Chatsworth is delighted to announce the house will be open for A Happy Christmas this festive season to offer a warm welcome to all those looking to end the year on a high.

Tickets for timed visits for the season are now on sale, which runs from 7 November to 3 January. With limited numbers to ensure safe social distancing throughout the route, this is a wonderful opportunity to see the house in all its festive glory.

The State Rooms and Sketch Galleries – usually closed during the winter season – will also remain open, extending the normal Christmas route and providing a one-off opportunity to experience the Devonshire Collections in these spaces, beautifully dressed for the festivities.

Rooms lit by candlelight with stockings hanging by the fire, along with a letter to Father Christmas and carrot for Rudolph will strike a comforting note; the dining room table fully dressed with a Christmas banquet fit for kings and queens, and a huge 24 foot real Christmas tree decked in gold and cream in the Chapel are just some of the delights in store.

The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire said: “Christmas at Chatsworth is always a magical time, but we think that 2020 will be even more special than usual. In such challenging and uncertain times, we are very much looking forward to the house being decorated and welcoming visitors during the festive period.

“Our team is doing a fantastic job to make sure we offer our usual warm welcome and breathtaking displays this Christmas, while protecting the health and wellbeing of our visitors and employees.”

A celebration of Christmas classics and music from all ages will run throughout the route, including playlists selected by the Duke and Duchess.

The highly talented team at Chatsworth has been hard at work making many of the beautiful decorations by hand.

Susie Stokoe, Head of Textiles at Chatsworth, said: “We have been hugely inspired by the ingenuity and creativity of communities near and far during the pandemic. Through working together and supporting each other, in both the physical and online worlds, through the difficult days of lockdown, we have all dug deep. Our Christmas team has drawn on this spirit of resilience, and making the most of what we have, to create beautiful handmade decorations that we hope will delight, and encourage others to have a go themselves.”

Chatsworth has taken the difficult decision not to run the hugely popular Christmas market this year. Having worked closely with the local planning department, it was agreed that the event could not take place without compromising the safety and enjoyment of visitors.

A Chatsworth spokesperson said: “Our main priority remains the health and wellbeing of our visitors, staff, exhibitors, partners and local communities and this decision reflects that. We would like to thank all those who play such a vital role in the event’s success and apologise for the disappointment this decision may cause, but believe that it is the most responsible course of action. We hope to welcome everyone back in 2021, when we aim to make the Chatsworth Christmas market even more special than usual.”

Chatsworth retail and food outlets will be open for festive shopping and eating with additional safety measures in place. With the house and garden having now been open for several months, Chatsworth has tried and tested safety procedures across the estate to help ensure the health and wellbeing of visitors and staff. To find out more, go to https://www.chatsworth.org/your-visit/

Timed Christmas tickets go on sale 24 September 2020, priced at £25 per adult and £15 per child (aged between 4-16 inclusive), and include entry to the house and garden. Family tickets are also available. Visits will be via online booking only with no tickets available on the day.

Chatsworth supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Images credit: Chatsworth House Trust

Chesterfield Royal Hospital are launching a Christmas Card Competition for children in order to help raise money for their Chesterfield Royal Charity.

They are now seeking entries from creative young people under the age of 18 to come us with a special festive design with lots of colour, vivid imaginations and originality.

Entries will be judged with the ‘winning’ five printed and sold with all proceeds going to the hospital’s charity. Not only will the chosen designs feature on Christmas cards – the winner will also receive a special prize.

Entries must be submitted by Friday 13th November 2020. The winners will be chosen by the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Angie Smithson, and Charity Director, Ken Godber.

How to enter

Please email your scanned entries to crhft.communications@nhs.net or alternatively you can post to:

Communications Office
Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Calow
Chesterfield
S44 5BL

Please remember to include an entry slip with your design (either included in the email or pop it in the envelope with your design.)

The entry slip can be found on the hospital’s website here or you can find a PDF version here.

Find out more about the competition here.

If you have any more questions or ​​​​queries please contact Zoe or Lois, on crhft.communications@nhs.net or call on 01246 513875.

It has been confirmed that plans are underway for this year’s Well Dressing display and the popular Christmas Tree Festival, both of which take place at Chesterfield’s Crooked Spire Church.

Reverend Patrick Coleman said: “I can share the wonderful news that we are definitely planning to hold both the Well Dressing and the Christmas Tree Festival this year. There will need to be careful access control for viewing of the Well Dressing, and we are planning a free online booking system for the Christmas Tree Festival, so that in both cases we can make sure that hygiene and distancing measures are kept in place.”

He added: “At present, singing is still completely forbidden, so no announcements on Carol Services just yet. These events will certainly feel a little different but we owe it to all the people who value the Crooked Spire, and its presence and contribution to the town’s life, to try and make a go of these things even under present conditions.”

The Well Dressing is planned from August 29th to September 6th, with details of this year’s theme yet to be announced.

Well dressing is an ancient custom unique to Derbyshire. Chesterfield began well dressing in 1864 when the Town Pump in Market Place was decorated after a very dry summer. The custom died out, but was revived in 1991 when a well was dressed as part of an exhibition about Derbyshire traditions.

A well dressing takes up to 7 days of work, by a whole team of people, to finish. It will only last about a week before the clay dries and cracks and the flowers fade, then it’s taken down and the boards stored away – until next year.

The Festival of Christmas Trees is due to take place between for 14th and 29th November, with further details to be confirmed closer to the time.

The Cooked Spire is the largest church in Derbyshire and each year it is filled to overflowing with more than 100 Christmas trees decorated by local people, groups and shops, from WIs to scout and guide groups, from schools to high street stores, from accountants to Chesterfield Museum and many more besides.