Across The South West of England, National Trust places are full of warmth, magic and sparkle as the festive season approaches. Wrap up and embrace the chilly days with a family walk around a country estate, or get into the Christmas spirit with carols, open fires and mince pies. There’s lots on offer this season, from guided walks to craft workshops and family trails to horse and carriage rides and invigorating trail runs.
What’s more, every time you experience a National Trust day out, you help care for these special places for future generations.
Here’s a small selection of what’s happening near you this season, please check property website for opening days and times, especially over the Christmas period:
TyntesfieldGuided estate walks
Daily, 11.30am-12.30pm
Join our knowledgeable estate guides on your next visit and learn more about the beautiful gardens and estate of Tyntesfield. The 540 acres of land that makes up the wider estate includes a woodland, orchard and a dried-out lake.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Christmas Victorian audio trail
Sat 3 Dec to Mon 2 Jan,10am-4pm
The Christmas audio adventure will take listeners on an interactive tour around the Tyntesfield Estate. Meet historical workers and discover the vital roles they played in the running of the grounds and house. The experience will weave a Christmas theme with stories, games and delights. Each sound stop will be between 2-3 mins long with an interactive element. With a seasonal underscore, vivid characters and a sprinkle of audio magic, listeners will be treated to a memorable festive experience.
Price: £3 per headset (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Christmas horse and carriage rides
Sat and Sun 3-4 and 10-11 Dec, Sat 17 to Fri 23 Dec and Mon 26 to Sat 31 Dec. 11am-3pm
Get into the festive spirit this Christmas with a ride from Tyntesfield house to the stable yards in a Victorian horse-drawn carriage. Rides start from outside the front of the house, go to the stables and back twice, and last 15 minutes- please don’t forget to wrap up warm.
Price: £4 per person, per ride (normal admission applies). Booking on arrival.
Lino printing workshops
Sat 3, Tues 6 and Tues 13 Dec, 12.45 – 4.15pm
Fancy something festive and crafty? Lino printing your Christmas cards is the perfect activity to get you feeling Christmassy. These workshops, by Green Fox Workshops, will demonstrate each step and at the end of the day you’ll have some beautiful handmade cards to wow your friends and family with. This session is suitable for beginners and all materials are provided. Hot drinks and mince pies are also included to bring extra festive cheer.
Price: £45 per person. Over 18s only, booking essential 0344 249 1895.
Wreath making workshops
Wed 7 to Sun 11 Dec, 10.30am – 1pm
Front door in need of some Christmas cheer? Make your own stunning Christmas wreath with guidance from expert local florists Barley and Mabel. You’ll use fabulous foliage gathered from the Tyntesfield estate and there’ll be oodles of festive cheer, as well as mince pies and hot drinks included. Please bring your own secateurs.
Price: £50 per person. Over 16s only, booking essential 0344 249 1895.
Chapel Christmas concerts
Selected dates and times from Tues 13 Dec- Thurs 22 Dec.
Come and enjoy the very best in Christmas music in Tyntesfield’s glorious chapel. You will meet at Home Farm up to 45 mins before the advertised start time to enjoy a complimentary hot drink and homemade mince pie before being led down to the chapel for the start of the concert.
Price: £20 per adult and £12.50 per child. Booking essential 0344 249 1895. Please see the website for dates, times and details of the performers.
Corfe CastleSecrets of the Sappers quest
Tues 1 to Wed 30 Nov, 10am – 4pm
The year is 1646 and Corfe Castle is under siege. Explore the ruins and learn how the deceitful sappers under the command of Colonel Pitman went about destroying Corfe Castle. What did this mean for those who called Corfe Castle home? Hunt around the castle ruins to find the clues answering questions along the way. Don’t forget to collect your prize once you have completed the quest.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Outdoor Photographic Exhibition
Tues 1 to Wed 30 Nov, 10am – 4pm
In 1982 the Bankes estate was bequeathed to the National Trust in the will of H.J.R Bankes who passed on in 1981. This photographic exhibition will take visitors on a journey of discovery, looking back on the work that the National Trust has overseen in the 40 years Corfe Castle has been in its care. This exhibition will explore the scale and scope of work that has been achieved and a deep dive into the archaeology of the castle.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Storytelling with Corfe Castle’s ‘Lord of Misrule’.
