Christmas at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

Visitors walking past the abbey as dusk starts to fall with twinkling lights filling the trees. — As the afternoon light starts to fade, make your way to the abbey and take a wander through the ruins aglow. | © J Shepherd

Discover what's happening at Fountains Abbey this Christmas. Wrap up warm, grab a festive bake, see the abbey sparkle and as the afternoon light starts to fade, take a wander through the ruins aglow.

Winter Tales at Fountains Abbey

Wrap up warm and join us for Winter Tales at Fountains Abbey. Visit three different locations through the Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal estate and immerse yourself in four different Winter Tales: The Mitten, The Silver Pinecones, The Nutcracker and The Children and The Sun. Join the author, Dawn Casey, or our volunteers on one of our storytelling weekends too.

Meet the author

Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December at 11am, 12pm and 2pm.

Head to Fountains Mill and meet the author of Winter Tales, Dawn Casey. Explore frozen lands and follow heroes and heroines on epic journeys with the author herself, as she performs extra special readings of her heartwarming tales celebrating the wonders of winter. There will be an opportunity to chat with Dawn and buy a signed and dedicated copy of Winter Tales or her new book Nature Tales - perfect for a Christmas gift! You'll need to prebook a ticket for this event, tickets will go on sale in October and will be free with standard admission.

*There will be a limited number of signed copies available.

Dawn Casey’s work is inspired by her deep love of nature, her respect for the tales of old, and her delight in the wonder of the world. Her collection The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales won the Gold Nautilus Award for books that 'support conscious living, green values, spiritual growth and positive social change.' Dawn published Winter Tales in 2020 and Nature Tales in 2024. She lives with her family, on the South Downs of Sussex.

Group storytelling sessions

Every weekend from 7 December to 29 December.

Our volunteers will be holding storytelling sessions in the lead up to Christmas and during the Christmas holidays. Drop in every weekend at 11am and 12pm to hear some of the Winter Tale stories read to you.

Hear The Mitten read on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December in Swanley Grange.
Hear The Silver Pinecones read on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December upstairs in Fountains Mill
Hear The Nutcracker read on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December in Fountains Hall
Hear The Children and The Sun read on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December in Fountains Hall

Unfortunately, sometimes our volunteers are unavailable and we may have to cancel storytelling sessions at short notice. Please ask the admission staff on your arrival for the schedule on that day.

Swanley Grange, Fountains Mill and Fountains Hall will be dressed and decorated using inspiration taken from Winter Tales by Dawn Casey, illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk.

Our Christmas traditions

See which Christmas traditions will be returning to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal this year.

A mother with her baby enjoying the annual Music and Lights Christmas event at Fountains Abbey — See the abbey shine this Christmas | © Chris Lacey

Live Choirs

On from 2pm every Saturday and Sunday between 30 November - 29 December (excluding 8 and 15 December). Once you've finished the Christmas shopping, explored the Winter Tales and been revived by a warming mug of hot chocolate, it's time to see the abbey aglow with all the colours of the rainbow. Walk beneath the abbey cellarium's vaulted ceilings, under the grand columns of the nave and stop to watch the live choirs and bands fill the ruins with festive music. Join in if you know the tune! The lights will be switched on at 2pm. Bands and choirs will play in the cellarium from 2-3pm. Recorded carols will fill the air from 3-5pm. Last admission is at 4pm and the estate will close at 5pm as usual.

A crowd is gathered to ding Christmas carols among the lit-up ruins of Fountains Abbey, with rainbow lights illuminating the building. — A crowd sings Christmas carols at Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

Carols by Candlelight

Everyone is welcome to join our Carols by Candlelight services on Sunday 8 and Sunday 15 December, from 3-4pm, in the abbey cellarium. Pick up a candle on your way in and see the flickering glow of hundreds of candles light up the cellarium. Sing along to well know carols accompanied by Ripon City Band. You'll need to pre-book a ticket for Carols by Candlelight - tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 15 November. Entry to the cellarium for the service will open at 2pm and please be seated by 2:30pm ready for the service to start at 3pm. Spaces are limited so we recommend booking as early as possible to avoid disappointment however, there may be some tickets on the door due to last minute cancellations. These tickets will be released at 2:30pm at the abbey cellarium on the day of the event. Tickets are free with normal admission.

The view though Studley Royal deer park lookint towards Ripon Cathedral on a cold frosty day. — Follow the footsteps of a group of Cistercian monks on a 4 mile pilgrimage | © J Shepherd

Boxing Day Pilgrimage

Take part in the four-mile pilgrimage on December 26 after the 9.30am Boxing day service at Ripon Cathedral. Follow the footsteps of a group of Cistercian monks who set out from Ripon the day after Christmas, 1132 AD, to find a new Cistercian monastery at Fountains on the banks of the River Skell. The pilgrimage will start at 10:15am, meeting outside Ripon Cathedral. Everyone is welcome to gather in the abbey cellarium for the Boxing Day service at 12pm.

Visitors in the grounds of Studley Royal Deer Park at Christmas time, watching the deer in the distance munching through their winter feed — Head to Studley Royal deer park and watch the deer enjoy their winter feed | © Chris Lacey

On the hoof in Studley Royal deer park

Trot along to the deer park and see if you can spot some of the 300 deer that call Studley home. Can you tell the difference between the Red, Sika and Fallow deer? With their large antlers and enthusiastic leaps, our younger visitors might even mistake them for Father Christmas’s magical reindeer... Join us at 11am by St Mary's Church (in the deer park) on 7 and 21 December to go 'On the Hoof' and watch the wild deer munching through their winter feed. See some antlers up close and chat to our rangers who will be on hand to tell you about their job managing the deer herd answer your questions.

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Discover more ways to enjoy a festive day out at Fountains Abbey

Have you visited the shop at the visitor centre yet? If not, pop in to say hello and to see the range of seasonal homewares, books and Christmas treats that deck the shelves. Whether you find the perfect Christmas gift for your loved ones or a little something for the stocking, you know you can feel good about buying it here as the money you spend goes straight back into looking after Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

2 girls enjoying a cup of hot chocolate at Fountains Abbey winter — Warm up with a hot drink before heading out on a bracing walk this season | © J Shepherd

Our missing Christmas traditions...

Father Christmas

Unfortunately, Father Christmas will not be visiting Fountains Abbey this year. If you're looking for a lovely local Father Christmas experience why not visit Beningbrough Hall for some storytelling, a chat and gift from the man in red, plus the chance to capture some festive photos. Find out more.

Christmas Lunches

We won't be serving up plated Christmas lunches in the restaurant this year. There will still be plenty of tasty festive treats on offer though. Why not try a hot turkey roll, festive scone or a slice of homemade Christmas cake.

A Christmas wreath with gold flowers, oranges and red berries intertwined in foliage hangs on a door

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Christmas at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal