CHRISTMAS
Prepare for the enchantment as the doors of the magical Christmas Festival open again in 2026, promising a wonderful experience infused with festive delights.
Christmas at Blackthorpe Barn
‘Tis the season for festive delights!
Step into the pure delight of Christmas as the beloved Rougham Christmas Shop reopens in mid-October. Meander through a magical wonderland filled with thousands of decorations, creative delights, wreaths, and aromatic treasures. Discover gifts for all and indulge in treats galore.
Prepare for the return of the boutique Arts and Crafts Fair! Featuring the exquisite work of talented, independent artists and craftspeople from around the country, this event will span five weekends starting in November.
Our home-grown Rougham Estate Christmas trees, including the Pick-Your-Own Nordmann Firs, potted and freshly-cut options, will be available for sale starting at the end of November. Look forward to bringing the spirit of the holidays home.
Tickets for Christmas events are usually made available during the month of September.
Christmas Quick Links
Christmas Shop
Step into the enchanting world of the Rougham Christmas Shop, a treasure trove of decorations catering to all tastes. Discover items that add glamour, decadence and finishing touches to your home; a joyous experience filled with indulgent festive loveliness.
2026 Dates:
Opening on Monday 19th October, daily 9:30am – 5pm (Sundays to 4pm)
Arts and Crafts Fair
Showcasing diverse talents, this annual craft fair features exquisite, handcrafted works made by talented artists and craft-makers from around the country.
Running for 5 consecutive weekends with a different mix of makers at each event, both day-tickets and season tickets are available.
2026 Weekends, open from 10am – 4pm
14th – 15th Nov
21st – 22nd Nov
28th – 29th Nov
5th – 6th Dec
12th – 13th Dec
Christmas Trees
From mid-November our very own Rougham Estate Christmas trees are on sale. Come and choose your own tree on the plantation or select from the freshly-cut trees, all grown within 1 mile of Blackthorpe Barn. Potted trees are available too, in the courtyard.
Christmas Wreaths
Handmade on-site with foliage from Rougham Estate, our delightful Christmas wreaths come in various sizes, from small to huge, ensuring a beautiful festive welcome at your door. They are sold from the Christmas shop as they are made and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you would like to make your own wreath, we hold workshops in the pre-Christmas period.
Christmas Craft Workshops
Christmas is the time to treat yourself; coming to one of our Christmas craft workshops makes a wonderful start to the season. Why not make your own decorations this year, a special gift for a loved one or even your own fresh Christmas wreath! All our workshops are tutored by friendly, professional craftspeople.
Christmas Events
Christmas Shop
Date: 19th Oct – 23rd DecFree admission and parking
9.30am – 5pm open daily Open to 4pm on Sundays Everything you could desire for the festive season
Magical Fairy Workshop
Date: 3rd Nov
Price: £85.00
10am – 3:30pm Whole-day workshop to make your own fairy with WildWoodMaker, Sara Sherriff
Pick your own Christmas Tree
Date: 7th Nov – 8th Nov
Tickets not yet available
10am – 3pm Weekend 1 to visit the plantation and choose your tree Booking Essential
Pick your own Christmas Tree
Date: 14th Nov – 15th Nov
Tickets not yet available
10am – 3pm Weekend 2 to visit the plantation and choose your tree Booking Essential
Willow Weaving Workshops: Star Decorations
Date: 14th Nov
Price: £54.00
10am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm Half-day willow weaving workshops to learn weaving and have fun
Arts & Crafts Fair Weekend 1
Date: 14th Nov – 15th Nov
Price: £2.50
10am – 4pm The first weekend of Arts & Crafts Tickets Online: £2.50 / On the door: £3
Willow Weaving Workshops: Giant Wild Weave Star
Date: 15th Nov – 16th Nov
Price: £60.00
9am – 12:30pm & 1:30pm – 5pm Half-day willow weaving workshops to learn weaving and have fun
Fused Glass Workshops: Christmas Decorations
Date: 18th Nov
Price: £55.00
10am – 12:30pm & 1:30pm – 4pm Two half-day workshops to make your own fused glass Christmas decorations
Christmas Tree Sales
Date: 20th Nov – 23rd Dec
Free admission and parking
9.30am – 5pm open daily Open to 4pm on Sundays Freshly cut Rougham Estate trees from Friday 20 November
Christmas Wreath Workshop
Date: 20th Nov – 21st Nov
Price: £75.00
9:30am – 12:30pm Half-day wreath-making workshops just in time for Christmas
Arts & Crafts Fair Weekend 2
Date: 21st Nov – 22nd Nov
Price: £2.50
10am – 4pm Find out which makers are at the Barn this weekend Tickets Online: £2.50 / On the door: £3
Arts & Crafts Fair Weekend 3
Date: 28th Nov – 29th Nov
Price: £2.50
10am – 4pm A new group of makers at Arts & Crafts Tickets Online: £2.50 / On the door: £3
Gift Vouchers for Christmas
The perfect gift for Christmas, these vouchers can be used in the Rougham Estate Shop and Café and last for a whole 12 months.
