Christmas at Haddon Hall

On a wet dripping day just before Christmas we headed to Haddon. 

I'd intended to go earlier in the month while the Mercatum Christmas fair was taking place, but tickets for it sold out rapidly, and my hopes were dashed. After the Mercatum, the hall closes for a few days then re-opens decorated for Christmas, and this year a few of the stall-holders stayed on. That was enough to persuade me to visit - undoubtedly helped by my early Christmas present to myself of Historic Houses membership which allows free access to Haddon and many other stately homes. ( I intend to make next year one of exploration)

The imposing outer entrance, reached up a steep flight of steps, was once designed to keep people out but now it's a welcoming sight with twinkling lights inside.

Across the courtyard, the main entrance to the hall was again hung with festive decorations, and a most welcome reprieve from the heavy rain.

The great hall itself boasted a magnificent tree, and all the other rooms from kitchen to long gallery were decorated too.

Back outside and heading across the courtyard, my attention was caught by the open drains which captured the rain and fed it through pipes and out beyond the buildings to fall into the river. I've visited many times before but not in wet weather so this was something new! 












 

December

December is always a busy month - more so than usual I think this year with visits to Christmas markets and decorated stately homes, followed by the inevitable shopping and cooking.

We started at Haddon Hall, continued at Calke Abbey and Kedleston Hall, then returned to Chatsworth which we'd already visited in November for the market, but this time to see inside the house.

In between all these trips, I tried to keep up my daily walking (not easy with damp weather and dark evenings), and, very exciting, we had a new front door fitted (a sort of Christmas present to ourselves)

Christmas itself was busy and fun-filled with two full dinners  - one with turkey (though it's missing from the photo) and one with a vegan roast. My grandson's birthday falls in the immediate post-Christmas period so involves another family party - this time with burgers and cake, as he was allowed to choose the food.

The days just after Christmas were shrouded in mist so instead of a walk outside we settled for another inside visit to Kedleston

Kedleston in the mist

 

Haddon Mercatum

The start of December brings with it a certain sort of shopping frenzy fueled by Christmas's imminent arrival. I'm trying my best to avoid doing all on my present-buying on line which is ample reason to be off out to another Christmas market - this time at Haddon Hall.

This is the first time I've visited but I'd heard good things about it, and it definitely didn't disappoint. 

It's hard at first to appreciate how large the market is - there were stalls situated on the flat ground before the hall, some in the main courtyard, more throughout the hall's rooms and kitchens, and a marquee in the terraced garden.

I'm always drawn to the foodie section first, sampling this and that, picking up some treats to bring home (Infusions apple balsamic vinegar, and cakes for the evening), and getting some lunch (bean chilli from Eat Shoots and Leaves), before facing the climb up to the hall.

Through the main door and into the courtyard filled with mainly outdoorsy stalls - wreaths, plants, woodworking - 

then into the Great Hall dominated by a huge Christmas tree, and on into the smaller rooms beyond before heading into the garden and returning via the Long Chamber. I lost count of the number of vendors  - more cheese, chocolate and flavoured spirits, jewellery, soaps, knitted goods, candles; a list that goes on forever.

I particularly liked the setting. Not traipsing through mud from stall to stall, but going inside and experiencing the atmosphere of such an historic house. Although the rooms weren't fully decorated for Christmas there was a festive atmosphere throughout with lights in the windows, trees and garlands. 

Looking back as we left it's easy to imagine Haddon in its Tudor heyday. 

Back home though for some rather delicious cakes.
 

Chatsworth - Christmas market and Illuminated garden trail

As a sort of early Christmas treat to ourselves, we decided to re-join the Chatsworth 'Friends' scheme, and our first visit was timed to catch the Christmas Market and visit the Illuminated Trail round the garden.

We were fortunate to have missed all the snow and ice, and stumbled on a wonderfully sunny day. The food and drink stalls were, as always, the main attraction for me - trying samples as diverse as White Peak gin and Casa Mia amaretti biscuits - and, of course, we came away with more treats for ourselves than presents for family or friends.

As the sun set, the day turned colder so we headed inside to the cafe in the old stable block for tea and cake before our visit to the gardens. With an illuminated 'tree' in the central courtyard and decorations around the ceilings, I doubt any previous occupants would have recognised their former stables.

On then into the gardens as the sun sank completely and twinkling lights appeared. No matter how well you know a place (and we've been frequent visitors to Chatsworth for years) it takes an a different appearance after dark, especially when illuminated. It was like following a path through an enchanted woodland.

 

There were small flickering lights which swayed and danced, huge static ones to light the tallest trees, searchlights moving across the maze area, all in all an enchanted wonderland.

And as a grand finale, a light-show transformed the front of the house.