Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538, is enchanting at this time of year, and from tomorrow there will be Christmas activities and entertainment for families. Children can delve into the Box of Delights and dress up in period costume and there will be carol singing and parlour games from yesteryear for everyone to enjoy.
Visitors can talk to characters from Victorian times to discover what life was really like at Christmas time, and warm themselves in front of the yule log in the hearth of the great fireplace while enjoying a glass of hot fruit punch. There will be Victorian-style decorations around the house and a mag nificent Christmas tree in the Upper Drawing Room.
There’s also a snowman ride, and in the National Motor Museum, the Victorian theme continues and visitors can see what kind of cars were around back then. Also on display among the 250 cars on show are the legendary World land speed record holders and motor sport gallery featuring Formula 1 Le Mans and rally cars. There’s also the James Bond Experience featuring the Lotus Submarine car from The Spy Who Loved Me.
And the Wheels pod ride takes you on a journely through one hundred years of motoring history. nearby is the 13th Century Beaulieu Abbey, where you can take a tranquil walk, then complete your day with a ride on the high level monorail. Beaulieu’s Victorian Christmas celebrations take place from 11am-4pm daily, from tomorrow to January 1, excluding Christmas Day.