They can be spent in the magical Christmas Shop to buy gifts and decorations, for a tasty bite to eat in Roots Café and towards buying one of our locally-grown Rougham Estate Christmas trees.
It’s an excellent way to give a Christmas present that keeps on giving; during the rest of the year the vouchers are valid for the inspiring Lifestyle and Garden Shop too, open January to mid-October.
From £25 upwards, the vouchers can be used over multiple visits.
What others say
Gallery
It’s not Christmas ’til we have been to Blackthorpe Barn!”
– M BW
We go every year. We absolutely love it”
– J H
NEVER MISS A THING
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There’s something rather lovely about autumn leaves when they first start to turn.
On Saturday 10 October, the Canvas Club returns to Rougham Estate for an afternoon of painting inspired by the colours of the season.
Artist Sarah Rawlinson will guide you step by step as you create your own autumn leaves painting using acrylics. No previous painting experience is needed, and everything you need is provided, including your canvas, paints and brushes.
It’s a relaxed, social afternoon, with tea, coffee and sweet treats included. And, of course, you get to take your finished artwork home with you.
Saturday 10 October
1pm–4pm
£45 per person
The Meadow Room, behind Blackthorpe Barn
Age 16+
Booking is essential.
Find out more and book your place on our website or via the link in our bio.
#RoughamEstate #CanvasClub #PaintYourOwn #AutumnLeaves
Goodbye September.
As we say goodbye to September, we’re looking back on a month full of moments here at Rougham Estate. From time at Roots Café, to events at Blackthorpe Barn, to quiet walks through changing fields.
And now, we turn the page to October.
Hello, October. We’re looking forward to crisp mornings, autumn colours, and all that’s ahead this season.
#SeptemberAtRougham, #HelloOctober. @noelleescreative
Take a little inspiration from the garden and turn it into something you can keep.
On Saturday 17 October, join textile artist Caroline Hyde-Brown for our Stitching the Sunken Garden Workshop.
The day begins in the Sunken Garden, taking inspiration from the colours, textures and shapes around you before learning the Japanese botanical printing technique of Hapa-Zome.
You’ll then use your prints as inspiration for slow stitching and embroidery, creating your own unique piece of artwork to take home.
No previous experience is needed, so whether you’re already a keen stitcher or simply fancy trying something different, you can join in.
Saturday 17 October
10am–4pm
Meadow Room, Blackthorpe Barn
Tea, coffee and sweet treats are included, and all materials are provided.
Places are limited and booking is essential. Find out more and book your place on the Rougham Estate website.
#RoughamEstate #StitchingTheSunkenGarden #SuffolkWorkshops
As the weather gets cooler, we turn our attention to warmer dishes at Roots Café.
This week’s special is our sweet potato and chilli soup with Rougham honey. A warming combination of sweet potato, a little chilli and our own Rougham honey, perfect for an autumn day.
Our brunch special is our oven-baked nachos with cheddar, mozzarella, jalapeños, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cowboy caviar (crunchy veg salsa in case you were wondering). Perfect for sharing, although we won’t judge if you keep them all to yourself!
Pop in after a walk around the Estate or simply come along for a cosy lunch.
Roots Café is open daily from 9am–4pm.
#RoughamEstate #RootsCafe #WeeklySpecials
You may notice the Rougham Estate Shop looks a little different at the moment…
As we start to transition towards our Christmas Shop, which opens in mid-October, we’ve downsized the shop for a short while as we make room for all the festive treats to come.
