Home   Stamford   News   Article

Subscribe Now

In Stamford Assets, John Daffurn’s catalogues the Newcomb family properties




These days it seems Burghley owns half of Stamford, but turn the clock back 200 years and a different dynasty had an impressive foothold in town.

The Newcomb family, best known for being the Mercury’s past proprietors, also owned more than 40 of Stamford’s current Grade I and II* listed properties, as well as other buildings and plots of land.

In today’s money the domestic properties alone would be worth more than £40 million.

Author John Daffurn, who lives in Stamford
Author John Daffurn, who lives in Stamford

Shedding light on the property portfolio - and giving people the opportunity to learn about the social and architectural history of individual buildings in Stamford - is author John Daffurn.

John, who until recently lived at Rock Terrace and wrote a book tracing the history of its tenants, has now written a catalogue of Newcomb family property, called Stamford Assets.

With 92 full colour pages punctuated with photos and illustrations, the book gives a potted history of how 69 asset deals covering 120 properties fitted into the Newcomb family history. Headings include the location, when the property was acquired and its then value, when the Newcombs disposed of it, and its 2024 value.

Stamford Assets, a catalogue of Newcomb family property, by John Daffurn
Stamford Assets, a catalogue of Newcomb family property, by John Daffurn

The result is a fascinating look at assets that are clearly identifiable today, including 28 Broad Street (now part of the United Reformed Church Hall), 11-12 St Mary’s Street (Sinclairs), and the Stamford Hotel (recently turned into private apartments).

Others are harder to imagine, including the wonderfully named ‘third turn of the advowson of St John the Baptist’, for which Richard Newcomb outbid Lord Exeter of Burghley House. For those unfamiliar with the benefits of having an advowson, it gave Newcomb sway when it came to the appointment of a clergyman.

The other two turns, however, already belonged to Lord Exeter, and the third would eventually end up in the hands of the Cecil family anyway, by way of a gift.

Other gems highlighted in John’s book include long-lost pubs, and the papermills in Wansford, which supplied the Mercury.

Interspersing the assets are historical anecdotes and biographies of key family members, as well as what to look for at the sites today that offer a glimpse of what went before.

Stamford Assets is available to preorder for £11 including postage until January 31 at https://tinyurl.com/StamfordAssets and will be at Walkers in Stamford High Street from February 8, priced £11.99.

There will be a book launch at which people can meet John, taking place in the Cornish Bakery, High Street, Stamford from 10.30am until 2.30pm on Wednesday, February 5.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More