Lord Coe gift offers visitors to England's greatest Elizabethan house even more history in 2013

Burghley house has wrapped up an Olympic year of celebration with a unique gift from the man who spearheaded Britain's hugely successful London 2012 Games.

Ancestral home to David Cecil, Lord Burghley (1905-1981) - an Olympic gold medal-winning hurdler who helped deliver the 1948 London Games - Burghley celebrated its sporting connections with an exhibition of his sporting achievements as well as special events in 2012.

Among exhibits on display during the year long exhibition was an original Olympic torch from the 1948 London Games - and Burghley, near Stamford, welcomed the 2012 version during a torch runner hand-over as part of the Olympic Flame's triumphant UK summer relay.

Now one of the 2012 torches has returned to the Lincolnshire historic house… thanks to the generosity of Olympics supremo Lord Sebastian Coe.

The gift means that England's greatest Elizabethan house has the honour of being home to not one, but two Olympic torches from two different Games.

Fittingly Lord Coe was at Burghley in July to welcome the torch as it changed hands in front of the house, which was home to Lord Burghley, a celebrated Olympic athlete and the man who was effectively the Lord Coe of his day for the last London Games, in 1948.

Lord Coe also carried the torch himself in his hometown of Sheffield and like all runners who took part in the nationwide relay he got to keep his torch as a memento. And he has decided to donate his torch to Burghley so that it can go on display alongside Lord Burghley's 1948 torch in the permanent Olympic Corridor exhibition within the House in 2013.

"We're so grateful to Lord Coe for his very gracious gift which will add a special bit of sporting history to Burghley's remarkable collection" said Miranda Rock, Burghley House director.

And she added: "It's been a pleasure this year seeing so many visitors appreciating my grandfather's sporting legacy thanks to the wonderful exhibits we were able to display as part of our Olympics exhibition, including the torch from the 1948 London Games.

"Welcoming the 2012 torch to Burghley in the summer was among our highlights of the year and we were so grateful that Lord Coe took time out of his busy schedule to share that special day with us. Now his gift of his own Olympic torch will mean visitors to the house next year will be able to see even more Olympic history in this very special place.”

Hurdler David Cecil, Lord Burghley, who inherited the title of Marquess of Exeter from his father in 1956, was one of the golden athletes of his generation, winning gold for the 400 metres hurdles at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and silver in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics 4x400 metre relay.

Once he retired from active sport, he worked hard for amateur ideals within the Olympic movement. As President of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, Chairman of the British Olympic Association and a member of the International Olympic Committee, he was instrumental in bringing the Olympic Games to England in 1948 and was also chairman of the Organising and Executive Committee for those Games.

During his time at Cambridge, Lord Burghley - as he was then known - was also the inspiration behind one of the key characters in the movie Chariots of Fire, played by Nigel Havers. A famous scene in that film was also inspired by one of Lord Burghley’s feats – the race around the Great Court at Trinity College, Cambridge, against fellow athletes, when he became the only person to sprint around the courtyard before the college clock tolled 12 times.

While the Olympics exhibition ended when the House closed for the season at the end of October, Burghley’s permanent Olympic Corridor display returns for the 2013 season. The expanded exhibition will also now include both the 1948 and 2012 Olympic torches.

For full details of 2013 opening times and prices visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.

Centuries old gardens design scoops top modern day award for Woburn Abbey

 Woburn Abbey and Gardens are delighted to announce that the completion of a pavilion designed over 200 years ago has won the prestigious New Commission category of the 2012 Hudson’s Heritage Awards.  The striking red, green and gold pavilion in a Chinese-style was the inspiration of Humphry Repton, the famous landscape gardener, and sits on top of the attractive rockery in the gardens of Woburn Abbey, family home of the 15th Duke and Duchess of Bedford.

 

In 1802 Repton was commissioned by the 6th Duke to produce designs for enhancing the gardens and deer park and create interest for visitors.    The rockery and pavilion together were one part of Repton’s plan for formal ‘Pleasure Grounds’ at Woburn Abbey and illustrations of all of Repton’s designs and ideas were collated in his Red Book (1805), still held at the Abbey today.  Woburn has the most plans of Repton’s realised in the UK, but until this year the rockery stood uncompleted.

