Castle Howard is back and better than ever for the festive season, this year with a Victorian twist.

From the 12th of November 2026, Castle Howard will celebrate ‘A Dickens of a Christmas’ , its very first Victorian-themed event.

From installations, soundscapes, to projections: the castle will create an immersive Victorian atmosphere that celebrates the beloved tales of Charles Dickens.

On the 12th of November, a towering 26-foot Christmas tree was installed in the Castle hall to mark the start of the festivities.

The Christmas tree, sourced from Wiggington, just outside of York, will be decorated over 4 days with over 30,000 baubles.

For the first year ever, the tree will be accompanied by a Victorian carriage. 

The Brougham carriage was commissioned in 1879 by Rosalind, the 9th Countess of Carlisle and cost £190 to restore.

The Castle’s Curator Matthew Wood said: “We’re very excited to display this beautiful piece of history as part of the Dickens-themed installations – perhaps Dickens himself may have travelled in something similar.”

That’s not all that’s new for this year, in honour of the Victorian theme, visitors can expect a whole host of new events.

There’s a joyful Christmas Carol afternoon tea, wreath making workshops, and an all new Santa’s grotto in the jellycat shop.

The festivities will run until the 3rd of January, giving guests plenty of time to come along for a unique festive celebration.