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Christmas Willow Weaving Workshops: Selection of Christmas Decorations 2025
Key details
When:
Date:
Time:
23rd Nov
09:30 - 12:30
23rd Nov
13:30 - 16:30
6th Dec
09:30 - 12:30
6th Dec
13:30 - 16:30
Where:
The Meadow Room, behind Blackthorpe Barn
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
Pricing:
Ticket
per person £48
Each person attending requires a ticket
Bookings close on 20th November and 4th December, respectively
Christmas Willow Decorations Workshop
This Christmas come and join Stuart Fidler and Emma Booth – the Coddiwomplers – for a fun, relaxed willow weaving workshop.
Stuart and Emma are two experienced basketmakers who enjoy teaching and they are looking forward to guiding you into making wonderful decorations that can be displayed inside or out.
What Will I do?
- Learn some basic skills and techniques of willow weaving
- make a selection of willow decorations for your home
Who is this workshop suitable for?
- People aged 16 and over
- Beginners; no experience necessary
- Some manual dexterity and strength is required for weaving the willow
Important information
Gallery
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How it Works
01
Come to Blackthorpe Barn and park in one of the free car parks
02
Make your way to the Meadow Room, behind Roots Café
03
Enjoy making your Christmas decorations and go home feeling proud at what you have achieved
04
Browse around the Christmas shop and the Craft Fair or have a coffee at Roots Café
What to Bring
- Wear comfortable clothing
What is provided
- All materials
- Tea, coffee and biscuits
Refund & cancellation policy
If you need to cancel a workshop
If you are unable to attend your booked workshop and notify us at least 7 full days in advance of the workshop date, we can offer a refund or a transfer to the same workshop on an alternative date, providing there are places available or a course is planned for the future.
If cancellation is within 7 full days of your workshop unfortunately we are unable to offer a refund. We do appreciate that sometimes unforeseen circumstances may mean that you can’t attend so we are happy for you to send along a friend to take your place. We will need their name and contact details prior to the workshop.
Our right to cancel a workshop
All our workshops have a minimum attendance level and may be cancelled if too few bookings are received. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone workshops at any time. Should we need to cancel a workshop, we will give you as much notice as possible of the cancellation. You will receive a full refund or, if you prefer, a transfer to an alternative available course, space permitting. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any liability for travel or other costs.
Where to find us
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham,
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
SatNav: IP30 9HZ
There is plenty of free parking available.
Accessible parking is available near the entrance to the Café/Shop area.
Please Note: The car park closes when the Roots Café closes and the entrance gates are locked after this time.
Blackthorpe Barn is situated just south of Junction 45 of the A14, three miles east of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Rougham.
Look out for the entrance gates to a long tree-lined avenue at the White House junction, with the Barn on the right of the avenue.
Blackthorpe Barn’s black and white signs direct visitors from local roads.
The Meadow Room can be found behind the old thatched Barn and behind Roots Café.
What3Words for the Meadow Room: hands.dunk.drums
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As the county is hit with a drought and a hosepipe ban, it’s lovely to see our pollen-and-nectar strips still bursting with life.
The deep‑rooted plants are planted intentionally to feed bees, butterflies and insects - helping pollination and giving refuge in this tough weather.
#farmlife #roughamestate
🌻Welcome back, sunflower lovers! It’s sunflower time again🌻
Open daily - the Rougham Sunflowers are open for 2026!
Free entrance and free parking.
🎟️Open every day 9am - 5pm, with 9am-10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays reserved for ticketed SEN-friendly visits. Otherwise, no booking is needed.
🚗The field this year is south of A14, J 45 near Bury St Edmunds. It’s just over half a mile from the junction, postcode IP30 9HX.
🌻Many sunflowers are already open (the pictures here were all taken yesterday) and there are still thousands yet to open. The flowers are about chest-high due to the lack of rain and the ground is currently dry and dusty but will be muddy if it’s wet.
🧒🏻The well-loved big straw bale pyramids are back, as are the sandpits, bug hunt (£1), pedal tractors, football goals (please bring your own football) and lots of games to play, as well as picnic benches, a marquee for shade/shelter and plenty of room to run around. Toilets are also on site.
🥯Food is provided by the Roots&Co Kiosk serving filled bagels, strawberries, snacks, cakes, ice cream, hot, cold and alcoholic drinks. Card payment preferred, cash accepted.
🧺If you want to bring your own picnic you are welcome to do so.
👩🎨Face painting (£5) by the talented @faceitfaceart will be available starting from Tuesday 28th July.
🌻If you would like to take some sunflowers home with you, just pay for what you pick: £2 per stem, £8 for 5, £12 for 10 stems. Card payment preferred, cash accepted. You may want to bring gloves - the stems can be prickly.
🐕Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the picnic area on a short lead and in the special dog-path through the sunflowers. Due to problems in previous years, dogs are not allowed in the main maze.
