Raby Castle will be opening its doors during the festive period for the first time in five decades to show the castle decorated for Christmas, designed by custodian and creative director, Lady Barnard. This will be a chance for visitors to experience how the Vane family enjoyed Christmas at the Castle and see the rooms beautifully decorated as they would have been in the past, the family’s traditional gifts, flowers and sumptuous Christmas trees.
A bespoke introductory film, based on the format of the much-loved poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, will also feature in the House Keeper’s Sitting Room to set the scene and tell the story of that period, before visitors embark on their journey through the rooms.
Lady Barnard said, “I have had a wonderful time collecting these beautiful pieces from Christmas past as well as my present family traditions, bringing to life our personal and honest telling of how our ancestors would have celebrated the day right here at Raby Castle all those years ago.”
This special seasonal installation, available on selected dates from Saturday 22 November to Sunday 4th January, will also include never-before-seen items from the collections at Raby Castle.
Julie Biddlecombe-Brown, curator at Raby Castle, said: “We’ve researched the Raby archives in detail to ensure our Christmas Day telling is as accurate as possible, focusing on the early 1900s. We’ve looked at the Christmas cards the family gave each other, the toys received by the three boys who lived at Raby at the time and their gifts to their parents, what the family would have eaten on the day and the type of wine that would have been served. We even have gift boxes with labels detailing who the present was from and the year, meaning we’re able to provide a truthful snapshot of the family’s festive experiences.
Raby Castle at Christmas will be available between 10am and 4pm and visitors can round off their day at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens with a festive afternoon tea at The Vinery. A candlelit experience will also take place on Saturday 13 and 20 December, where visitors can experience the elegantly decorated castle rooms in a different and magical light, followed by late night shopping for festive gifts at Raby’s retail space, the Coach House.
Tickets to Christmas at the Castle are £22 for adults, £7 for children (up to 15 years) and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £55. Under fours go free. These tickets include entry to Christmas at the Castle and access to the Walled Gardens and Deer Park.
For tickets to Raby Castle at Christmas, visit: www.raby.co.uk. An early bird ticket rate featuring a 10% discount with code RCC10 is available for tickets purchased before 31st October.