For the past seven years the Family along with the Estates Gardens Manager Martin Towsey and his team have been working tirelessly to restore Repton’s original plans for the ‘Pleasure Gardens’, which have also included an aviary and Children’s Garden.   In 2009 the Abbey Gardens team began restoring the rockery, which had suffered badly from weather over the years and was overgrown with trees, with the ultimate goal of recreating Repton’s original illustration.    In 2011 F Martin Ltd were commissioned to build the pavilion and together with the Abbey Gardens team constructed it on top of the rockery.  It took four weeks to build and a week to construct on site.  The entire project was successfully completed this summer and officially opened by Her Grace the Duchess of Bedford at the Woburn Abbey Garden Show.

The pavilion and rockery are on public display within the Abbey Gardens.  
For more information, visit www.woburn.co.uk/abbey or call 01525 290333.

Woburn Abbey Gardens Opening Times
Until 21st March 2013:10am to 4pm (last entry), closed 24th to 26th December 2012
22nd March to 3rd November 2013: 10am to 5pm (last entry)
4th November to 31st December 2013: 10am to 4pm (last entry) Friday, Saturday and Sunday only

Location of Woburn Abbey and Gardens
Just south east of Milton Keynes, Woburn Abbey is signposted from junctions 12 and 13 of the M1. It is also easily accessible from the A5.

Beaulieu wins Large Attraction Gold Award

At the 2012 Beautiful South Awards for Excellence gala dinner held at Denbies Wine Estate, hosted by Toby Anstis from Heart FM radio and TSE Chairman Ken Robinson, Beaulieu received the Gold Award in the Large Attraction category.

In its 60th anniversary year, more than 400,000 visitors from all over the world have visited the Beaulieu attraction, giving it its best visitor numbers since the mid 90s.  A big part of this success has been the opening of BOND IN MOTION, an exclusive exhibition, the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world, featuring 50 original vehicles from the James Bond films, including some of the best loved and most iconic.

Beaulieu’s Commercial Director, Stephen Munn said: “Beaulieu was one of the first stately homes in England to open its doors to visitors in the early 1950s and I am delighted that in its 60th anniversary year it continues to flourish.

“The attraction endeavours to offer something for all ages and tastes and its latest exhibition BOND IN MOTION has brought a whole new audience to the attraction since its opening at the beginning of the year. We are delighted to be the recipients of this prestigious award in such a special year for Beaulieu.”

Beaulieu also received Silver Awards in three other categories;  Access for All Tourism, Tourism Event of the Year, for the International Autojumble, and its in-house caterers, Leith’s, for Business Tourism.

In addition Beaulieu has received a Highly Commended Award for its Shopping Experience in the 2012 Hudson’s Heritage Awards and a Highly Commended in the Visitor Attraction category at this year’s Bournemouth Tourism Awards.

Victorian Christmas Celebrations at Beaulieu 15th December 2012 – 6th January 2013

Visit Beaulieu this Festive Season, between 15^th December and 6^th January 2013, for a glimpse of Christmas Past in a Victorian country house.

Palace House, which has been the home of the Montagu family since 1538, is a place of enchantment at this special time of year.  Children can delve into a  ‘Box of Delights’ and dress up in period costumes while in the Lower Drawing Room there will be carol singing and musical entertainment for everyone to enjoy.

Visitors can talk to characters from Victorian times to discover what life was really like ‘Upstairs and Downstairs’ at Christmas time and warm themselves in front of the yule log in the hearth of the great fireplace while enjoying a glass of hot fruit punch. The splendid Victorian-style decorations around the house and the magnificent Christmas tree in the Upper Drawing Room will add to the flavour and charm of the season.

In the National Motor Museum, the Victorian theme continues as visitors can see what driving was really like in those early days. Don’t miss the ‘Wheels’ pod-ride transporting you on a journey through one hundred years of motoring history.

See the museum’s exciting BOND IN MOTION exhibition, showcasing 50 original vehicles from the James Bond films. Put on in conjunction with EON Productions, this is the largest exhibition of its kind to be staged anywhere in the world, and celebrates 50 years of the film franchise. See some of the most iconic and best-loved Bond vehicles, including the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldeneye, the ‘Little Nellie’ gyrocopter from You Only Live Twice and Bond villain Zao’s gadget-laden Jaguar XKR used in Die Another Day, plus watch action clips and behind-the-scenes footage from some of the most thrilling vehicle stunt sequences in the films.

