Stourhead’s Palladian house has reopened its doors to visitors for the Christmas season, with key showrooms festively decorated to capture the spirit of Christmases past and present.

From the Victorian and Regency eras right through to more modern celebrations, each room has been transformed to capture the different styles from Christmases past.

Visitors have the opportunity to find out about the history of Christmas and see first-hand how the house may have been decorated in years gone by.

Operations manager Emily Blanshard said: "Christmas at Stourhead is always an exciting and enchanting time. The festive atmosphere created inside the 18th century house is really captivating and special.

"Our team have once again had much fun decorating key rooms to magically create our Christmas House. With plenty of decorated trees, natural foliage from the estate and roaring log fires, visitors can find many inspirational and creative ideas for their own homes too."

The Christmas house will be open every day through to December 22.

The house opening hours are from 11am to 3pm, with last entry to the house at 2.30pm.

Stourhead also offers plenty of other activities for a day out at Christmas time. Stourhead’s popular Christmas Festival of the Voice will be taking place every Sunday on December 8, 15 and 22 between 11am and 2pm.

Local choirs from the region will be providing musical entertainment, celebrating the festive season and singing a wide range of songs around the grounds.

Visitors can take a lakeside stroll and admire the beautiful winter landscaped garden; the perfect place to unwind and re-energise.

Also open every December weekend will be the atmospheric Gothic Cottage. Sited half way round the garden, this lakeside cottage is a popular resting point offering a chance to warm up with a hot drink by the open fire in the festively decorated cottage.

While the award-winning restaurant offers Christmas lunch, other treats including mulled wine and roasted chestnuts are available in the Spread Eagle Courtyard, or some specialist shopping for festive treats in the large National Trust gift and plant shop or First-View Studio.

For more information on other Christmas events and activities, contact Stourhead on (01747) 841152 or visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/Stourhead