The town originally grew as a Danish base, which by the Middle Ages had became famous for its production of wool and cloth (known as Stamford cloth. Later still, Stamford became an inland port on the Great North Road. Notable buildings in the town include the mediaeval Browne's Hospital and the Elizabethan Burghley House. Because of the large number of surviving listed buildings, the town has been used as a set for television "period" dramatisations.