Highclere's Christmas season runs 18 November to 19 December 2026. The cheapest way in is the 3 to 6 December carols days at £65, £15 a child. Every date here.
Highclere Castle, about five miles south of Newbury town centre as the crow flies, just over the Hampshire border, and known to most visitors as Downton Abbey, opens for Christmas 2026 from Wednesday 18 November to Saturday 19 December. Every ticket must be booked in advance. The cheapest way to see the decorations is the Christmas Tours and Carols days, 3 to 6 December, at £65 for an adult and £15 for a child. Everything else is a guided or evening event at £140 to £185.
The quick answer
- Cheapest: Christmas Tours & Carols, Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 December, self-guided, £65 adult, £15 child (4 to 16), under-4s free (Highclere Castle).
- November: guided tours with a Nordic afternoon tea, £140, on dates between 18 and 29 November.
- No tickets on the door. The castle says it will not sell tickets on the day and does not take orders by phone.
Every Christmas event, with prices
The castle’s Christmas at Highclere 2026 page lists five ticketed events. This year’s theme is Scandinavian, marking the opening of a new Viking Pavilion on the lawns, where the teas and suppers are served.
| Event | Dates | Times | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas Tours and Afternoon Teas (guided) | 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 29 Nov | Tours at 10am, 12 noon or 2pm | £140 adult; £80 child 4 to 16 or carer |
| Christmas Tours and Carols (self-guided) | Thu 3 to Sun 6 Dec | Four entry windows, 10am to 4pm | £65 adult; £15 child; £35 carer |
| Evening Reception, Champagne, Canapés and Carols (over 18s) | Fri 11 and Sat 12 Dec | 5.30pm to 8pm | £175; carer £125 |
| Charles Dickens Evening: A Christmas Carol by Gerald Dickens | Thu 17, Fri 18, Sat 19 Dec | 4.30pm to 8.30pm | £185; carer £140 |
| Talk by Lady Carnarvon and Guided Castle Tour | Thu 17, Fri 18, Sat 19 Dec | Talk at 10am or 12.30pm | £140; carer £85 |
The carols days, 3 to 6 December
This is the one to pick with children, and the only event that works out under £100 for an adult. The ticket page sets out what is included: entry to the castle and Egyptian Exhibition, the 24-foot tree in the Saloon and the garlands on the staircases, carols and songs, the Gift Shop and a Courtyard Christmas Gift Market, weather permitting. Adult tickets come with a signed copy of Lady Carnarvon’s book, “Christmas at Highclere”; children’s tickets do not.
You book one of four entry windows:
- Morning: enter between 10am and 11.30am
- Midday: 11am to 1pm
- Afternoon: 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- Sunset: 2pm to 4pm, which the castle recommends for “the twinkling lights in the darkness”
The gardens and grounds are open 9.30am to 5pm on all four days, but you cannot go into the castle before your window. The Tea Rooms sell coffee and croissants in the morning, then soup, sandwiches, scones, mince pies and mulled wine.
The November tours and teas
The November event is a guided tour through the decorated State Rooms and Gallery Bedrooms, then the Egyptian Exhibition, then a festive afternoon tea in the Viking Pavilion. It costs £140, with £80 for children aged 4 to 16 and carers, and includes the book. There are three tour times a day: 10am, 12 noon and 2pm, with gates opening half an hour before (an hour before for the 2pm tour). The grounds close at 5pm. The maximum booking is six people and there is no concession rate.
The booking calendar on 25 September offered 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and 29 November. It showed 21, 22 and 28 November as unavailable; the castle does not say whether those days are sold out or simply not running.
The December evenings
- Champagne, canapés and carols, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, 5.30pm to 8pm. Hosted by the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon; a self-guided look round the floodlit, decorated castle with Champagne and canapés, ending with carol singers on the Oak Staircase. Over 18s only, dress code suits and cocktail dresses, £175 (ticket page).
- A Christmas Carol performed by Gerald Dickens, 17 to 19 December, 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Charles Dickens’s great-great-grandson performs in the Saloon, with Champagne on arrival and a light supper in the Viking Pavilion afterwards. £185 (ticket page).
- Talk by Lady Carnarvon, 17 to 19 December. A talk in front of the tree in the Saloon, then a guided tour and refreshments. Morning talk 10am, afternoon 12.30pm; grounds close at 4pm. £140 (ticket page).
Before you go
- Dogs and picnics: dogs are not allowed in the castle grounds except assistance dogs, and picnics are not allowed in the gardens, though you can eat in the car park (Visit us).
- Large bags and backpacks have to stay in the car. Pushchairs can be used in the grounds but are left in the front hall.
- No photography inside the castle. Drones and smart glasses are banned across the estate.
- Wheelchairs: the State Rooms and Exhibition are accessible for manual wheelchairs; the upstairs Gallery is reached by a long, steep staircase.
- The castle’s phone number has changed to 01635 888518.
After Christmas
The castle then runs Wintertime Guided Tours in January 2027 at £145, or £85 for children aged 4 to 16, with refreshments and a signed book, and the grounds closing at 4pm (Highclere Castle). Until then, the autumn guided tours are also £145.
For the rest of the season near Newbury, see our pages on the Christmas lights switch-on, Christmas markets, Santa’s grottos and the pantomimes.
Still to be confirmed
- The castle says its “Christmas elves” are still working on the Scandinavian theme, and the ticket pages show pictures of past Christmases. Details of the 2026 decorations are expected in November.
- Availability changes daily; the dates above were those offered on 25 September.
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