AN ILLUMINATED woodland tree trail, a winter fire garden and a giant 3-D Advent calendar are a few of the Christmas festivities at Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park this season.
The Grade I manor house, a 30-minute drive from Coventry, near Kineton, Warwick, has been transformed into an oversized Advent calendar with help from local artists.
Twenty-four works are being mounted onto boards installed in the windows of the house and revealed each day by a post on the gallery’s social media pages. After Christmas day itself, the advent calendar will remain on display for visitors to enjoy until January 6.
Although the latest coronavirus restrictions mean that the main house will be closed for the time being, the Welcome Centre, gift shops and the grounds will be open for festive thrills.
Among the highlights is an illuminated tree trail – open every Tuesday to Sunday, until January 3 – which takes walkers from the Welcome Centre, through the woodland coppice and to the 18th-century Verney house. The team has festooned trees along the trail with lights and stars leading up to an enormous, show-stopping Christmas tree.
And a present trail – from Tuesday December 15 to Sunday January 3 – provides an extra dose of festive entertainment. Presents, carelessly spilled from Santa’s sleigh, are suspended from the trees, and even on the roof, for youngsters to spot.
A fire garden installation – from Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 – includes hand-crafted, intricate fire sculptures transforming parts of the grounds where visitors can wander through or watch and feel the heat. The grounds will also be open until late on Saturday December 12 with festive chilli and drinks.
Visit www.comptonverney.org.uk for more details.
