A first look at the Myths and Legends Christmas Kingdom at Northumberland's Bamburgh Castle
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00:00 Hello there, I'm Claire Watson-Armstrong and our family own Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland,
00:05 which is where we are today.
00:08 This is our Christmas kingdom and this year the theme is Enchanted Myths and Legends of
00:14 Northumbria.
00:15 And I was so excited about this.
00:19 It's a theme that really is close to our hearts here at Bamburgh because, as you know, it's
00:25 an iconic castle above the Northumberland coast here.
00:29 So these themes that amazing Charlotte Lloyd Webber, who's the designer who has created
00:35 our Christmas experience, they're all drawn from actual myths and folkology and legends.
00:42 So we've got our incredible selkies, the tale of the seal that slips its skin and becomes
00:49 this beautiful maiden, and that comes from the Farn Islands.
00:53 And then we've got tales of fairy rings and there's all sorts of incredible things that
00:59 you can see all around the castle.
01:00 We're just so excited about it and I am seeing it for the first time.
01:05 I wanted it to be a surprise and it just takes your breath away.
01:09 It's glorious.
01:10 So this is our third year of having the Christmas kingdom here at Bamburgh Castle and we just
01:15 wanted to do something to celebrate the magic of Christmas.
01:19 So each of the staterooms is transformed into this wonderful riot of festivity and drawing
01:27 on this theme of myths and legends of Northumbria.
01:30 So we've got incredible foliage displays, we've got Christmas trees, we've got pieces
01:36 and props that are new this year that have been bespoke made for Bamburgh Castle by an
01:41 incredible sculptor called Mandy Bryson.
01:45 So she uses something called faux taxidermy where she creates these incredibly lifelike
01:52 pieces that you will see and you have to look out for the seal, the selkie seal.
01:58 I think he's my favourite so far.
02:00 But we are open Saturday, November 11th and we run right the way through to January 7th.
02:07 Closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day but other than that open all day, every day.
02:12 We've also got wonderful Christmas events like our Christmas wreath making, we've got
02:16 concerts, carols but it's just the most breathtaking Christmas.
02:22 Extravaganza, the largest indoor Christmas experience in the region and it's just a
02:27 delight for all ages, it really is.
02:29 And if this won't get you into the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will.
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