Glowing start for Little Moreton Hall

Main image: Little Moreton Hall  Alan Ingram/ National Trust

Little Moreton Hall; 13 February-21 February

The warm glow of candles will herald the beginning of the 2016 season at Little Moreton Hall, the stunning Tudor house near Congleton.

For nine days between 13 February and 21 February visitors will be invited to join in a Candlemas Festival.The picturesque Great Hall and the tiny Chapel will be lit by dozens of candles.

Jo Williams, from Little Moreton Hall, said: “Candlelight really adds to the Tudor atmosphere and helps brings this incredible building to life. Because of the fire risk to this timber-framed hall we have to use battery-operated candles, but we offer candle rolling as a craft activity so that visitors can make a candle for use at home.”

Visitors can also try their hand at making paper snowdrops. Snowdrops, or ‘Candlemas Bells’, as they were sometimes called, were a big feature of this time of year.

They can discover more about Candlemas from the Hall’s Tudor gentlemen and gentlewomen, play traditional games such as ‘Nine Men’s Morris’ or ‘Fox and Geese’ and learn about Little Moreton Hall and the  story of the Moreton family on one of the popular guided tours.’

A young visitor looks forward to Candlemas at Little Moreton Hall C Alan Ingram/ National Trust

A young visitor looks forward to Candlemas at Little Moreton Hall ⓒ Alan Ingram/ National Trust

Jo added: “Winters were hard in Tudor times. People had to manage fuel and food stocks carefully just to stay alive. An old rhyme runs: ‘A farmer should, on Candlemas Day, Have half his corn and half his hay.”

At Candlemas, Spring was appearing on the horizon and you could begin to look ahead to a new year. Our visitors can share that optimistic feeling.’

Little Moreton Hall will stage more Medieval and Tudor festivals in the coming months, including Merry March, Easter Trails, May Day, Midsummer celebrations, and a Mop Fair.

Little Moreton Hall opens on Saturday 13 February and will be open every day for the nine-day ‘Candlemas Festival’ (13 – 21 Feb).The Hall will then be open Weds – Sun from Weds 24 Feb, 11am – 5pm.   For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/littlemoretonhall or call 01260 272018.

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