Get into the festive spirit
From wreath-making workshops and carol concerts to winter illuminations, find Christmas days out near you.
Christmas at Crook Hall Gardens
Celebrate the festive season at Crook Hall Gardens. See the medieval hall lit up with Christmas charm, discover fairytale-inspired art around the peaceful gardens, or make your own bespoke decorations at a craft workshop.
Grimms’ Fairy Tales reimagined: an art trail at Crook Hall Gardens
Saturday 22 November to Sunday 28 December, Friday to Sunday.
Discover a series of enchanting fairytale-inspired art installations at Crook Hall Gardens this winter.
Taking inspiration from Grimms’ Fairy Tales, Art Foundation students from Durham Sixth Form Centre have created a series of curious original artworks.
Crook Hall Gardens has a special connection to Grimms’ Fairy Tales, as the former home of Margaret Raine Hunt (1831-1921). In 1884 she wrote the first and definitive English translation of Grimm’s Household Tales from the original German.
This trail is free, but normal site admission applies. Pick up a map from admission to find all the installations. Learn more about the trail.
Christmas craft workshops
Join the Northern Flower Garden for a festive floristry workshop. Make something special to give as a bespoke gift or decorate your home.
Luxury Christmas wreath workshop
Saturday 6 December
Learn how to moss a base and bind it with fresh seasonal foliage, then choose your decorations – from traditional and country classic, to elegant winter whites or a dramatic Brothers Grimm–inspired design.
Find out more and book your place.
Christmas gift bouquet workshop
Saturday 20 December
Create a stunning arrangement of festive flowers and foliage. A gorgeous handmade bouquet and a new skill – the perfect Christmas treat or gift idea.
Festive drinks and snacks in the café
The Garden Gate Café is the perfect place to stop off after a frosty walk around the gardens. Warm up with a steaming mug of spiced mince pie hot chocolate, treat yourself to a festive sweet treat, and get cosy with a new read from the second-hand bookshop. Visit at lunchtime to try a seasonal brie, cranberry and smoked bacon toastie.
All seasonal items are subject to availability.
Planning your visit
- During November and December 2025, Crook Hall Gardens is open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm.
- The café is open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm. You can visit the café without paying for admission and entering the gardens.
- The second-hand bookshop is open 10am-2.30pm, Friday-Sunday.
- Last entry to the gardens is 3pm.
- Find out about visiting Crook Hall Gardens with your dog.
- Read the full Access Statement.
You might also be interested in
Things to do in Crook Hall Gardens
Wander through a series of interlinked gardens, each with its own character. Find out all the things to see and do here.
Visiting Crook Hall Gardens with your dog
Find out where dogs are welcome at Crook Hall Gardens and the facilities on offer for your canine companions.
Eating at Crook Hall Gardens
Discover where to eat and drink during a visit to Crook Hall Gardens in Durham.
History of Crook Hall Gardens
A stone’s throw from Durham’s World Heritage Site, Grade I listed Crook Hall is considered one of the city’s most significant medieval domestic buildings.