Daytime storytelling walking tours: 3-4, 10-11, 17-23 and 27-31 Dec. 10:30am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2pm. Sun 1 Jan, 11:30am and 1pm
Evening stationary storytelling sessions: 3-4, 10-11, 17-23 Dec. 5pm
Far back in the mists of history, at the darkest time of the year the Lord of Misrule was chosen to oversee the fun and frivolity of the Christmas feast. Swapping places with the lord of the manor, they had complete power over all the guests in choosing the games, dances and other entertainments. Take a step back to the 17th century where our very own Lord of Misrule will take you on an interactive journey through the ruins of the castle and teach you the games, dances, stories and Christmas traditions of days gone by.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Winter Traditions family trail
Fri 25 Nov- Fri 6 Jan, 10am-4pm
Explore the castle and follow the trail as it winds up through the ruins, and learn about different winter traditions such as plays, decorations, food, songs and feasting from the Stewart era. When the English Civil War of the 1640s brought a puritan-led government to power they quickly passed laws to ban ‘sinful’ Christmas celebrations, many of which they said were pagan in origin. Discover the changing Christmas traditions during this turbulent time and think about how the Bankes family of Corfe Castle, loyal royalists, might have defied Parliament and celebrated Christmas despite the restrictions.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). No booking necessary.
Marshmallows, firepits and festivities
Sat and Sun 3-4, 10-11 Dec, 17 – 23 December and 27 Dec-1 Jan. 10am-4pm
Take time to relax and enjoy a winter warmer in the seasonal setting of Corfe Castle. Gather around a fire pit with a hot chocolate or a mulled wine and toast marshmallows; or step inside one of the festive ‘igloos’ to catch up with friends and family and enjoy views over the 17th century village below. Natural decorations will be sprinkled around the castle, collected from across the Purbeck estate, and you can make a Christmas pledge for nature on the wishing bridge at the south west gate house.
Price: Free event (normal admission prices apply), refreshments at an extra charge. No booking necessary.
Arlington CourtI Am the Seed that Grew the Tree exhibition
Daily, 10am – 4pm.
Take a walk through the seasons with the I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree outdoor exhibition, with exquisite nature scenes and poems for every month of the year, there is an artistic treat around every corner.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
A Victorian family Christmas
Every Sat and Sun from 19 Nov to 18 Dec. 11am – 3.30pm
See the house decorated for Christmas in all its Victorian splendour, from the sumptuous dining room, the Ante Room & White Drawing room where the family have opened their presents, to the Staircase Hall with a 16ft real Christmas tree and decorated balustrades.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
After hours Christmas house tour
Fri 9 and Thu 15 Dec. 6 – 6.45pm, 6.45 – 7.30pm, 7.30 – 8.15pm
Experience the magic after hours at Arlington Court on this guided tour. See the house decorated for a Victorian Christmas evening. Warm up with a festive drink and snack on arrival before being escorted to the house for a 45 minute tour.
Price: £12 (normal admission prices apply). Booking essential.
Ghost stories in the Staircase Hall
Sat 3 and Sun 4 Dec, 7.30-9pm
Montague Rhodes James [1862 – 1936] wrote his ghost stories to perform to friends in the years leading up to WWI. Today they have lost nothing of their power to terrify and amuse. Join us in the Staircase Hall for two evenings of candlelit stories by Nunkie Theatre Company. Performing two of James’s very best, ‘Casting the Runes’ and ‘Dead Man’s Eyes’ these thrilling one-man shows are sure to excite.