In the World of Top Gear Enormodrome watch exclusive footage as the boys take you behind the scenes in the Top Gear production zone, enjoy clips from some of the best Top Gear moments and see actual cars from some of the presenters’ most ambitious challenges.

To complete the day, take a ride on the high-level Monorail or hop on the Veteran London Bus to see the Beaulieu sights.

For shopping delights visit the Beaulieu gift shops which offer everything from soft toys and stocking fillers for children, to a wide selection of motor related items, traditional gifts and Beaulieu’s own wine and festive fare.  There is free parking and free entry to the extensive Gift Shop, conveniently located in the Visitor Reception Hall.

The Beaulieu attraction is open from 10am to 5pm daily, except Christmas Day. For further information visit: www.beaulieu.co.uk

Christmas At The Treasure Houses Of England

Expect a fabulous feast of festive entertainment and events this Christmas at the magnificent Treasure Houses of England.  Shop in style with magical Christmas markets and discover beautifully and stylishly decorated Treasure Houses for a unique and inspired day out, not to mention the opportunity to pick up some beautifully bespoke presents for your nearest and dearest.

Beaulieu's Victorian Christmas

The beautiful Blenheim Palace

Beaulieu’s Christmas Fair (16 November) in support of the Estate’s Countryside Educational Trust includes an array of quality items from food and drink to jewellery, antiques and plants.  In addition, their Christmas Celebrations (15 December-6 January) will feature carol singing in festively decorated Palace House and Victorian characters who will be on show-stopping hand to divulge fascinating details on life in a Victorian country house 

Blenheim Palace’s The Palace will be telling the story of The Three Kings (10 November-14 December) through spectacular themed decorations, with the State Rooms decorated in glittering gold and festooned in exotic silk.

Castle Howard at Christmas

Celebrate and sample local produce at Burghley House’s free fine food market (1 December) where cheeses, meats and cupcakes are just some of the drool-worthy delights on offer.

The NSPCC Christmas Shopping Fair will be hosted by Castle Howard, which also presents its captivating Christmas Craft & Produce Market (2-4 December & 9-10 December). Relish some seasonal finery throughout the castle and grounds with family decorations, festive music, seasonal menus and weekend audiences with Father Christmas (24 November-16 December).
 

Chatsworth

Harewood

Holkham

For something decidedly different, visit Chatsworth for their Christmas themed evenings at the farm shop ( 5th & 12th December). Browse their various gifts, treats and Christmas produce while enjoying live demonstrations and a top seasonal tipple of mulled wine.  Chatsworth also presents a host of workshops and making events, from their floral workshop (29 & 30 November) to wreath making (5 & 6 December) sessions.   And don’t forget to bring the entire family to Chatsworth’s nativity performances, featuring adorable real animals from their farmyard (evening nativities 1, 8, 15 and 22 December at 6pm and daytime nativities 1-2, 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23 December).

Festive food, a crackling fire in the grate and a house dressed for a family Christmas; Harewood celebrates all that is good about the festive season with their much-anticipated Christmas Weekends (1 December-23 December).   Immerse yourself in the magic of the house and take a tour of glorious grounds, feel the true spirit of a Harewood Christmas.

Get in the festive spirit with Music for Christmas at Hatfield (9 December).  Staged in the Old Palace, Hertfordshire Chorus - one of the UK's leading symphonic choirs - present an evening of seasonal favourites as mulled wine, coffee and mince pies will be doing the delicious rounds prior to the performance.

Catch awe-inspiring splendour at Holkham Hall for their resplendent Christmas Celebrations (1, 2, 8 & 9 December). With the staterooms decorated in stunning Victorian style and cast in oh-so romantic candlelight, it promises to be a magnificent sight to behold.   Watch the cooks in the Old Kitchen as they prepare the Christmas feast and meet the traditionally clothed Victorian characters who will be filling the hall with storytelling, dancing, carol singing and tales from Christmas past; while Father Christmas welcomes children each with their own special gift.  Visit the Victorian traders selling Christmas gifts and crafts in the Bygones Museum and courtyard and indulge in tasty refreshments at The Stables Café, with mulled wine and tempting festive treats. 

Leeds Castle

The lovely fellows at Leeds Castle are proud to present Christmas Past (12 -23 Dec) - a glorious celebration of the Victorian Christmas.  Come and see the incredible illuminated Woodland Walk and prepare to be amazed!  Glorious food, shops, stalls, fabulous gifts, Christmas carols, a Victorian train, Santa Claus and more.
   
