th century and came into general use in the 1630s, making it practical to shoot flying game with a long gun. Young aristocrats like the earl eagerly embraced the sport.
However, conservation was not forgotten in this new era of fieldsports. There are records on the estate of leases for old reservoirs from the end of the 17th century detailing numbers of wildfowl allowed to be shot by tenants.
Natural habitats
Fast forward to the current day and a Countryside Stewardship Scheme has been put in place to protect the estate’s natural habitats,
