Christmas candlelit guided tour of the Jacobean house Aston Hall, tracing the origins of modern Christmas customs with seasonal music from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Aston by Candlelight runs at Aston Hall from 10 to 13 and 17 to 18 December, a guided tour through the house lit by LED candles. It's a 45-minute walk that starts from the cafe in the North Courtyard, with tours running at set times from 4:30pm to 8:30pm.
The route takes you through the Grade 1 listed house, which was built by Sir Thomas Holte between 1618 and 1635 in the Jacobean style. It's one of the last great houses of that period, and it's got a fair bit of history to it — the great oak staircase still carries the battle scars of the English Civil War, and the Long Gallery is one of its best rooms. It's also got a reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in the UK, so if you're into that sort of thing, the candlelit atmosphere fits.
The tour itself is built around Washington Irving's Old Christmas. Irving witnessed the old Christmas traditions at Aston Hall, which was the likely setting for his Bracebridge Hall, and the walk traces how modern customs like the Yule Log and the Christmas Tree came to be. Musicians from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire provide seasonal music from times past along the way.
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Admission charges apply for the Hall, though the gardens are free. Pre-booking is essential because they don't sell tickets on the door, so you'll need to sort yours in advance. The tours run on 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 18 December, from 4:30pm to 8:30pm, starting from the North Courtyard cafe at Aston Hall, Trinity Road, Aston, B6 6JD.
Date
10 December – 18 December
16:30
Location
Aston Hall
Price
Paid
Recommended Age
+14 years
