Victorian Christmas Celebrations At Beaulieu - 20th December 2014 – 4th January 2015

Giant Christmas Tree

Visit Beaulieu this Festive Season, between 20th December and 4th January 2015, for a glimpse of Christmas Past in a Victorian country house.

See one of the largest outdoor Christmas trees in the New Forest, adorned with seasonal decorations and follow the fairy light path to Palace House, the home of the Montagu family since 1538, which is a place of enchantment at this special time of year.  Children can follow the Christmas Cracker quiz trail and hear how festive traditions have developed over the ages before delving into a  ‘Box of Delights’ to dress up in period costume. 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.

Palace House Staff at Christmas

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 ‘Wheels’, a pod-ride transporting you on a journey through one hundred years of motoring history.

In the World of Top Gear Enormodrome watch exclusive footage as the presenters 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 festive fare.  There is free parking and free entry to the extensive Gift Shop which is 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

Hare off to Beaulieu for an Easter Egg-stravaganza

Hare off to Beaulieu for an Easter Egg-stravaganza

Easter bunny at Beaulieu

During the Easter holidays, 5th – 21st April, young visitors to Beaulieu can follow an egg-citing Trail and collect a sweet treat at the end. At Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538, youngsters can have an Easter-themed face painting, and all the family can play with fun Victorian toys and games. If you visit over the Easter weekend, you may even get to meet the Easter Bunny!

Take a look around the National Motor Museum’s stunning collection of over 250 vehicles, from world land speed record breakers to F1 racers, plus quirky motoring oddities including a Cadbury Crème Egg car. Journey through 100 years of motoring in the museum’s pod-ride ‘Wheels’ and visit Jack Tucker’s Garage, which recreates the sights, sounds and smells of a typical country garage from the 1930s.

Don’t miss one of the first opportunities to see the museum’s fascinating new display, For Britain & For The Hell Of It. Opening for the Easter holidays, it features Beaulieu’s iconic land speed record cars and tells the story of British pluck, technological mastery and national pride – alongside new vehicles with a more alternative land speed heritage. A moving audio-visual presentation transports you back to a golden age of invention, courage and patriotism and introduces you to those who are keeping the record breaking dream alive today.

There’s a lot more for all the family at Beaulieu this Easter; take a ride on the high-level Monorail or see the sights from the replica open-topped London Bus. Budding drivers can get behind the wheel on the Mini Car Driving Circuit and younger visitors can get physical on Dipstick’s Mini Motor Play Trail with its Veteran Bus climbing frame, swings and Little Tykes ride-on-cars.

In World of Top Gear see actual vehicles created by presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May for some of their most ambitious challenges on the TV show over the years.

Fans of the show will experience the Top Gear ‘Enormodrome’ which recreates the feel of the Top Gear studio.  As well as regular features from the programme including the Cool Wall and Celebrity ‘Lap Time’ boards, visitors can watch an exclusive video presentation from behind-the-scenes at the Top Gear HQ with Jeremy, Richard and James plus clips from the show featuring the cars on display.

Visit the Secret Army Exhibition, to learn about the training of special agents at Beaulieu during WWII, and stroll through the beautifully kept gardens, where in April a colourful mass of crocuses and daffodils that surround Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey.  Over fifteen species of daffodils bloom at various times during the flowering season, ensuring a spectacular show lasting many weeks. 

Beaulieu is open from 10am every day so hop along to Beaulieu for some Easter fun.  For further information telephone 01590 612345 or visit: www.beaulieu.co.uk

#Beaulieu #Easter

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

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

Visit Beaulieu this Festive Season, between 15th December and 6th 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

Children experience stately life in Victorian Times

Local school children were transported back to the Victorian era during a visit to Holkham Hall which featured a top hat, a tiara and a feather duster.

Fifteen pupils aged six to 11 from Holkham House at Brancaster CE VA Primary School discovered at first hand what it was like to be part of life in a stately home in Victorian times by taking on various roles from the household.

The children each chose a prop from a selection of items including a shaving brush, top hat, tiara and feather duster.  Viscountess Coke gave a tour of the Hall with the children playing the role of the person who would have used that item.

In the dining room those playing the Earl and Countess of Leicester put on their top hat and tiara for dinner and were served by the footman, butler and lady’s maid.

Flowers from the groundsman decorated the table and the gamekeeper gave his duck to the cook in the kitchen ready for the pot.

Other scenes featured the valet shaving the Earl and the lady’s maid attending to the Countess in the bathroom of the Parrot Bedroom. 

The children also had a tour of Holkham Park to see the deer and collect wood, leaves and twigs for a mini beast project back in the school classroom.  They visited the magnificent Temple in the park to learn about shapes of buildings and the Bygones Museum to see the old laundry and compare the mangle and press with today’s modern equipment.  The day was finished off with a treat of Holkham ice-cream.

Sarah Bocking, head teacher at Brancaster CE VA Primary School, said: “Our school feels that being part of the local community is very important and we like to make links with local people and places wherever and whenever we can. We named the school houses after the three big local estates and were thrilled when Viscountess Coke agreed to come and talk to us about Holkham so that the children in Holkham House could understand about their house and feel part of it.

Since then, Viscountess Coke has been wonderfully supportive towards us.

She kindly organised this visit, choosing activities that ensured the children really learnt from their experience.”