CHRISTMAS
Prepare for the enchantment as the doors of the magical Christmas Festival open again, 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 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.
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.
Christmas Trees
From November our very own Rougham Estate Christmas trees are on sale. Come and choose your own tree on the plantation, or choose from potted and freshly-cut trees, all grown within 1 mile of Blackthorpe Barn.
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.
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 Garden and Lifestyle Shop too, open January to mid-October.
From £25 upwards, the vouchers can be used over multiple visits.
What others say
Gallery
Christmas Quick Links
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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Applications are now open for Rougham Estate Arts and Crafts 2026, held in Blackthorpe Barn near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
We are looking for art and craft of the highest standard, especially contemporary design. You must design and make all the work yourself and be available to be at your stall all weekend.
The event is held over 5 weekends from 14th November to 13th December.
We love to welcome new makers to the medieval thatched Barn, as well as seeing old friends again from around the country.
The first tranche of stalls will be allocated by the selection committee, usually in March.
From textiles to glasswork, ceramics, woodwork, jewellery, metalwork, art, sculpture and more, submit an application to join the talented craftspeople this coming Christmas.
Please share this post with makers who would be interested in joining us. All the information can be found from our website.
We look forward to hearing from you!
#artsandcraft #artisanmarket #handmade #craftsmanship #britishcraft artsandcraftsmovement artisanmade eastanglianartists
One of the things people often notice at Rougham is our network of hedges, stretching for nearly 30 miles.
While many hedgerows were removed by estates and farms in the 1960s and 70s, Rougham Estate largely resisted this, which is why our landscape still feels so rich and enclosed today. We also continue to plant new hedges across the estate and along field boundaries.
Caring for our hedges is essential work. They need regular management, carefully timed to avoid the bird nesting season.
Over the coming months, you may notice one or two hedges looking quite different. This is because they are being coppiced, a traditional practice where a hedge is cut back close to the ground.
It can look dramatic at first, but coppicing helps us carry out vital ditch clearance work and, in the longer term, actually benefits the hedge. Strong regrowth creates a thicker base, providing better shelter and habitats for wildlife. All work is carried out in winter, ready for healthy growth in spring.
Three years on, the hedge will be fuller, stronger and healthier than before as you can see in these pictures.
So if you notice our hedges seemingly disappear for a short time, they will be back bigger and better than before!
#roughamestate #hedgerows #coppicing #landmanagement
We are looking for a Cafe Supervisor to join our team at Roots Cafe.
Roots Café is all about great coffee, delicious homemade food, and genuine hospitality so this is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate.
You will be working closely with the Cafe Manager to help lead the cafe team.
More information can be found from roughamestate.com/welcome – link in profile.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #cafevibes #recruitment #vacancy #CafeSupervisor
Have a heart warming start to the day with this weeks vegan brunch special of Coconut porridge with spiced poached pears, black cherries and pistachios.
It’ll give you the energy and warmth needed to beat the January blues.
#brunchspecial #roughamestate #rootscafe #veganuary
The winter months see the popular return of sheep to the farm here at Rougham Estate. A mix of breeding ewes and last year’s lambs, they play such an important role in our move towards more regenerative farming across the Estate.
They are here to feed off the cover crops we planted back in August.
We direct-drilled a diverse cover crop mixture (basically a mixture of superfood plants for the soil) into the previous crop’s stubble. The focus was on the sandier, lighter soil at the northern end of the Estate which is prone to nutrient loss and erosion.
The crops include fodder radish, forage rape and vetch which now provide a valuable winter soil cover, helping to protect these lighter soils from any erosion and also create a natural food source for the flock.
Each plant brings its own valuable benefits to the soil structure and biological activity in soil profile. Fodder radish, for example, sends a deep taproot down into the soil, improving structure and helping to break up compaction while encouraging biological activity below the surface. As the sheep graze, they also return valuable nutrients and organic matter back into the soil, supporting healthier land for future crops.
It’s a simple but powerful way of working with nature, keeping the land healthy and productive for years to come.
#roughamestate #regenerativefarming #sheepfarming #covercrops #soilhealth sustainablefarming britishfarming farmingwithnature
If you love the calm and charm of the Rougham Estate, why not bring a little of it home?
Our Lifestyle Shop @roughamestateshop is full of carefully chosen items that ignite the senses from scented candles, diffusers and soaps for smell, soft blankets and lighting for touch, warmth and sight. And for a true taste of Rougham, pop into our Pantry Shop, where local honey, jams, chutneys, biscuits, wine, beer and other treats let you enjoy the flavours of the Estate at home.
Together, they’re the perfect way to make your winter cosy, welcoming and unmistakably Rougham.
#RoughamEstate #LifestyleShop #BlackthorpeBarn #treat
From the start of February, you’ll see scaffolding and hoarding going up around Blackthorpe Barn as we begin one of the most important projects we’ll be undertaking this year – a full rethatching of the roof.
Around 12 highly skilled thatchers will be on site for around 40 days, carefully renewing the roof of a building that has stood at the heart of Rougham Estate for more than 500 years. The barn was originally built in the 16th century and is over 30 metres long and and was used for the threshing and storage of grain. Over time has become much more than an agricultural building. Today it’s the setting for arts & craft fairs, art exhibitions, weddings and seasonal events. It is the true symbol of the estate.
Looking after its roof using traditional thatching methods isn’t just routine maintenance, it’s a way of respecting its history and making sure it can be enjoyed for generations to come.
When we charge for exhibitions and events in the barn, it’s these funds that go back into maintenance of the building. That includes major projects like this rethatching, as well as ongoing care and upkeep so Blackthorpe Barn continues to be a welcoming place for events our visitors can enjoy.
Rethatching is a traditional craft and fascinating to watch unfold. It’s a big job, an essential one, and something we’re really proud to be investing in as part of Blackthorpe Barn’s long story.
#RoughamEstate #BlackthorpeBarn #HistoricBuildings #Thatching #TraditionalCraft Heritage CommunityEvents SustainableRestoration ArtsAndCulture HistoryMatters
We are excited to announce a new event here at Rougham Estate.
** UPDATE – EXTRA DATE ADDED: 21st Feb – tickets available from 8pm on 15th January
On Friday 20th February 2026, we’re hosting a Reset Retreat, a one-day retreat designed to help you slow down, reset and reconnect. Set in the Suffolk countryside, the day runs from 9.45am to 3pm and brings together gentle movement, time outdoors and deep relaxation.
The experience includes a guided mindful walk, a balanced yoga class with @thecreatespacecollective , sauna and cold plunge sessions with @the_roaming_sauna_ , a soothing sound bath, and plenty of space to pause and breathe. The day finishes with a late, light lunch, thoughtfully prepared to nourish and restore.
There are limited spaces available to keep the experience calm and personal. So book fast.
You can find out more and book online at https://roughamestate.com/events/the-reset-retreat/
#reset #retreat #roughamestate #BlackthorpeBarn #wellness
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