Belvoir Castle’s Spectacular Regency Christmas
The biggest and most spectacular festive season at Belvoir Castle has been announced with a limited number of early bird tickets released for the Leicestershire’s castle A Regency Christmas.
Opening on 15 November, the Regency Castle’s rooms will be lavishly decorated by renowned designer Charlotte Lloyd Webber, who made her name for her Christmas installations at Castle Howard, winning the UK Heritage Award for Best Event in 2018.
Rebuilt in the early 1800s to a design by the youthful 5th Duchess of Rutland, the Regency Castle boasts a treasure trove of stunning binge-worthy interiors to thrill the most avid Bridgerton fan.
With the Netflix blockbuster igniting interest in all things Regency in popular culture today, and season two coming out later this year, the appetite for an authentic Regency experience this Christmas is set to be huge.
Taking inspiration the Duke and Duchess of Rutland’s family insignia, this fairytale castle will be dripping with peacock-inspired décor; trees will be draped in Belvoir colours of blue, gold and red; opulent rooms set in readiness for a party and other surprises to whisk the visitor into the world of Regency romance. Rooms will be decorated to highlight the High Regency interiors from the Guard Room, Ballroom, Elizabeth Saloon, State Dining Room and Picture Gallery to the Kings Suite Bedrooms and Regents Gallery.
The key decorative notes of individual rooms will inform the designs with an immense Peacock Tree in the Elizabeth Saloon where this motif features heavily.
Further inspiration is taken from other stunning Regency interiors such as the Brighton Pavilion built for the Prince Regent who was a frequent visitor to Belvoir along with his brother the Duke of York, reportedly the lover of Elizabeth, 5th Duchess of Rutland.
Another highlight will be the feature Regency tree decorated in the original manner along with a spectacular Kissing Bough, an ancient English custom that featured heavily during the Regency period.
Charlotte Lloyd Webber said: “We are delighted to be working with Belvoir to design its first major Christmas event that will highlight in spectacular festive fashion some of the most famous and gorgeous interiors of this fairy tale Regency castle, which happily is currently very in vogue on the back of the Bridgerton Netflix series.
“A common misconception is that Christmas was largely invented by the Victorians. However interior trees were used by the Georgians, following the German tradition particularly in aristocratic houses but would more commonly have been a Yew tree. We will be adding our own interpretative twist and the house will display contemporary decorations that hark back to this beautiful decorative period.”
Archivists at the Castle are poring over the diary entries and other memorabilia to bring out stories of the era as part of the festivities.
Castle house manager Anna Field said: “This Christmas, we invite you to become our guest for the festive season at Belvoir and allow us to transport you back to a world ruled by elegance and etiquette. We are so excited to be presenting A Regency Christmas set in what is surely England’s finest Regency home, the scene of many glamorous balls, elegant parties, intimate suppers along with a good dash of romance and intrigue.”
The Old Kitchen will be transformed into a Santa’s Grotto while the underground beer cellars will be an Elf Stop, while plenty of festive entertainment, food and drink will be on offer at the neighbouring Engine Yard.
A limited number of early bird tickets are now available. To book, please visit www.belvoircastle.com
