STEP back in time with a visit to Tatton Park’s mansion this Christmas.
The historic family home will be open to guests and decked in white and silver to reflect the estate’s parkland and the wintry scenes the Egertons would have enjoyed in their travels.
In the 19th century Wilbraham and Mary Egerton visited the Südtirol and the alpine regions of Austria, Germany and Italy.
Mary painted a series of scenes which are still in the collection to this day.
Many years later, in the early 20th century, Maurice Egerton travelled to Alaska and Canada, visiting the Yukon and acquiring ranches in British Columbia.
He also visited Iceland in 1930.
So this Christmas the Tatton team wanted to reflect the snowy wildernesses the estate’s former owners encountered both at home and abroad.
Frosty landscapes will be made with help from the Springbank Flowers design team who previously created a Venetian Christmas display in 2011 and Dickensian Christmas in 2012.
Vicky Wilby, from Tatton Park, said: “We have created a magical world frozen in time where deer roam freely across the snowflaked landscape.”
One of the most popular aspects of Tatton’s Christmas Mansion is the natural material from the parkland and gardens used in some of the displays and this year is no exception.
Rangers and gardeners started to source greenery from specially selected plantations in November.
Western red cedar, variegated holly, ivy, laurel, pine cones and yew are cut, transported in trailers and delivered directly to the cellar doors where the mansion team work their magic. Wood, antlers, cones and other natural materials will also be key features.
Visitors will also be entertained with music including a harpist, string quartet and harpsichordist, Kitchen maids will be cooking Christmas delicacies and you can learn how to create handcrafted decorations during free demonstrations in the servants’ quarters.
Mansion and collections manager Caroline Schofield said: “We wanted this year’s displays to be a contrast to what we have done before.
“Still in keeping with the history of Tatton, but a refreshing theme of landscape and natural materials.”
The White Christmas mansion is open until Sunday Entry is £9 (children £5) plus a £5 parking fee
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