Charles Dickens Evening
at Highclere Castle

Enjoy the classic tale of  "A Christmas Carol"
performed by Gerald Dickens

Thursday 18^th and Friday 19^th December 2025

4:30pm – 8:30pm

The Earl and Countess of Carnarvon are delighted to welcome you to their home, the Real Downton Abbey, for a festive evening to celebrate a Victorian Christmas.

Upon arrival at the Castle, step into the opulent Library to enjoy a delicious glass of Champagne, before taking your seat in the Saloon for a performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Gerald Dickens, the great, great grandson of Charles Dickens. During the interval, there will be an opportunity to explore the Music Room, the Drawing Room, the State Dining Room, the Smoking Room and the Gallery Bedrooms.

Our guides will be on hand to answer any questions regarding the history of the building, artwork and furniture, as well as behind the scenes at Downton Abbey.

Following the performance, you will be able to explore the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of the Castle, before making your way to the Christmas marquee for a delicious light supper.

You are welcome to arrive from 4pm to visit the Gift Shop before entering the Castle. Please keep this in mind when making travel arrangements, as we do not have a sheltered area to wait before your entrance to the Grounds.

Guests will be welcomed at the front door of the Castle at 4:30pm for the entertainment to start promptly at 5pm. The Grounds will close at 8:30pm.

Adult tickets are £185 each.
Carer tickets are available at £140 for the carer of a paying disabled visitor.

All tickets include:

•    A glass of Champagne on arrival
•    A performance of A Christmas Carol by Gerald Dickens
•    The opportunity to view the Castle State Rooms
•    Access to the Egyptian Exhibition
•    A light supper served in our Christmas Marquee
•    A signed copy of Lady Carnarvon’s book ‘Christmas at Highclere’ (collected on the day)
•    An opportunity to visit the Gift Shop before entering the Castle at 4:30pm (welcome onsite from 4pm).

Please select either the Standard Menu, Vegetarian Menu or Gluten-free Menu from the options below.  We will be offering a seasonal light supper for this event based on Chef's choice. CLICK to view our Christmas supper menus. Please note that we cannot guarantee that our menus are either DAIRY FREE or NUT FREE.

Dress code: Smart (Suits and Cocktail Dresses).
Please pre-book tickets for this event using the date selector below.