 
Treasure Houses of England

• The Treasure Houses of England are 10 of the most magnificent palaces, houses and castles in England today. Together they attract in excess of 2.8 million visitors annually.
• Members are Beaulieu, Blenheim Palace, Burghley House, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Harewood, Hatfield House, Holkham Hall, Leeds Castle and Woburn Abbey.
• One of the most compelling features of the Treasure Houses of England is that they all offer the visitor a living history. Most are still homes to the great families who have owned them for generations. Others keep their heritage alive by re-creating scenes and events that have dominated and shaped England from the 9th century to the present day.
• Between them they house some of the most important art collections in the world with famous works from artists such as Van Dyck and Gainsborough. The connoisseur of fine furniture, porcelain and china will find priceless examples of Chippendale, Wedgwood and Meissen.
• Each house is an architectural masterpiece surrounded by beautiful parklands and gardens.

Simply Super Simply Smart

A colourful collection of Smart cars brightened up the Beaulieu Arena in the grounds of the National Motor Museum on Remembrance Sunday for the second ever Simply Smart rally.

All Smart car owners were invited to drive their quirky motors to Beaulieu, display their vehicles in its picturesque parkland, and enjoy all the delights of the attraction, whilst getting the chance to meet other like-minded enthusiasts and admire their vehicles.

A wonderful variety of models were on show, from the more everyday Fortwos and City-Coupés to the sportier looking Roadsters and Crossblades, decorated with all sorts of colourful graphics and designs.

Decorated Smart Car dashboard

This event was again well supported by owners’ club, SmartManiacs, with a large number of their members attending. At the club’s request, the event is always held around the time of Remembrance Sunday, with this year’s rally taking place on the day itself. As a fitting tribute and a mark of respect, Sue and Peter Taylor brought along their ‘Poppy’ Smart car, decorated with red poppy graphics, to display in the Front Hall of the National Motor Museum for the day.

The whole Beaulieu attraction also took part in a two minute silence at 11am, which visitors were invited to join.
 

People's Choice winner Sue Toogood
with her pink Smart Fortwo

Throughout the day, visitors to Beaulieu were given the opportunity to vote for their favourite Smart car on display in the People’s Choice Award. The winner was Sue Toogood from Bargoed, South Wales with her striking Smart Fortwo Passion in an eye-catching pearlescent pink. Sue, who has owned the vehicle for seven years, was presented with a special 60th anniversary edition Beaulieu Trophy by Beaulieu’s Events Co-ordinator, Thomas Reinhold. Sue uses the vehicle to help raise money for charity and has participated in the annual Pink Car Rally five times to raise funds for the Little Princess Trust, a charity devoted to helping young cancer sufferers cope with hair loss.

Sue and four finalists drove in a cavalcade through the grounds of the Beaulieu attraction, to Lord Montagu’s family home, Palace House, where they displayed their cars for a unique photo opportunity.

Simply Smart is part of a growing calendar of Simply rallies which has expanded to include a wide variety of themes covering many makes and models. All Simply rallies are run and organised by Beaulieu and take place in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

This event was sponsored by specialist motor insurance broker Adrian Flux. The next Simply Smart rally is scheduled for Sunday 10th November 2013. Further information will be available from www.beaulieuevents.co.uk nearer the time.

Tuck in to a Burghley Christmas

England’s greatest Elizabethan house will play host to a seasonal spectacle featuring festive favourites including country crafts, Christmas floral arranging and fine food.

Burghley House in Lincolnshire provides the spectacular backdrop for a festive celebration including a stately food market, crafts pavilion and Christmas parties in an historic location.

While the House closed at the end of October, Burghley at Christmas offers visitors a chance to experience traditional seasonal treats in a striking heritage setting. 

There are winter walks through the Capability Brown-designed parkland, home to a herd of fallow deer, and seasonal shopping at Burghley’s own gift shop.

And Burghley’s ever-popular Orangery Restaurant - run by prestigious caterers Absolute Taste - is also open Wednesday through to Sunday in December serving tasty treats as well as traditional Christmas lunches.

Launching Burghley’s festive season will be the popular Crafts for Christmas from the Rural Crafts Association, which returns to Burghley 29th November - 2nd December 2012.

