Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle 2017

Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light

We went to see this year’s Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle on the freezing night that later saw the Cotswolds being covered in snow. Getting all wrapped against the cold only added to the festive atmosphere. This is one sure-fire way to give yourself some extra seasonal sparkle.

I was really looking forward to seeing the Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle again. Last year was the first time they had created the light display and I’d loved it.

Sudeley Castle is near Winchcombe, in the heart of the Cotswolds. It’s the only private castle to have a queen buried within its grounds. The 15th century chapel is the final resting place of Katherine Parr, the last queen of King Henry VIII. Now a private home, open to the public, the castle has a royal history dating back 1,000 years.

Sudeley is a special place to me and is one of my favourite places to visit in the Cotswolds – particularly in summertime when the beautiful gardens are full of flowers. It’s wonderful now to have an opportunity to visit in winter too and see the castle in a new light.

Our first glimpse of the Spectacle of Light, this time, was in the ruined Tithe Barn. Peeking out through the ruins, I had a wow moment as I saw the dark lawn filled with umbrellas that changed colour to the sound of classical music. The castle itself a spectacular, floodlit backdrop.

Tithe Barn at Sudeley Castle, Spectacle of Light
Tithe Barn at Sudeley Castle, Spectacle of Light
Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light
Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light

We followed the trail through a fairylit tunnel and spotted a beautiful tree decorated with delicate feathers. En route, we stopped to buy mulled wine from the kiosks (a new and very welcome addition) to warm up.

Tunnel of lights
Tunnel of lights
#MyLittleDevil
#MyLittleDevil
Tree of feathers, Spectacle of Light
Tree of feathers, Spectacle of Light

We moved onto the chapel, which is one of my favourite spots in the grounds. I recall being slightly disappointed by the chapel’s interior in last year’s Spectacle of Light, but this year is a different story. Peering through the darkness, the aisle was lit by glowing candles, while the pews were decorated with decayed foliage and pale pink roses. Towards the altar, ghostly figures appear in silhouette – could this be Queen Katherine Parr herself?

The Chapel at Sudeley Castle
The Chapel at Sudeley Castle
Inside the Chapel
Inside the Chapel

One of the prettiest spots in summer at Sudeley Castle is the Queens’ Garden, named after the four English queens that walked within – Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I. In winter, this garden becomes even more magical with flaming torches and thousands of fairylights, sparkling against the backdrop of the ruined floodlit castle.

The Queens' Garden, Spectacle of Light
The Queens’ Garden, Spectacle of Light
The Queens' Garden
The Queens’ Garden

Heading towards the café, we came across another light show. Lights moved up and down a tree trunk and around the grass, to music, giving the appearance of a waterfall. Outside the café, we discovered a couple of decorated trailers selling food and drink: sausages, burgers and slow roast pulled pork from the BBQ, mini desserts, churros and crepes with chocolate. I definitely plan to try some of these on my next visit!

Treats for sale
Treats for sale

On our way out, there was one last surprise. The glitter ball tree from last year had been reincarnated in a different spot.

I loved the Spectacle of Light even more this year. It brings a certain magic to this already beautiful castle. It was great to see the addition of places to buy food and drink dotted throughout. It took us about an hour to wander around the whole of the Spectacle of Light. Although, I did stop to take lots of photographs.

The Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle runs on selected nights until the 30th December 2017. Tickets must be booked in advance online and there are timed entry slots.

Do you have any festive favourites or have you been to any sparkling light spectacles? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.


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8 Comments

  • Lucy

    December 18, 2017

    Looks gorgeous! I really enjoyed it last year and it’s interesting to see how they’ve managed to make it look so different this time. Hopefully I can squeeze in a visit before Christmas.

    Reply
    • Skylark

      December 18, 2017

      Hi Lucy. I was really surprised how many different installations there were to see this year. You should definitely try and make it if you can!

      Reply
  • Sophie

    December 18, 2017

    I’m sad I missed this event, it looked amazing and definitely would have enchanted my children – beautiful colours in the dark 😊

    Reply
    • Skylark

      December 19, 2017

      Hi Sophie. You haven’t missed it! It’s still on until the 30th December (select days, so check their website for more info). I hope you get the chance to go.

      Reply
  • Sarah - Craft Invaders

    December 18, 2017

    So beautiful. That weekend was freezing so I can imagine how atmospheric it must have been. I particularly love the tree of feathers – so pretty!

    Reply
    • Skylark

      December 19, 2017

      Ah yes, it was absolutely freezing, but very atmospheric! I loved the feather tree too. There were so many highlights. It really is beautiful.

      Reply
  • Roseann

    January 9, 2018

    Aw wow! This does look pretty special! I love the tree of feathers. Great to read a bit more about this as I’ve heard so many people talk about it.

    Honeybourne Line

    Reply
    • Skylark

      January 10, 2018

      It really was special. I definitely will return again next year!

      Reply

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