December 2008
The Christmas decorations at the castle this year were based on the Nutcracker ballet. The heritage manager, Nic Fulcher, designed the whole concept as well as personally implementing the construction, with some help from the seamstress and the florists and various other little helpers. It was a spectacular display as can be seen from the following photographs.
Heraldry room – nutcrackers
Lower corridor with the grandfather clock
Lower corridor – a windowsill decoration
Lower corridor – a blue Christmas tree
... and one of his subjects
Queen’s room – the lair of King Mouse ...
Queen’s room – a Christmas decoration
The Bathroom ...
... and yet more mice
Queen’s gallery - A Christmas tree in the land of snow and ice
Queen’s gallery – The swan pulling a sleigh
Banqueting hall - A Christmas tree
The Chapel – a nativity scene
The Chapel – a floral decoration
The top of the spiral staircase - a Christmas tree
The Boardroom - a Christmas tree
The Seminar room – kingdom of sweets
The Seminar room - a Christmas tree
Lady Baillie’s dressing room - a Christmas tree
Lady Baillie’s bedroom – Arabian dance of coffee
Lady Baillie’s bedroom
Catherine of Aragon bedroom – sugar plum fairy
Catherine of Aragon bedroom - a Christmas tree
Top corridor – a decorations for the land of sweets
The Main staircase
The large Christmas tree in the main hall
Yellow drawing room - A Christmas tree
Yellow drawing room mantelpiece – Chinese dance of tea
Thorpe Hall drawing room - a Christmas tree
Thorpe Hall drawing room – Spanish dance of chocolate
Thorpe Hall drawing room fans
Library – dance of the reed flutes
Library - a Christmas tree
Dining room – waltz of the flowers
Dining room - a Christmas tree
The Front door
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Nutcracker Dances b & f