Christmas at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Join in with Christmas traditions 900 years in the making at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal. Enjoy a full day out filled with trails, music, crafts and games. Take part in a toymaker’s workshop and find gifts for everyone at the Little Bird Christmas Artisan market. Visit the hall dressed in its best and stuffed full of nutcrackers and Victorian splendour. Be sure to warm up your pipes ready to join in with carols around the Christmas tree and by candlelight in St Mary's Church. Once you’re out of puff and full of treats, walk through the rainbow colours of the illuminated ruins as the light starts to fade.
Don't forget...
In line with our winter opening hours, the site will be closed on Friday 2 January as well as 24 & 25 December.
Toymaker's Workshops, Trails and traditional games!
Toymaker's Trail
20 December - 4 January
Follow the clues to find the toymaker's stations as you make your way around the site. What will you discover through the special windows?
This activity is free with normal admission
Toymaker's Workshops
20, 21, 22 & 23 December
11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm
Perfect for crafty little hands! Take part in workshop with the Toymaker. Choose from three different traditional wooden toys and create your own to take home with you. Parents can grab hot drinks and soak in the twinkly atmosphere at Swanley.
Workshops are priced at £10 per child which includes the experience and wooden toy kit. Each workshop lasts 30-40 minutes and must be pre-booked on website. Tickets for workshops will be on sale soon.
Normal admission applies
Traditional games in the Toymaker's workshop
26 December - 4 January
Make your way to Swanley workshop to play traditional games. Challenge your family and friends to a fun competition before racing down to the abbey ruins.
These activities are free with normal admission
Little Bird Christmas Artisan market
Sat 29 -Sun 30 Nov
10am-3pm
Make your way down to the West Green of the Abbey for a truly special shopping experience. Browse through gifts and crafts by some of Yorkshire’s finest independent makers, artists, and food producers.
Normal admission applies
Carols by Candlelight services
7 & 14 December
2-3pm
This year we'll be hosting these from inside the beautiful St Mary's Church in the deer park. Soak in the festive atmosphere and sing along to traditional carols led by Ripon City Band as the candlelight flickers around the colourful surroundings.
Tickets must be pre-booked via the website and will be available from 21 November. The price for tickets is £5 for members and non-members.
Please note that there is no vehicle access to the church. Parking for this event is at the Visitor Centre. The walk from the visitor centre to the church is approximately half a mile. A minibus service runs from the Visitor Centre to the church for those who have additional access needs. Please allow additional time from arrival to make your way to the church. Don't forget to bring a torch as twilight will have fallen by the end of the service.
Our Christmas traditions
See which Christmas traditions will be returning to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal this year.
Music in the Abbey
From 2-3pm every Saturday and Sunday between 29 November to 28 December. Once you've finished the Christmas shopping and been revived by a warming mug of hot chocolate, it's time to see the abbey aglow with all the colours of the rainbow. Walk beneath the abbey cellarium's vaulted ceilings, under the grand columns of the nave and stop to watch the live choirs and bands fill the ruins with festive music. Join in if you know the tune! The lights will be switched on at 2pm. Bands and choirs will play in the cellarium from 2-3pm. Last admission is at 4pm and the estate will close at 5pm as usual.
Discover more ways to enjoy a festive day out at Fountains Abbey
Looking for Father Christmas?
Nearby Beningbrough Hall has the man in red visiting for small group stories. This popular event can sell out so pre-booking early is recommended. Tickets are due on sale mid-September.
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Christmas in Yorkshire
Plan a festive day out with family in search of twinkling lights and seasonal decorations. Or pre-book one of the special events, get your friends together to make a wreath, bring the grandchildren to see Father Christmas and much more. These are examples of last festive season, come back soon to see what Christmas 2025 has to offer across Yorkshire.
Christmas at Beningbrough
Father Christmas is returning to the hall and new for 2025, he's taken up room on the top floor. Book your place for storytime, find out about crafting workshops and what else to expect on a Christmas visit, including places to eat and what's on offer in the shop.
