Christmas is coming to Fairfax House – or should it be Christmouse!
Hundreds of mice will once again descend on Fairfax House, Castlegate, this Christmas to cause havoc amongst the festive Georgian decor.
For 2024, there’s a mystery to solve in A Christmas Mousetery: The Case of the Missing Ruby which runs from Saturday 9 November to Sunday 5 January.
It’s Christmas morning and the family have awoken to discover the famous Fairfax Ruby has been stolen by the dastardly Highway Mouse, but he did not act alone.
Visitors will meet a cast of suspicious mice who all have a motive for helping the Highway Mouse – your job will be to play detective, read their alibis, and find the inside mouse…
Explore each room in this family-friendly caper where’ll you’ll find over 400 charming whiskered guests causing chaos.
Sarah Burnage, curator at Fairfax House, said: “This wonderfully charming event is back by popular demand and offers our visitors the chance to experience a traditional Georgian Christmas with lots of mousey fun.”
“Everywhere you look there will be a cheeky mouse up to something –on the magnificent dining table set ready for a festive feast, amongst the cheese and jellies, or sneaking a sip of leftover mulled wine in the kitchen.”
The needle-felt mousey characters will be wearing hand-stitched outfits by Fairfax House volunteers. The outfits are created from fabric remnants with designs inspired by period Georgian costumes.
Sandie Young, one of the volunteer seamstresses, said: “The mice are only three inches tall and not necessarily the easiest clients to work with!
“We cut and stitch jackets, dresses and cloaks – designing the outfit as close as possible to historic garments of the period. We then spend hours beading, embroidering and felting, so that each mouse can assume its role, dressed in ‘authentic’ Georgian mouse clothing.
“Having made four new mice this year, I can’t wait to see where they fit into the story.”
Tickets for A Christmas Mousetery are £9.50 for adults and £8 for concessions. Kids visit free with a paying adult.
To find out more and to book your tickets, visit the Fairfax House website.