Raby Castle to open doors for special Christmas experience

Visitors will be able to step inside the historic Raby Castle to explore eight beautifully decorated rooms, each telling the story of a traditional Christmas morning through to an evening of celebrations, including dinner and games.

The immersive experience will feature family gifts, winter floral displays, and grand Christmas trees, all curated by Lady Barnard, custodian and creative director of the castle.

(Image: Supplied)

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.

"I have been discovering even more about Raby’s past and delving into cupboards to find bits and pieces which haven’t been seen in years.

"Our family would have made many of the decorations themselves and foraged in the grounds for foliage, and it’s been a pleasure emulating this beautiful and sustainable way of decorating.

"This is the first Christmas we’ll be decorating the castle and for those that know Raby will appreciate that working at such scale can be daunting, but the team and I have given it careful thought over the year and feel we have really complimented the essence of Raby.

"I’m also keen for it to have a personal touch for our visitors – that’s why my team and I will be dressing the rooms ourselves.

"I hope our visitors see the personal touches throughout."

The seasonal installation will run on select dates from November 22 to January 4 and will include never-before-seen items from the castle’s collection.

A bespoke introductory film, based on the classic poem ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, will be shown in the House Keeper’s Sitting Room to set the scene before guests begin their journey through the 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.

"We haven’t guessed any of the details, and what our visitors will see is something that is true to Raby and an honest portrayal of an Edwardian Christmas – one that Lord Barnard’s great grandfather would have experienced."

The experience will be open from 10am to 4pm, and guests can also enjoy festive afternoon tea at The Vinery.

A candlelit experience will be offered on December 13 and December 20, allowing visitors to explore the castle by night before enjoying late-night Christmas shopping at the Coach House.

Tickets are priced at £22 for adults, £7 for children up to 15 years old, and £55 for a family of two adults and two children.

Children under four go free.

Admission includes entry to the castle, walled gardens, and deer park.

Early bird tickets are available with a 10 per cent discount using the code RCC10 before October 31.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.raby.co.uk/christmas.