No need to worry…The Wicked White Witch is only a temporary visitor to Chatsworth, Derbyshire’s Stately Home and part of their Christmas Decorations Attraction for 2013. The White Witch is the villain in C.S.Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia… and in particular the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
For those unfamiliar with the story let me give a very brief resume…3 children are evacuated during the war to a house where they discover a wardrobe with a secret door that takes them to Narnia. The White Witch has bewitched Narnia so that is always winter but never Christmas…she also has the power to turn enemies into stone!.
On entering Narnia the children (Susan, Peter and Edmund) are befriended by the forest animals….but not all the animals can be trusted…..The Wolves are The White Witches ‘Secret Police’……
They are introduced to Aslan the Lion who has been kept a prisoner by the White Witch…..
The children befriend Aslan and arrange his escape. Collectively they all work together to defeat the White Witch and after a great battle they succeed in overthrowing her. After great celebrations the Children are Crowned, King Peter the Magnificent, Susan the Gentle Queen and King Edmund the Just. …..
So there you have it….The Wardrobe…….
The Wicked White Witch…….
and the hero Aslan the Lion……..
Christmas decorations bedeck the rest of the house and make it a splendid day out and together with the Narnia displays a very colourful day to remember…..
As with all Stately Homes you pay for the experience and like all Stately Homes no visitor can escape the visit to the Chatsworth Shop and as to be expected Christmas is the theme….
But this Statue rather caught my eye….for the rather unusual notice that had been thought prudent to add……..
The Statue had no name but I rather suspect that it was Mr. Darcy as it was strategically placed next to a display of Jayne Austen novels strongly featuring Mr. Darcy…another literary hero……much loved by the Ladies….or so I am told….. No accounting for taste!
13th December
© David Oakes 2013
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 