The Definitive Guide to Christmas Markets at Britain's Historic Houses
Forget jostling through city-centre 'chalets'. This year, we encourage you to consider doing your Christmas shopping in a slightly different location: a ballroom, a medieval banqueting hall or a Georgian courtyard, for example. From Perthshire to the North Norfolk coast, our member houses are throwing open their doors for some of the most atmospheric festive markets in the country - and we've been through them all, so you don't have to.
Below is our pick of the season, running north to south, with everything you need to plan your visit. Many sessions sell out, so our advice is simple: pick your house, then book.
Blair Castle, Perthshire
The one for a Highland Christmas. Blair's annual market fills the Banvie Hall - the castle's atmospheric ballroom - and spills out into a tented Christmas village in the grounds. More than 70 makers and producers, almost all Scottish, bring knitwear, silk scarves, antler and wood craft, locally designed silver and gemstone jewellery, and organic soaps and candles.
Come hungry: there's chocolate from The Third Sin, game steaks, pies and pâtés, Scottish gins and liqueurs, and street food from Highland Food Shack. Don't miss the castle itself, dressed for Christmas and open to market-goers at a reduced £10 (children £5), bought on the day.
- When: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 November, 10am–4pm
- Entry: £4 adults, under-16s free (card only on the door)
- Good to know: Arrive any time; dogs welcome outdoors but not inside the castle
- Book tickets
Carlton Towers, North Yorkshire
The one for families. Carlton Towers' Festive Indoor Market is a rare chance to shop your way through the state rooms of this extravagant Victorian Gothic house. Local Yorkshire businesses fill the rooms with fudge, gifts, toys and decorations, while the courtyard food hub serves wood-fired pizza and BBQ, and mulled wine is poured inside the house.
Last year, reindeer visited on the Saturday and Sunday and a small-animal petting corner took over the Minstrels' Gallery - a guaranteed hit with younger visitors. A Friday evening session offers a quieter after-work browse.
- When: Saturday 21 - Sunday 22 November 2026
- Entry: £2.50 in 2025, under-3s free
- Good to know: Visitor numbers in the house are capped, so expect a short wait at busy times. No dogs or pushchairs in the house, and no step-free access inside
- Christmas at Carlton Towers
Haddon Hall, Derbyshire
Our top pick - if you only go to one, make it this. Mercatum, Haddon's artisan market, was named by the national press last year as one of the ten best Christmas markets in the UK, and it's easy to see why. Over six weeks, more than 750 makers set up inside the hall's decorated medieval rooms, galleries and courtyard - and because the line-up changes every week, no two visits are the same.
Expect ceramics, art, jewellery, chocolate, candles, stationery and perfume, with street food, hot chocolate, mulled wine and live music to keep you going. With twinkling lights and towering trees throughout, the setting does half the work.
- When: Wednesday 11 November – Sunday 20 December, Wednesdays to Sundays only
- Sessions: Morning 9.15am–12.45pm · Afternoon 1–4.30pm · Twilight 3–4.30pm
- Entry: Adults £13.60, children (5–15) £5, under-5s free · Twilight: adults £7.50, children £2.50 · Green Travel all-day ticket for those arriving by public transport: £10.50
- Good to know: Pre-booking is essential. Groups must arrange visits in advance on 01629 812855
- Insider tip: Book a twilight slot to see the hall glowing as dusk falls - and if you love it, come back another week for a whole new set of makers
- Book Mercatum
Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
The one for a full festive day out. Belvoir isn't a single-weekend market but a whole season. The castle is dressed for "Deck the Halls", with a Christmas Bauble Shop set up in the Ballroom and a gingerbread Belvoir on display, while the Engine Yard Retail Village below fills with seasonal stalls, local artisans, the Belvoir Farm Shop and festive workshops from wreath-making to bauble painting.
For a grown-up treat, Castle by Candlelight runs every Thursday evening in December: £40 a head, including a mince pie and a glass of the estate's own Belvoir Sparkling Wine.
- When: Saturday 14 November – Wednesday 30 December
- Castle by Candlelight: Thursdays in December, 6–8.30pm, £40 (adults only)
- Good to know: The Retail Village is open seven days a week; castle entry and workshops are booked separately
- Christmas at Belvoir
Burghley House, Lincolnshire
The one for serious gift lists. The region's largest Christmas fair turns the courtyards around England's greatest Elizabethan house into a festive village of chalets, heated marquees and an avenue of lit pagodas. With around 200 stalls, a lit Victorian carousel and festive drone shows on the Friday and Saturday evenings, it's the biggest of our picks - and it raises funds for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
The highlight for us: afternoon tea in the oak-panelled Great Hall, beside a roaring fire, at £49.50 a head. It must be booked in advance and needs a valid fair ticket.
- When: Thursday 26 – Sunday 29 November
- Entry: Adults £15, children (3–15) £5. Open 9.30am–4pm Thursday and Sunday, until 7.30pm Friday and Saturday
- Good to know: Tickets must be pre-booked with a timed arrival and aren't sold on the gate. Standard parking is free; priority parking is £10. There's no re-entry, and the house and gardens are closed during the fair
- Book tickets
Holkham, Norfolk
The one for food lovers. Holkham's Christmas Market is a showcase of North Norfolk's best producers, with over 60 stalls inside the Lady Elizabeth Wing and in festive chalets outside. Think Staithe Smokehouse, Truckle Cheese, Marsh Pig charcuterie, Brockleby's Pies, Norfolk spirits and craft beer, alongside local artists, jewellers and photographers.
Make a weekend of it. Book Holkham by Candlelight to see the state rooms in their festive finery, have lunch at The Victoria, and walk it all off on Holkham beach. On Saturday 12 December, nearby Wells Christmastide sees Santa arrive by boat.
- When: Friday 11 – Sunday 13 December, 10am–4pm
- Entry: Free; parking £12 per car
- Good to know: Dogs on leads welcome at the outdoor stalls, but not in the Lady Elizabeth Wing
- Market details
Our tips for planning your festive visits:
- Book early. Haddon's sessions are pre-book only. Burghley is pre-book only too, and Blair recommends booking ahead.
- Consider doubling up in the East Midlands. Burghley and Belvoir are under an hour apart - pair the fair on Saturday 28 November with Belvoir on the Sunday.
- Take the train to Haddon. Arriving by public transport gets you the cheaper all-day Green Travel ticket.
- Wrap up. Every one of these markets has outdoor stalls or courtyards; good boots and a warm coat are a must.
- Check before you travel. Dates and prices are correct at time of writing; always confirm on the house's own website.
