Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the national lockdown our usual planning for Christmas was put on hold until after we had reopened in June. Since then we’ve been carefully looking at what we can do at Attingham this Christmas to ensure our visitors and property teams are safe, and following all government guidance.
What to expect on your visit
The Mansion might be closed, but the great outdoors is open this Christmas at Attingham. We’re bringing a touch of magic, a sprinkling of sparkle, and a few surprises to your visits from Monday 30 November to Thursday 24 December.
Our plans so far:
- As you’d expect at Attingham at Christmas the entrance and Stables Courtyard will be dressed for the festive season.
- Twitch your whiskers and bound off on an animal character family trail to the Walled Garden and around the Mile Walk.
- Stroll around the Mile Walk where there’ll be something new to see along the twists and turns of the path.
- We’re planning something festive to see at the front of the Mansion and you’ll also find the popular wooden sleigh and reindeer here as well.
We're still making plans for December and will update here when we have more information.
Booking your Christmas visit
The booking system introduced after we reopened in June 2020 will still be in place this winter. This means we can manage visitor numbers to help aid social distancing by spreading out arrival times throughout the day.
- Tickets are released each Friday for the following Monday-Sunday.
- They are free for National Trust members, and admission charges for non-members are payable at the time of booking.
- You can book on the day of the visit provided there is still availability.
Visits to Father Christmas
Due to the nature and the location of the traditional Father Christmas visits previously held at Attingham in the Mansion it will not be possible to do so this year.
However, we know that visiting Father Christmas at Attingham is a special event for many families, and so after careful planning we are hoping to be able to offer Father Christmas visits at Sunnycroft, the National Trust property in Wellington.
By holding Father Christmas visits at Sunnycroft we will be able to:
- Use a layout in the building that will maintain social distancing between bookings.
- Offer a dedicated Father Christmas visit, only visitors who have prebooked will be attending. The house and grounds at Sunnycroft are not open to visit before or after seeing Father Christmas.
- Offer an intimate experience whilst maintaining social distancing.
When you visit
The Victorian villa at Sunnycroft will be frozen in time on the night before Christmas, nobody will be stirring not even a mouse, except for your friendly guide – a member of the household staff getting ready for Christmas day - and of course, you'll meet Father Christmas. Ssssssssh! Follow your guide and take a peak inside a few of the downstairs rooms to see how preparations are coming along before you meet the man himself.
Once you step through the front door the experience will last around 15 minutes.