📸Tag us in your photos - we love to see them!
And keep your eye open for details about some wonderful evening openings coming soon, with a 5k run, a sunflower painting workshop and a Sundowner evening planned.
All the details can be found on our website - link in profile or DM for the link.
🌻We are looking forward to welcoming you here!🌻
#roughamsunflowers #burystedmunds #suffolk
We’ve been busy over the last few days putting the finishing touches to the sunflower field so we’re ready for you.
We open tomorrow, Monday 27th July, and here’s a reminder:
🌻We’re at a new location which is well sign posted - postcode IP30 9HX
🌻Free admission and free parking
🌻No booking needed (apart from SEN-friendly hours)
🌻Open daily from 9am–5pm (Tues & Thurs mornings between 9-10am are allocated for pre-booked SEN visits only)
🌻Sunflowers are £2 each, £8 for 5 stems, or £12 for 10 stems
🌻Bring your own secateurs, or borrow a pair for a small refundable deposit
🌻Food and drink will be available on site
🌻Dogs are welcome in the picnic area, but not in the main sunflower maze
For anyone who would benefit from a calmer visit, we have SEN-friendly sunflower sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am–10am, with reduced noise and limited visitor numbers in a more relaxed environment. Pre-booked tickets only - please book via our website.
See you tomorrow — we can’t wait to welcome you!
#roughamsunflowers #sunflowerfield #roughamestate
We’re still going with our 2026 harvest!
The team are currently cutting the Winter Oilseed Rape, but it may surprise you to know that our thoughts have also turned to preparations for Harvest 2027.
How?
Following the harvest of the Winter Barley, pig muck from our resident pigs is being spread across the stubbles in anticipation for the planting of the next crop - which will be Winter Oilseed Rape.
This valuable source of organic manure provides the crop with nutrition from the very start, significantly reducing the use of synthetic fertiliser in the autumn.
We are always trying to create a more sustainable farming system, focusing on soil health, the resilience of soils for the future and good general farming practice.
#farmlife #sustainablefarming
Vote for your favourite!
Here are the 9 beautiful finalist pictures from the Rougham Estate Through Your Lens Competition - now it’s over to you.
Comment your favourite picture by using the number on that photo. Which one catches your eye? Which one captures Rougham Estate best for you? The landscapes? The trees? The close-up? The hall?
Voting will be open until midnight on 31 July. There will also be a chance to vote in person at Blackthorpe Barn.
After this time, all the votes will be counted and verified, and the winner will be announced on 5th August.
Only votes cast on this Instagram post, the corresponding post on our Facebook page and at Blackthorpe Barn will be valid. Only one vote per account - if one account/person is found to be voting multiple times, those votes will not be counted.
Good luck to all the finalists!
As per Instagram rules, this promotion is in no way sponsored, administered or associated with Instagram. By entering, entrants confirm they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
The photos here are from @wandering_eye_photos @flossyfelts @howardking2468 @debbie.hockey
It’s the news you have been waiting for!!
The sunflower field is BACK and we can confirm its opening will be next Monday 27th July! 🌻
Please note it is at a new field so simply follow the signs from the A14, junction 45. It’s still very close to Blackthorpe Barn, near Bury St Edmunds.
Free to attend and free parking. You only pay for the sunflowers you pick and food you wish to buy.
Open every day for 2-3 weeks from 9am-5pm, and 10am-5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The 9am - 10am hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for SEN-friendly sessions, which need to be booked (tickets are free).
Don’t miss out.
Well behaved dogs are welcome on a short lead, but we ask they are kept within the designated doggy areas. They are welcome in the big picnic area and in the little dog path through the sunflowers, but not in the main sunflower maze due to problems in previous years.
There will be some wonderful evening events coming too - keep your eyes open for details coming very soon!
We look forward seeing you then!
Full details can be found on our website in the link in our bio.
These pics were taken just a few days ago at the field. The flowers are beginning to open, with more opening each day.
#roughamsunflowers #sunflowerfield
We’ve got two tasty specials this week you won’t want to miss…
Salad of the week
A sweet and zingy salad of pineapple, avocado, cucumber, red onion, chilli, mixed leaves with a hot honey dressing.
Or
Chipotle roasted chicken, guacamole, spinach, feta, fried egg and salsa verde
Pop in and don’t miss out! Open daily until 4pm.
#specialoftheweek #rootscafe
We’re hiring here at Roots Cafe, Rougham Estate.
Two exciting vacancies are now available - Sous Chef and Chef De Partie.
Great chance to join a friendly team in a beautiful Estate setting.
If you’re looking for a new opportunity and want to be part of a well-loved local business, apply now through Indeed.
These roles are open to applicants aged 18 and over, and full details are available on the job listings link in our profile. Don’t miss your chance to apply.
#kitchenjobsburystedmunds #vacancyalert
Tag us @RoughamEstate
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