A COUNTRY house is delving into its history with a 1940s weekend this Bank Holiday.

Beningbrough Hall and Gardens, just outside of York, is putting on a weekend of nostalgia events with guest exhibitors and activities for all the family.

From Saturday, May 4 to Monday, May 6 a programme of activities will include actors dressed in 1940s military costume, drill demonstrations, and the opportunity for people to learn how to jive.

Children can make some magnificent flying machines or have a go at sending secret messages via Morse code.

Guest can also visit the make do and mend stalls in the gardens or have a ration-themed afternoon tea.

The highlight on Bank Holiday Monday will also be the opportunity for people to take a closer look inside the cockpit of a real spitfire. Jo Parker, events and marketing co-ordinator, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming an iconic part of the Second World War. It’s a rare opportunity to come and see inside the cockpit, which has been lovingly restored.”

The Victory in Europe themed weekend comes to Beningbrough as part of the hall’s year-long From Country Lanes to Violent Skies exhibition – looking back at life during the war at Beningbrough. In 1941 the hall was requisitioned by the RAF as a billet for bomber crews from nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse and from 1943 to 1945 for aircrews from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and is part of Duty Calls - a Yorkshire Country House Partnership project exploring the impact of war on the country house and its communities.

For more information about visiting Beningbrough this weekend, tel: 01904-472027 or visit the events page at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beningbrough.