A marquee in the picturesque parkland provides a festive space for talented makers and designers from all over the UK producing top quality products all under one roof. (For ticket prices, visit www.ruralcraftsassociation.co.uk or call 01428 684494).

While over the weekend, Saturday 1st December and Sunday 2nd December, join in a celebration of local produce at the free-to-enter Christmas Fine Food Market.

Within the cobbled courtyard against the backdrop of the Elizabethan house, stall holders will be selling everything from local cheese and meats to cupcakes and Burghley venison.

Special Festive Floral Workshops, will also be staged on both days with Burghley's head gardener John Burrows. He will reveal how to make either a beautiful table centre or festive garland that visitors can take home with them, with all materials and refreshments provided (booking is essential for the workshops).

But there is plenty more Christmas cheer on offer throughout December at the historic house, which has been the home of the Cecil family for more than 400 years.

Unusually for such a historic house, you can park and visit the restaurant or walk through the parkland with no charge throughout the year. Offering sweeping vistas down to the spires of the Georgian stone town of Stamford, Burghley’s parkland creates the perfect canvas for a winter stroll. 

Christmas also brings a truly seasonal flavour to the menu at the recently refurbished Orangery restaurant. Boasting huge windows flooding the area with natural light, the Orangery – also designed by Capability Brown – will be serving homemade food right through the day as well as Christmas lunch in December.

And as well as the elegant Orangery restaurant, Burghley’s awe inspiring Great Hall offers a chance for a Christmas Party with a difference, whether choosing one of the special festive packages or creating your own special event.

Caterers Absolute Taste offer a selection of delicious mains to choose from, including truffle-basted ballotine of turkey with a chestnut and wild mushroom stuffing and classic beef Wellington, followed by mouthwatering desserts such as a trio of Christmas treats.

The gift shop and the restaurant are both are open during the winter period, from Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm (shop 11am to 4pm). 

For details of Christmas Lunch menus and bespoke dinner parties at The Orangery at Burghley, visit www.burghley.co.uk/venue/christmas

For full details of all events at Burghley, visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.

Outstanding Anniversary Year For Beaulieu

Aston Martin DB5 and Rolls-Royce Phantom III

In its 60th anniversary year, more than 400,000 visitors from all over the world have visited the Beaulieu attraction, giving it its best visitor numbers in over 15 years.  A big part of this success has been the opening of BOND IN MOTION, an exclusive exhibition, the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world, featuring 50 original vehicles from the James Bond films, including some of the best loved and most iconic. 
Beaulieu’s Commercial Director, Stephen Munn said: “Beaulieu was one of the first stately homes in England to open its doors to visitors in the early 1950s and I am delighted that in its 60th anniversary year it continues to flourish. The attraction endeavours to offer something for all ages and tastes and its latest exhibition BOND IN MOTION has brought a whole new audience to the attraction since its opening at the beginning of the year.”

Record breakers

It has recently been announced that BOND IN MOTION, originally scheduled to run for just one year, has been extended and will be continuing throughout 2013. The exhibition has been brought right up to date with four vehicles from the 23rd and latest Bond film SKYFALL; the Land Rover Defender 110 and two Honda CRF250R motorcycles that feature in the opening sequence as well as the most iconic of all Bond cars, the Aston Martin DB5.

Beaulieu International Autojumble

Beaulieu’s achievements during 2012 have been recognised with nominations for a number of industry awards.  It is a finalist in four categories of the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence; Large Attraction, Access for All Tourism, Tourism Event of the Year, for the International Autojumble, and its in-house caterers, Leith’s, for Business Tourism. In the Hudson’s Heritage Awards Beaulieu has been nominated in the Best Attraction category and Best Event category for Supercar Showdown.
In addition, Beaulieu has been shortlisted in the Museum or Collection of the Year category for the National Motor Museum and Motoring Event of the Year for the International Autojumble in the annual Octane magazine International Historic Motoring Awards.

The results will be announced at awards ceremonies at the end of November.

Hammond’s Budget Bond Submarine Car At Beaulieu’s World Of Top Gear

Following the airing of Top Gear’s 50 Years of Bond Cars special, fans of the show visiting Beaulieu’s World of Top Gear can now see the actual Top Gear Lotus Excel Submarine driven by Richard Hammond into a lake.

