Celebrate Christmas the Georgian way at Quarry Bank

Visitors to Quarry Bank will get a taste for Christmases past this festive season.

Currant loaf will be served in the Apprentice House, one of few festive treats enjoyed by the children who used to work in the mill.

“The apprentices rarely had a treat or even a day off so a cup of tea at Christmas was a real luxury,” said Programming Officer Suzanne Bowling.

Until January 7 the Apprentice House will be offering this taste of Georgian life and giving people the chance to help make a ‘stir up pudding’.

There will be festive stories in the houseplace and the chance to make natural decorations and magnificent masks to take home.

Visitors will be able to step back in time as they enter Quarry Bank House and meet a cast of characters who once visited the mill owning Greg family.

Inside the home there will be Christmas riddles, festive games and historic brainteasers to solve before discovering more about the impressive Christmas feast in the dining room.

“Visiting Quarry Bank House and the Apprentice House will really highlight the differences between the child workers’ Christmas and that enjoyed by the Greg family,” said Suzanne.

Elsewhere children will be meeting Father Christmas and will be able to hand him their wish lists. Places to see Father Christmas were booking up fast so check the website for availability.

Father Christmas will also need help trying to find his lost jingle bells, which fell off his sleigh as he flew over Quarry Bank’s gardens.

“Rudolph saw them fall and has left children some clues to help them find the bells before they are needed again on Christmas Eve,” said Suzanne.

For more details go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarry-bank