Join Mr and Mrs Barnes as they celebrate a 1940's Christmas at Manor Cottage.
Christmas would have been very different during World War Two. With rationing and the fear of bombing, things could be difficult, but Mr and Mrs Barnes have decorated Manor cottage and are inviting you to enjoy some festive fun.
Swinging 1940s music will fill Manor Cottage from a live ukulele band and you can chat to the family to find out how they like to celebrate. Get yourself ready to party by trying a 1940s hair style for the day (£3) and perhaps setting off on a vintage bus ride. (£1 per adult, children free)
Festive food is on the menu with a very special WW2 Christmas cake and we will be crushing apples from the orchard to make a wintery spiced drink to go with it. You can also try your hand at kids Christmas stocking craft (£1), investigate our special Wishing tree and even ride on our farm donkey (£2 per ride)!
Even though we are inviting you to enjoy the festivities, you might need to help out with the chores. There is always washing to be done in the laundry so please give us a hand to clean the clothes…without electricity!
While the fun gets going, the war is always there. You can get a feel for how it felt to live war’s shadow, meeting a BBC wartime correspondent and having a look at the Anderson shelter and WW2 jeep. You may also meet the ARP warden who will teach you how to put out an incendiary bomb with a stirrup pump and show you a wide range of other WW2 artefacts.
The artist studios are also open where you can meet the ceramicists, woodworkers and jewellery maker that work there and there will be blacksmithing, woodturning and whittling demonstrations (free entry).
The Tudor site is open too to meet Bess of Hardwick and have a guided tour at 11:30am, 1pm and 2:30pm (£3 entrance per adult and £2 per adult for guided tours)
Entry to the cottages £1 per adult (additional cost for activities)
Sunday 19th November 11am-4pm