In honour of the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise and the release of the 23rd Bond film Skyfall, Richard Hammond paid tribute to some of 007’s greatest moments on wheels with an hour-long Top Gear special, looking at some of the famous, and not so famous, cars used by the world’s favourite spy. Carried along on a heady wave of nostalgia, Hammond even decided to make a couple of amazing real-life Bond cars on a budget.
 
One of these budget creations was based on the unforgettable Lotus Esprit S1 ‘submarine’ car used by Roger Moore’s James Bond in The Spy Who Loved Me. The Top Gear version of this iconic aquatic vehicle uses the never-popular Excel model (because 007-style Esprits were too expensive) and features extendable rear dive planes, electrically-powered rear thrusters, a double skinned passenger compartment, a roof hatch for access and a cunning ballast system which involved filling the tyres with concrete.

Amazingly, this is one of the few cut-price Top Gear projects which actually worked, and this ingenious creation can truly claim to be the world’s first fully functioning submarine car. Although perhaps its biggest achievement is that it has made it to World of Top Gear at Beaulieu, and isn’t lying at the bottom of the lake in which it was tested!

The Lotus Excel Submarine joins a growing collection of cars at Beaulieu created by the Top Gear presenters for some of their most ambitious challenges. Latest additions include the mobility scooters which the presenters raced against wounded servicemen, the cars which they drove through India in the Christmas Special 2011 and Jeremy Clarkson’s TGV12 sports train.

Regular features from the programme including the Cool Wall and the Celebrity ‘Lap Times’ boards are kept up to date in line with the show. Visitors can also watch behind-the-scenes footage of the Top Gear production zone and clips of some of the best Top Gear moments in the ‘Enormodrome’ which recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio, where the TV show is filmed in front of a live audience.

Visitors to Beaulieu can also see the original James Bond Lotus Esprit S1 ‘submarine’ car, the inspiration for this Top Gear challenge, currently displayed in BOND IN MOTION, the National Motor Museum’s exhibition of 50 genuine James Bond cars. This is the largest official collection of Bond vehicles displayed anywhere in the world and showcases all 007’s modes of transportation, including cars, trikes, bikes, sleds, boats and many more.

World of Top Gear and BOND IN MOTION can be viewed as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction which also includes the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey.

Beaulieu is open every day, except Christmas Day, from 10am. For more information telephone 01590 612345 or visit www.beaulieu.co.uk

Christmas at Harewood - Indulge in the magic of Christmas.

Enjoy a traditional Christmas at Harewood this year - open weekends from 24th November to 16th December. Harewood House, between Leeds and Harrogate, has pulled out all the stops for a truly traditional Christmas, with seasonal crafts, activities and merry events for all the family.

Every weekend little ones can meet Father Christmas by the Fireside in the Servants Hall (from 11:00am - 3:30pm). They can snuggle up and enjoy a festive tale and receive an early Christmas gift made especially in the Elves workshop. (£12.50 pre-booked half hour session, includes entry to the grounds.) Historically, Below Stairs is where Christmas was created for guests on the State Floor, you can get in the spirit with cookery demonstrations in the   Old Kitchen and sample some delectable treats. Or, enjoy some retail therapy in our festive Gourmet Shop filled with irresistible goodies in our transformed Pastry Room.  Then you can visit the grandest rooms on the State Floor which will be sumptuously dressed for Christmas (open 12 – 3pm) giving you a sneak peek of how the family celebrate.

 
Music has long played a part in Christmas at Harewood and you can experience a magical ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service by St Aidan’s Choir and Brass Band on 6th December in Harewood’s All Saints’ Church. Enjoy warming festive refreshments and treats in the unique atmosphere of this Medieval Church. During your visit, explore the award-winning Harewood Grounds and Gardens for an adventurous walk in your woollies and pay a visit to Father Christmas’s faithful friends in the penguin pool, feeding at 2pm.

Try your hand at creating your own Christmas decorations this year with Wreath Making or Table Centre Floristry workshops (11th December/18th December) with Harewood’s award winning House Florist Gillian Gill (pre-book only, visit www.harewood.org/winter for more details).

Meanwhile in the Courtyard, get some Christmas shopping done and treat your nearest and dearest in Harewood’s recently refurbished Courtyard shop, stocking designer homeware and gifts seldom available outside of London and refuel with some seasonal treats at Harewood’s Courtyard Restaurant. 

To be a member at Harewood and enjoy exclusive benefits, visit www.harewood.org/membership – membership also makes a great Christmas gift.