I ADMIT to having been a little worried about having to report on Christmas In Narnia at Castle Howard.
Having never read any of the books that make up the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, I didn’t know the first thing about this fantasy land, nor who inhabits it. Did I need to know the stories to appreciate it?
In short, no I didn’t. Any visitor who doesn’t know the story of the four Pevensie siblings who step through a wardrobe into a winter wonderland of talking animals and mythical creatures, in a kingdom ruled by an evil White Witch, doesn’t need to worry.
It’s enough to simply walk around and immerse yourself in the majesty and innovation of the displays.
Castle Howard, near York, has for the fourth year been transformed for Christmas by the artistic genius of Charlotte Lloyd Webber, Bretta Gerecke and their talented team.
I took along my friend Betty who had always wanted to see the stately home’s festive extravaganza.
We travelled there on a crisp winter’s day, with biting winds and snow flurries adding to the very Narnia-like atmosphere. We joined others on the open-sided Kelly Car land train to ride the short distance from the ticket office to the house.
Once inside Betty, 92, made use of the stairlift, available for those who cannot climb the initial flight of stairs or are worried about tackling them.
Moments later we passed through bedrooms decked out in sumptuous garlands of festive foliage, each room assigned to a different child from the novels.
A teddy bear’s picnic, toys, a teepee and other trappings of childhood sat alongside beautifully decorated Christmas trees.
Onwards along the Antique Passage that felt as cold as it looked, blasted with cold air to give the feeling of Narnia’s perpetual winter. Whites, blues and other icy hues had us shivering. Swirling snow is projected on to stone, dotting the marble busts that line one of the grand passageways.
We emerged into the Grand Hall where a 28ft Christmas tree looked as though it had been plucked from a Siberian forest after a heavy fall of snow.
I’ve only ever seen Castle Howard’s Christmas tree covered with baubles, so to see it like this was quite something.
“It took 29 people three attempts to put it up,” one of the friendly volunteer guides told us. That’s one person per foot, and one to put the star on top.
Sound effects accompany this year’s spectacle to good effect. It was eerie to hear ice splintering as we stood beside the lofty tree.
“It must have taken ages to do all this - there’s so much attention to detail,” said Betty, clearly impressed by what she had seen so far.
In the Garden Hall the White Witch rides on her sleigh and in the Crimson Dining Room Christmas dinner with Mr Fox is taking place, with an opulent feast laid out for an assortment of woodland animals to enjoy.
A volunteer guide explained how, at this stage on the story, the White Witch is losing her power and Narnia is already beginning to thaw.
There were many families with young children visiting and it was lovely to see the expressions on the youngsters’ faces when picking out the creatures at the dining table, including a badger, squirrel, hedgehog and even a little snail sliding over the edge.
Castle Howard’s famous Long Gallery is home to a colourful forest as the White Witch is defeated and it’s Christmas in Narnia.
Bit by bit and helped by the volunteers, we seemed to be getting to grips with the story…
The clever use of projection and sound - the work of Ross Ashton and Karen Monid - creates what for me was the highlight of the experience: Moorish mosaic patterns on the high domed ceiling of the Octagon Room - which punctuates the Long Gallery - give way to Aslan the lion, a key figure in the Narnia adventures, padding his way across the heavens, followed by reindeer pulling Father Christmas and his sleigh. It’s fabulous. Some people lay down to savour it.
The one criticism I have is the mosaics went on for too long and some people walked across the room unaware of the delights to come. “Wait, come back or you’ll miss the best bits,” I felt like calling.
Last but by no means least, Aslan stands proudly in the gallery. The huge creature, with small chicken wire animals at his feet, is made from pages of text from Lewis’s book.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a fine, well-made model, but I have to admit I thought he was a wolf.
No matter. We had enjoyed our dose of Narnia and it was time to head to the café for tea and cake, followed by a browse in Castle Howard’s two gifts shops for present ideas.
*Christmas In Narnia runs until Sunday January 2
*Tickets cost £19.50 for adults and £12.50 for children at off-peak times and £25.00 for adults and £15 for children at peak times. For more details, to check availability and to book visit castlehoward.co.uk.
Tickets include timed access to the house, full access to the gardens and the adventure playground beside the lake.
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