Behind The Enchanted Garden: Chatsworth reveals the local makers shaping this year's Christmas experience

One of this year’s key contributors is Winning Works, a family-run studio based in Crich. Their handcrafted fairies, copper leaves and toadstools appear throughout the house, each made using tools and techniques passed down through generations. The team still shapes copper using their grandfather’s tools, while their fairies are made from British wool and dressed in vintage fabrics, with hand-painted shoes and copper-wire hair. Their work is produced in small batches, meaning every piece on display has been individually hand-made for Chatsworth this season.

Visitors will also encounter a striking installation of giant copper mistletoe created by Everdenes, which hangs over the Oak Staircase and has quickly become one of the standout features of the route. Miniature versions, made in the same Derbyshire studio, are available to buy in the Chatsworth shop and Christmas market.

Everdenes has also crafted the bespoke twirling oak-leaf archways leading to the Chapel, designed especially for this year’s Enchanted Garden experience. Known for their large-scale metalwork for public spaces, the commission marks one of the studio’s most ambitious festive projects to date.

In the Chapel, internationally recognised sculptor Emma Stothard has created Hidden Garden, a new willow installation made specially for this year. Her woven seating offers a place to pause while her willow fox, hedgehog and owl are tucked among the arches, highlighting the wildlife that inspires much of this year’s theme. Each sculpture was built on-site over several days, using locally sourced willow selected for its colour and flexibility.

Award-winning mixed-reality artists Studio McGuire add movement and atmosphere to the experience with a series of bespoke projections and animations created for Chatsworth. Their illuminated fairies and seasonal scenes appear throughout the route, encouraging visitors to look closer as delicate figures and shifting shadows reveal the story of the Enchanted Garden.

This year’s commission also includes a shimmering ceiling projection in the Great Dining Room, where Studio McGuire’s moving canopy of light brings the historic plasterwork to life, accompanied by an original soundtrack composed by Spesh Maloney.

The experience culminates outside with a large-scale animated light and sound show projected onto the house façade, inspired by Chatsworth’s history, collections and landscape. The artists worked closely with Chatsworth’s design teams to integrate each projection seamlessly into the architecture and natural materials used across the trail.

Derbyshire’s craft heritage is further represented by the Wirksworth Pottery Company, whose hand-thrown ceramic Christmas ornaments are incorporated into the decorations across the house. The makers also have a stall at the Chatsworth Christmas Market, offering visitors the chance to explore more of their work. Their studio focuses on sustainable, small-batch production, and the ornaments on display at Chatsworth were created exclusively for this year’s event.

Hannah Buchanan, owner of the Wirksworth Pottery Company said: “Our relationship with Chatsworth started in 2021 when we had a stall at the Christmas market – that was only four months after we started the business. The event was so successful for us that we booked a stall at the Chatsworth Country Fair the following September, which is when we met the Chatsworth retail team. They placed an order on the spot and our products have been stocked in the gift shops ever since. For the past two years we’ve also been commissioned by Chatsworth House Trust to make decorations for the Christmas experience in the house. The whole experience has been a whirlwind in the best possible sense, and we hope to work with Chatsworth for many years to come.”

Together, these makers form a central part of the 2025 experience, bringing new ideas, local expertise and distinctive creative voices to Chatsworth’s Christmas experience. Their work helps shape the Enchanted Garden into a route that reflects both the landscape of Derbyshire and the talented artists and craftspeople living locally.

Susie Stokoe, Head of Textiles at Chatsworth commented: “This year’s theme pays tribute to the beauty and resilience of the natural world, and it is the work of our local makers that gives it life. Their skill and creativity deepen our connection to this place, and we are proud to showcase their contributions to visitors from around the world.”

Christmas at Chatsworth is on until 4 January 2026, and tickets must be booked in advance. Tickets provide admission to the house, garden, farmyard and playground, as well as parking.

Chatsworth’s annual Christmas market runs until 14 December, with more than 100 exhibitors offering festive-themed gifts, food and drink. Chatsworth’s Orangery and Stables shops will be open all season, with Christmas gifts, homewares and clothing made by some of the region’s finest sustainable producers, designers and craftspeople. The all-new emporium space will also be open to visitors in The Parlour, offering a range of festive food, drinks and gifts.

More information about the Christmas experience, other festive events and ticket details can be found online at www.chatsworth.org/christmas

As part of Chatsworth’s commitment to making the estate more accessible, the price of family memberships was reduced at the start of the year. Chatsworth Friends memberships not only offer great value for families all year round but also include a range of other benefits such as complimentary tickets to Christmas at Chatsworth and the Christmas market.

Every penny generated by ticket sales and membership goes directly to the Chatsworth House Trust charity, which is dedicated to looking after the house, collections, garden, and parkland, for everyone to enjoy.