Pupils experience a Tudor Christmas

Donington le Heath Manor House is getting into the festive spirit by hosting its annual Tudor Christmas sessions for schools.  The medieval Manor House, which is traditionally decorated for Christmas with festive greenery, is an ideal place for pupils to experience the atmosphere, sights and smells of Christmas 400 years ago.

Pupils will meet costumed ‘Tudor’ characters to learn about Christmas traditions, make sugarplate decorations, discover what people ate at ‘Christmastide’ and find out what gift giving was like for rich and poor people over 400 years ago.  The day culminates in everyone enjoying a traditional wassail ‘toast’.

Did you know….that mince pies used to be oval to represent the Jesus’ crib?  Holly was thought to protect you against lightning on account of its red berries (red being thought to have the power to detect evil)?  1587 is the first recorded date of brussel sprouts being used in cooking?

Ernie White, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Museums said “This is captivating way for children to find out about how the traditions of Christmas past have developed into the Christmas that they celebrate today. We have a fantastic resource in Donington le Heath Manor House which provides a fitting historical and atmospheric backdrop for this popular learning session”.

The session is part of the on-going programme provided by the Leicestershire County Council’s (Environment and Heritage Service) Museum Learning Team and is just one of the popular range of costumed character-led activities running at Donington le Heath Manor House throughout the year.

Contact: Andrea Bridge 0116 305 3449, andrea.bridge@leics.gov.uk

Please contact the above for a higher resolution image.
For more information about sessions provided by Museum Learning Team at Donington le Heath Manor House visit: www.leics.gov.uk/donington

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