Raby Castle near Staindrop in County Durham is opening during the Christmas period for the first time in 50 years.
Visitors will experience the castle's rooms as they would have been decorated in the past, with traditional gifts, flowers and Christmas trees.
For the seasonal installation, guests will visit eight rooms on the ground floor that tell the story of Christmas Day at the castle.
Lady Barnard, who designed the Christmas theming at Raby Castle, 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.”
There will also be items from the castle's collection on view to the public for the first time.
She added, “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."
Seasonal installation at Raby 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."
She added, “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.”
Raby Castle's Christmas attraction is available on select dates from 22 November through 4 January.
Additionally, a candlelit experience will take place on 13 and 20 December.
Earlier this year, Raby Castle reported a 71 percent increase in visitor numbers after last year's opening of it restoration project.
Images courtesy of Raby Castle
