Wentworth Woodhouse set to become a magical frozen kingdom

Rotherham’s Grade I listed stately home Wentworth Woodhouse is to be transformed into a glittering icy kingdom for its most wondrous and wintery Christmas family extravaganza yet.

Over 18,000 tickets have been released for The Snow Queen, the Preservation Trust’s festive fundraiser this year.

A re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairytale from 1844 will cast a shimmering, winter-white spell over the mansion from 2 December to 4 January, thanks to one of the UK’s leading specialists in five star-themed festive productions.

For the last two years, it's been all hands on deck as the Preservation Trust’s staff and volunteers pooled their talents to create magical, home-spun Christmas events to draw the crowds.

This year, the Trust has turned to North East-based project and production management company Culture Creative, experts in creating magical family experiences in historic settings.

With a BAFTA award- winning designer in its team, its lavish indoor experiences have drawn record numbers to heritage properties across the country, including Oxfordshire stately home Blenheim Palace, known as Britain’s greatest palace. This winter Culture Creative is also partnering with Great Ormond Street Hospital to present an outdoor touring version of Neverland, which retells JM Barrie's story of Peter Pan.

Its first collaboration with Wentworth Woodhouse will light up the mansion’s Palladian East Front for visitors on arrival and then take visitors into the pages of Hans Christian Andersen’s cherished story of love and friendship triumphing over evil.

Families will journey in the footsteps of young heroine Gerda as she searches for her best friend, Kai, the boy whose heart was turned to ice before the Snow Queen spirited him away to her kingdom.

The story will be told across 13 unique spaces in the mansion, each with its own enchanting soundscape, dazzling lighting effects and immersive sets. 

Expect polar bears in the Pillared Hall, reindeer in the Marble Saloon and a glittering throne in the State Dining Room, mirrored halls, princely chambers, a robber’s den and the frozen, frosted majesty of the Snow Queen’s palace.

Thanks to the temporary installation of an elevator provided by the RHS for this summer’s Flower Show, until December 31 the Snow Queen Experience will be fully accessible for visitors with mobility issues

The entire Christmas experience will be staged indoors this year, after harsh winter 2024 weather disrupted the outdoor Christmas light trail. But visitors to the gardens will find a family activity trail to seek out the animals that can be found in the Snow Queen’s enchanted garden.

Victoria Ryves, the Preservation Trust’s Head of Culture and Engagement, said: “Over the last two years our charming, home-spun Christmas blockbusters have brought thousands of local families to visit. 

“The Christmas experience is always our biggest fundraising event of the year, and the Trust relies on every penny as it regenerates this magnificent house for the community and to boost the local economy. 

“This year, we are extremely excited to be partnering with Culture Creative to stage our most magical festive event ever.

“Culture Creative has a strong reputation for transforming heritage sites into living storybooks; The Snow Queen is set to be incredibly atmospheric, with family selfie opportunities at every turn.

“Our festive spectacular crowns a host of child-centric, family-friendly events we have staged to celebrate Rotherham's year as the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture.

“But families can rest assured that we have even more fun and playful arts-themed events planned in our 2026 diary.”