FOR the first time in more than 30 years, Dorset’s historic Kingston Lacy House will be filled with festive cheer this Christmas.

The shutters usually come down on the stately home from the beginning of November and its contents are encased in dust sheets until spring.

But now the house entrance and servants’ halls will be opened to the public this month and dressed for Christmas for the first time.

Martin Granados, visitor services manager, says it looks set to be their busiest festive season to date.

“This is quite a departure for the house as we will be opening some areas that have never been open to the public before,” he explains.

“There were a few festive events held on the estate last year which went down a storm so we thought we would expand on that this year and open up part of the main house too.”

The Audit Room, which the last owner used as his office, will be decorated with an Austerity Christmas theme in 1950 and a ten-foot Christmas tree will be the centrepiece of the entrance hall.

“Our younger visitors usually meet Santa in the stables but this year he is coming into the house and will be by the fire in the Butler’s Pantry which until now has been used as a staff room.”

Another first for the house this month is the launch today of an exhibition of children’s toys that were left at the house.

“Many of the toys which belonged to the house had been loaned out to other National Trust properties around the country so it has been a big project to bring everything together for this exhibition,” adds Martin.

Other events in the run up to Christmas include an afternoon with the Shottesford Peelers playing traditional and seasonal tunes with hand bells on Saturday December 8 from 2 to 4pm.

The Jubilate Singers will be singing songs and carols on the stairs until twilight on Sunday, December 9 at 2pm and there will be a children’s Christmas Crafts event on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 to 16 from noon to 3.30pm.

Martin adds: “Many of the staff will be in costume – their uniforms are handmade replicas of what the Edwardian servants would have worn.”

Meanwhile the rest of the house will remain under wraps.

“Cleaning and protecting the house is a full-time job for five full-time members of staff and a team of volunteers,” Martin explains.

“We have around 18 rooms, four floors and 17 different types of fabric and materials to take care of so it is a big operation.”

But Martin who has worked at the house for eight years, says there is always still so much to learn about the estate.

“We seem to discover something new about the place every year and our challenge is to find the best way of presenting it to the public.”

He also feels there is a renewed interest in country estates like Kingston Lacy too.

“I think programmes like Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abbey in particular have rekindled people’s interest in houses like this. Visitors are particularly keen to find out more about the servants’ quarters now!”