There’s still plenty to discover, with beautiful homeware, gifts and seasonal pieces, including some lovely autumnal touches and pumpkins.
Roots Café is open as usual, so why not combine a browse around the shop with a coffee, lunch or something sweet?
The shop and café are both open daily, and we look forward to seeing you.
#RoughamEstate #RoughamEstateShop #RootsCafe
Believe it or not, the 2027 harvest is already underway!
The first crop to be planted this season is our Oilseed Rape (OSR), which means those famous sea of yellow fields will be back before we know it.
OSR is usually planted in early to mid-August, but after such a dry summer, we had to wait for the right conditions. Planting was delayed until late August and into early September.
One of the challenges with growing OSR is the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle, a pest that can cause significant damage to young plants. Rather than relying on broad-spectrum insecticides, we’ve sown a companion crop of buckwheat alongside the OSR. The idea is to confuse the beetles and hopefully reduce their impact on the crop.
It’s early days, but we’ll be watching it closely as it gets established. The yellow fields of 2027 might seem a long way off, but the work starts now!
#RoughamEstate #Farming #SuffolkFarming
Next weekend – Rougham Pumpkins opens next weekend! 🎃🎉 Who else can’t wait?
The pumpkins are looking fabulous and everyone is busy making the field ready for you.
We’re open weekends from Saturday 3rd Oct 9am-5pm and then daily from 24th-31st.
Come and wander amongst 1000s and 1000s of pumpkins, squashes and gourds.
You’ll find a whole autumn festival with the big bale pyramids, sandpits, pedal tractors, football goals, space to run and play and face painting by @faceitfaceart
These wonderful food trucks will be here every weekend:
Roots&Co – coffee, cakes, snacks, drinks (soft & alcoholic)
@whatthe_peck – Suffolk-reared fried chicken
@BadBoiBurritos – toasted burritos
@Pigs_In – all your pork favourites
@GeeGeeBakes – cheesecakes, milkshakes & coffees
@KiernansCoffee – coffees, drinks & snacks at the Pitch in the Patch
@FullThrottleCoffeeCo – coffees & snacks
On selected days:
@Tikka_Tonic – New Delhi style street food
@TheCreperieShack – sweet & savoury crepes
@itsotisbreading – sourdough toasties & salads
@greyscoffee_ – coffees and homemade bakes
Or bring your own picnic if you like.
🔦 Pumpkins by Torchlight & Silent Disco
On two spooky Saturday evenings, 17th & 24th October, 6pm–9pm, bring your torches, wear your wellies and enjoy the pumpkin patch after dark with a silent disco.
Disco headsets need to be booked – tickets available from 5 Oct.
🧡 SEN-Friendly Sessions
9am-10am on Tues 27th & Thurs 29th October, entry to the patch will be ticketed to give a quieter time for those who benefit from a calmer, more relaxed visit.
Free tickets must be booked in advance.
Open 9am–5pm on
Sat 3 – Sun 4 October
Sat 10 – Sun 11 October
Sat 17 – Sun 18 October
Daily Sat 24 – Sat 31 October (10am-5pm on 27th & 29th)
Free entry, free parking, no booking required (except headsets and SEN hours).
📍Remember – the pumpkins are in the NEW Sunflower and Pumpkin Field, south of J45, A14, Elderstub Lane, SatNav: IP30 9HX
🐕 Dogs welcome in the picnic area and the small doggy patch, but not in the main patch.
All the details from our website – link in bio.
Get dressed up, come along – we can’t wait to see you!🎃🧡
#burystedmunds
This is the last weekend to visit ArtWorks @artworkseast at Blackthorpe Barn.
From today, Friday 25th September, you have just three days left to see this wonderful exhibition before it closes on Sunday. If you’ve been meaning to go, now really is the time.
Over 300 original works by 28 established East Anglian artists are on show: paintings, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, mixed media and more. All of it available to buy, all of it made by people who are brilliant at what they do.
Come and browse, meet the artists, watch them work and find something you love.
Friday 25th – Sunday 27th September
10am – 4pm daily
Blackthorpe Barn, Rougham Estate – SatNav IP30 9HZ
Free entry and free parking
Roots Café and Rougham Estate Shop next door
All the details from the @artworkseast website
#ArtworksEast #SuffolkArt #BuryStEdmunds #OriginalArt #RoughamEstate
Tag us @RoughamEstate
