Have a stately Christmas: 10 historic houses and gardens to get the festive party started

Scrooge, Santa, polar bears, gingerbread and light shows are among this year’s seasonal family delights at castles, palaces and Palladian piles throughout the UKInside one of Waddesdon Manor’s Rapunzelesque round towers is a room named after the Ballets Russes stage designer Léon Bakst. In 1913, Bakst painted the seven panels here showing scenes from Sleeping Beauty. This year both house and illuminated gardens have Sleeping Beauty-inspired installations. Artists involved include the theatre designer Tom Piper, who helped make the Tower of London’s poppy cascade in 2014. Outside there are fairytale projections by Jamie Shiels, whose work appeared at the 2012 London Olympics. The Rothschild family’s turreted chateau looks spectacular dancing with coloured light, and the Weihnachtsmarkt-style market is back (until 22 December). There are later openings on Fridays from 22 November to Christmas. • Wednesday-Sunday, 15 November–5 January (excluding 23-26 December), from £22 adult, £10 child (grounds only, check website for Christmas house times and prices), discounts for NT members, waddesdon.org.uk Continue reading...

Inside one of Waddesdon Manor’s Rapunzelesque round towers is a room named after the Ballets Russes stage designer Léon Bakst . In 1913, Bakst painted the seven panels here showing scenes from Sleeping Beauty . This year both house and illuminated gardens have Sleeping Beauty-inspired installations.

Artists involved include the theatre designer Tom Piper, who helped make the Tower of London’s poppy cascade in 2014. Outside there are fairytale projections by Jamie Shiels, whose work appeared at the 2012 London Olympics. The Rothschild family’s turreted chateau looks spectacular dancing with coloured light, and the Weihnachtsmarkt-style market is back (until 22 December).

There are later openings on Fridays from 22 November to Christmas. Wednesday-Sunday, 15 November–5 January (excluding 23-26 December), from £22 adult, £10 child (grounds only, check website for Christmas house times and prices), discounts for NT members, waddesdon.org.

uk Once home to the prince bishops of Durham, Auckland Palace features in Bishop Auckland’s Christmas offerings for the first time this year. The palace reopened in 2019 as part of a £150m conservation project and this year 12 rooms, including the Long Dining Room and chapel, will be dressed for Christmas in shades of wine-red, gold and white. The surrounding gardens and grounds sparkle with a light trail and installations, Aglow, including neon trees and the 100-metre-long twinkly tunnel above the recently restored walled garden.

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