An Alice in Wonderland Easter at Tatton Park
March 30, 2012
Prepare to wear your widest Cheshire Cat smile
at Tatton Park this Easter as an
‘Alice in Wonderland’ event comes to the historic estate in
rural Cheshire East.
From Easter Saturday to Easter Monday (April 7
to 9) Tatton plays host to an enchanting weekend with themed
activities taking place across the park.
In the gardens families can follow the
quizzical Alice trail to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, where a cast
of curious characters will riddle and rhyme their way through tea.
Visitors can also enjoy the stunning landscaped gardens in
their full spring colour.
Step through the looking glass in the mansion
to follow the White Rabbit’s Wonderland trail through the beautiful
state rooms. There is also the opportunity to see the current
mansion exhibition ‘Among Pioneers’, exploring the involvement of
Maurice, 4th and last Baron Egerton of Tatton in the
history of early 20th century aviation.
‘Off with your head!’ if you fail to make it
to the farm where the Queen of Hearts will be eating regal jam
tarts and children can follow the Cheshire Cat quiz. Spring
is in the air at the farm and visitors will be able to see new-born
lambs, piglets and newly-hatched chicks and ducklings.
There is magic dust in the stableyard where Mr
Bimbamboozle will be dazzling with his Alice-themed puppet show and
the White Rabbit may be putting in an appearance for Poz the
Magician. Our younger visitors can also join in Easter
hat-making in the Stableyard barn rooms.
The shops and restaurant will be joining in
with Alice-themed fare and displays. There are also many fine
products to browse and buy at The Easter Crafts and Country
Shopping Fair in the Tenants’ Hall.
There are a number of associations between
Cheshire and the Alice stories, in addition to the persistently
grinning Cheshire Cat. The author Lewis Carroll was born at
Daresbury parsonage near Warrington, where his father was the
curate of All Saints’ Church. All Saints’ is celebrated for
its delightful stained-glass Lewis Carroll Memorial Window, which
features characters from the ‘Alice’ books.
A perhaps lesser known connection between the
stories and Tatton is the legend of ‘the romping kitten’. It
is said that in the early 19th century a sign painter
attempted to reproduce the lion rampant from the Egerton family
crest for an inn sign. His efforts caused the lion to look
more like a grinning cat than a noble heraldic beast. There are
many pubs named the Egerton Arms or Red Lion in the area - some
were also nicknamed ‘The Romping Kitten’ because of their painted
signs.
An Alice in Wonderland Easter at
Tatton Park
Saturday, April 7to Monday, April 9
2012
Times:
Parkland is open 10am-7pm (last entry
6pm).
Mansion is open 1pm-5pm (last entry 4pm).
Gardens are open 10am-6pm (last entry
5pm).
Farm is open 12pm-5pm (last entry 4pm).
Stableyard activities from 12pm-5pm.
Please visit our website http://www.tattonpark.org.uk/
or call 01625 374400 for opening times and further information.
Prices
Single attraction entry: adult
£5.50, child £3.50 (4-15 years), family £14.50 (two adults and up
to three children). Totally Tatton tickets (entry to mansion,
gardens and farm): adult £10, child £5, family £25.
Park entry charge of £5 per car
applies to all.
Group discounts for 12 or more
people available if booked in advance. Entrance to the mansion and
gardens is free for National Trust members.
Easter Crafts & Country Shopping
Fair
10.30am-5pm, Tenants’ Hall. Free entry to the
fair. Park entry charge applies of £5 per car.
For further information about this
release contact:
Eleanor Gorsuch, Marketing
Department
Tel: 01625 374447 / Email:
eleanor.gorsuch@cheshireeast.gov.uk
http://www.tattonpark.org.uk/
Tatton Park is managed and financed by
Cheshire East Council on behalf of the National Trust.
This impressive historic estate receives in
the region of 750,000 visitors every year all of whom come to enjoy
its Georgian mansion, Tudor Old Hall, award- winning gardens and
1930s rare breeds farm. The 1,000-acre deer park is home to
red and fallow deer and the estate also boasts speciality shops,
adventure playground, restaurant and year-round events
programme.
Tatton Park is one of Cheshire’s
leading Gardens of Distinction.
Cheshire’s Gardens of
Distinction programme celebrates the richness and
diversity of Cheshire’s horticultural heritage and green
spaces. Building on the success of Cheshire’s Year of Gardens
08 marketing programme, the project aims to continue to achieve
significant impact for the regional tourism industry from local,
national and international markets. For more information
visit www.visitcheshire.com/gardens
Supported by the European Regional
Development Fund.
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real
difference to people and businesses in the North West. With €755
million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the
competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in
enterprise and employment.
ERDF in the North West is managed by the
Department for Communities and Local Government – for further
information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf.