Welcome to a festive Normanby News! It's certainly looking a lot like Christmas at Normanby Hall Country Park! Our elves have decorated the Hall, Stableyard and Walled Garden Grotto beautifully, a big thank you to them for all their hard work and we hope you'll come and enjoy them. The Hall is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday up to Christmas Eve from 10.30am to 4pm (last admission 3:30pm) On Christmas Eve the Hall will be closing slightly earlier, at 3pm.
Many of our festive activities are already selling out (thank you!) You can take a look at what's on here in our Christmas brochure.
The photo we've picked this time is a stunning one of a fallow buck from the Normanby herd. It was quickly taken by visitor Christine Salter, he was shy and was soon off again! What a handsome guy! It's a good choice because you can watch our team feed the deer from this weekend.
Thank you and we hope to welcome you and your family to the park soon.
Santa's Grotto
Father Christmas has taken time out of his jam packed schedule to visit us at Normanby! The Walled Garden Grotto opens this weekend (Saturday 30 November)
We get lots of lovely comments about it, with visitors enjoying the smell of real Christmas trees and a proper roaring fire in a traditional setting! This year we've been thinking of ways to improve the experience.
Though Brits love a good queue, you told us that little ones can get restless waiting to meet Santa. This year, we’ve invited our friends at Jazzy Faces and Glitter Tattoos to come along. There’ll be festive face paint and meet and greets with the snow sisters and their happy snowman!
It can get pretty nippy in the Walled Garden, so we are excited to welcome Deja Brew Coffee Box. They'll be selling delicious hot drinks and homemade sweet treats from their super cute vintage horse box.
After they went down so well at our Hall-o-ween Spooktacular, Green Scene Photography will be back, so make sure you pop into the Stableyard to get your family photo taken, a lovely Christmas keepsake! Speaking of gifts, The Old Smithy will also be at the Park, selling their handcrafted garden art.
Santa’s Grotto is open 30 November and 1, 7, 8 and 14 December between 11am and 3pm. Tickets can be bought from the Gift Shop on the day and cost £7 per child (accompanying adults go free). For £10 you can add face painting! Car parking is £4 (or display your Normanby membership)
Christmas lunch is served in the Regency Dining Room
Delicious lunches are served in the stunning surroundings of our Regency Dining Room, elegantly decorated for Christmas. The menu, full of tempting treats, can be found here in our Christmas brochure.
Enjoy a two or three course Christmas lunch on Monday 2 and 9 December, or Friday 13 and 20 December. A three course Christmas carvery lunch will be served on Sunday 8, 15 and 22 December. To book please call the Hall on 01724 720588.
Alternatively, our friends next door at Normanby Hall Golf Course are serving a Festive Carvery. It's fantastic value, and has great views over the course! You can see that menu here. To book your table for this, please call the Golf Course on 01724 720252.
Christmas markets
Gather your nearest and dearest, wrap up warm and head to Normanby Hall for not one, but two Christmas markets this year!
From 13 to 15 December we welcome The Travelling Historical Christmas Market. Traders dressed in authentic historical clothing will be selling handmade goods including leatherwork, jewellery, baskets, candles and traditional food and drinks.
With a historical atmosphere, and bespoke gifts you won't find on the high street, this is one you won't want to miss!
On Sunday 15 December, this coincides with the return of our extremely popular Christmas market, where 100 stalls will be selling wonderful Lincolnshire produce and crafts. There'll be a great selection of hot food and drink, festive music from Riverside Brass Band and donkeys to meet, so really looking forward to this.
The Travelling Historical Christmas Market is open Friday 13 December from 6.30pm to 9pm and Saturday 14 December from 10am to 9pm. The Normanby Christmas Market (including the Travelling Historical Christmas Market) is open on Sunday 15 December from 10am to 3pm. For more information please read the news story here.
Wanted: your 'Climbing Tree' memories
As many of you will know, our much loved Holm Oak climbing tree was damaged during high winds last year. To protect the tree and for the health and safety of our visitors a protective fence was installed.
Now with your help, we and North Lincolnshire Museum would like to begin a project which will celebrate the history of the tree!
Exploring the tree was a bit of a rite of passage for generations of local children and we would love to hear your precious memories to create a series of 'memory boards' which will go around the tree.
If you would like to be involved, please send any memories (and pictures - the higher quality the better!*) to our email address: normanby.hall@northlincs.gov.uk and help us to ensure the climbing tree lives on!
*If you are able to send pictures, please can you say in the email you give us permission to use these for this project. The one above was taken by Helen Daniel. Thanks, Helen!
Thanks for reading
I think I've rabbited on long enough for now so thanks for sticking with me and I'll leave with you this picture we got of an unexpected +1 at Mr and Mrs Kidney's lovely wedding in the Hall last week. Can you spot him? He was even dressed to impress in a white tuxedo!