Price: £18 per person, Booking essential
Father Christmas at Arlington
Sat 17 and Sun 18 Dec. 12-3pm
Come and visit the festive grotto in the stables and meet our traditional green Father Christmas who is visiting Arlington Court for one weekend. All good children will receive a present.
Price: £6 per child. Booking essential.
CoteheleCreating the Garland
Daily between Mon 7 Nov & Fri 18 Nov. 10.30am – 4pm
Meet the gardeners within the Great Hall at Cotehele as they start to insert over 30,000 dried flowers into the pittosporum to create this year’s garland. For everyone’s safety there might be times throughout the day where the Hall might be closed to visitors to allow scaffolding and other equipment to be moved.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
Christmas Garland within the Great Hall
Daily between Sat 19 Nov & Fri 6 Jan. 10.30am – 4pm
For over 65 years our garden team have created a 60-ft long Christmas garland using thousands of flowers grown on the estate. Join us this Christmas as we celebrate 75 years of caring for Cotehele with a special garland marking this milestone anniversary.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
A family Christmas at Cotehele Mill
Weekends of 19&20, 26&27 Nov, 5&6, 12&13 Dec and daily between Sat 17 Dec & Tue 3 Jan. 11am – 3pm
Wander down to Cotehele Mill for a traditional Victorian Christmas and see how the Langsford family celebrated the festive period while they were living and working there.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
Wassail! At Cotehele
Sat 17 Dec, 11.30am – 12.30pm
Come and join us for our annual Wassail as we scare away the evil spirits from the orchards to ensure a bumper crop next year. Fancy dress encouraged.
Price: Free (normal admission prices apply). Booking not required.
Dyrham ParkChristmas at Dyrham Park
Thurs 1 Dec to Mon 2 Jan. 10am – 4pm
Get in the spirit for a winter wedding this Christmas at Dyrham Park as we travel back in time to celebrate with some 17th-century festivities. Inspired by former residents William Blathwayt and Mary Wynter, who married at Christmas time in 1686, Dyrham will be decorated with wreaths and greenery with the kitchen dressed as if preparing for a great feast. A giant outdoor wreath will be a great chance for a Christmas selfie with you and your family or friends. From Fri 16 Dec, there will be a themed family festive trail. There will also be a poetry trail for adults running through the quiet terraces offering an opportunity to reflect on 17th-century seasonal verse in a peaceful setting. On selected dates, local choirs will be singing in the adjoining village church and 17th-century harpsichord music is planned in the recently redecorated Great Hall.
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
AveburyThe Nutcracker
Daily from Sat 19 Nov to Sun 1 Jan. 11am – 4pm
This year Avebury Manor is decorated to tell the story of The Nutcracker. Travel to magical realms as Clara and the Prince journey from an enchanted forest, along the lemonade canal and to the Sugar Plum Fairy’s castle of sweets. There will also be family rooms dedicated to children’s crafts and Christmas stories as well as Christmas activities across the site. Why not end your visit with a delicious mince pie in the cafe or a trip to the National Trust gift shop where you can finish your Christmas shopping in style?
Price: Free (normal admission applies). No booking required.
Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy
Sat and Sun 26/27 Nov, 3/4 Dec, 10/11 Dec, daily 17-23 Dec. Various times, see website
Why not take a break from tradition this year and bring your children to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy? Join her in the beautifully decorated historic dovecote where she will read the magical story of The Nutcracker. Children will also receive a Christmas gift.
Price: £10 per child. Booking essential 0344 249 1895.
Christmas wreath making workshop
Sun 4 Dec and Mon 5 Dec. 10.30am – 2pm
Nothing says ‘Christmas is here’ like a handmade wreath on your front door. Join local florist Sue Scott who will guide you through making your very own wreath using freshly cut foliage and Christmas decorations. The finished wreath will last for up to six weeks and will be a beautiful centrepiece for your Christmas decorations. Tea, coffee and mince pies will welcome you on arrival to the workshop and all materials are included.
Price: £55 per adult. Booking essential 0344 249 1895.
For more information from each region, check out these pages:
