Taking place across the long bank holiday weekend (Friday 3^rd to Monday 6^th April), Raby is hosting an Easter Food and Craft Market in its stunning indoor event space, the Riding School, and expanding out into one of the Estate’s best-kept secrets, the Dutch Barn.

Stalls full of delicious treats and produce from specially selected local suppliers will line the two spaces, alongside handmade crafts from nearby artisans, celebrating all that the north east has to offer.

Visitors can also explore Raby’s retail space in the Coach House, which is home to a selection of unique gifts and homeware including Neptune, Bamford, Daylesford and some of Raby’s own produce.

Raby is also running an early bird ticket offer for a limited time only with the code EASTER10, allowing visitors to save on admissions tickets.

An Easter day out wouldn’t be complete without some seasonal tasty treats, and Raby’s Garage Cafe will be serving delicious ice creams and specialty teas and coffees. The impressive 200-seater The Vinery Cafe, with its panoramic views of the 14^th century castle, also provides the perfect spot to relax and indulge in fresh sandwiches, sweet treats and light lunch options with Sunday lunches also available.

Easter afternoon teas at The Vinery can be pre-booked on select dates in April, featuring sweet treats, sandwiches and scones and served with freshly brewed tea. There’s the extra option to upgrade the glasshouse afternoon tea to include a glass of fizz.

With spring in full force, Raby’s Walled Gardens await as its three beautifully designed spaces come to life, as well as the picturesque Deer Park providing a wonderful moment to revel in the great outdoors. Complimentary tractor-rides will be available to provide an extra way to explore this peaceful landscape and enjoy a captivating experience as the majestic deer are fed in their beautiful parkland.

For those looking for creative ways to celebrate the arrival of spring, Raby is hosting an Easter wreath workshop on Saturday 21^st March. Deborah Simpson Boston, a local floral designer and owner of Periwinkle Barn, will lead the event and demonstrate how to create a beautiful, seasonal wreath using a curated selection of spring blooms, soft foliage, natural textures, and charming Easter touches.

Family-friendly activities include a special Easter Trail featuring a mischievous rabbit in Raby’s woodland adventure playground, The Plotters’ Forest, which is woven amongst Christmas trees where little ones can explore slides, sky-high walkways, treetop tunnels and interactive games along the way.

Families can also take part in hands-on craft activities in the yurt and create their own Easter creations to take home, or head out on an additional complimentary trail across the Deer Park.

Daily free activities, guided family tours and the chance to explore one of England’s finest medieval castles, which will also feature a Little Eggsplorers trail, can be enjoyed across the Easter holiday too and for those looking for a baking experience, the popular hot bun masterclasses will be returning in Raby Castle’s medieval kitchen on Thursday 9^th April, as the Estate chef divulges his top tips to create these sweet, spiced buns.

Part of the Raby Estate, High Force Waterfall will be hosting a carrot patch trail for Easter, encouraging families to enjoy the great outdoors and keep their eyes peeled for clues dotted around nature along the way.

A Castle, Park and Gardens with Market Entry Ticket is recommended so visitors can enjoy everything Raby has to offer this Easter – this is from £24 for adults and £13 for children, with a family ticket for two adults and two children also available for £65.

Alternatively, separate entry to Raby’s Easter Food and Craft Market is available for £2 in advance, or £5 on the day, with children under 15 going free or families can opt for Raby’s Family Explorer Ticket for £60 when booked in advance or £65 when purchased on the day, which includes access to The Plotters’ Forest and its Easter trail, Raby Castle, the Deer Park and Walled Gardens for two adults and two children.

The glasshouse afternoon tea at The Vinery is available on selected dates from the 7^th – 25^th April, with prices starting from £29.50, and pre-booking is required.

The Easter wreath workshop is on Saturday 21^st March at 11am and is £65 per person. The hot bun masterclass is taking place on Thursday 9^th April and is £35 per person.

A High Force Waterfall family ticket is £10 for two adults and two children. Alternatively, an adult ticket is £4.00 and a child ticket (ages 4 to 15) is £2.50. Children under four go free.

For further information and to book tickets, visit: www.raby.co.uk/easter-at-raby-estates/

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The Garden Trading residency will be in Raby’s Conservatory, located within the stunning 18^th century Walled Gardens. Following a launch in early March, it will be running until late summer.

Indoor and outdoor furniture, pots, homeware accessories and tableware from the Garden Trading collection will be showcased, alongside some of the latest spring and summer 2026 pieces which are all inspired by modern country living with effortless style.

Utilising the Conservatory’s stunning views of the castle, a Garden Trading showroom will be created featuring the range of products, moving from a stylised utility, dining room and indoor living space to bistro tables and outdoor living.

Stephanie Goss, retail, buying and merchandising manager at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens said: “This is a collaboration I’ve been aspiring towards for well over a year and we are incredibly excited to be bringing this to Raby – I just know the overall ethos of Garden Trading is going to appeal to our visitors.

“The Garden Trading showroom will feature a carefully curated and personally handpicked selection of the brand’s wonderful products. It will be amazing to peruse these against the backdrop of our Walled Gardens, which are full of inspiration.

“We will also have a dedicated team, trained by Garden Trading, there during its time with us, who will be able to share helpful insight with our visitors, particularly those who are looking for some extra guidance for those bigger, more considered purchases.”

Stands full of accessories can be explored in the conservatory, with another display also available in Raby’s retail space, The Coach House.

Richard Bell, managing director of Garden Trading said: “We are thrilled to be a part of the Raby Castle experience, and have enjoyed pulling together a curated range we feel will resonate with their visitors. Even in such a prestigious heritage site, the Conservatory space stands out as absolutely beautiful, perfectly complementing our range and aesthetic.

“It’s even more exciting that the set-up allows customers to order from our full collection, so we can’t wait to see the customers’ reaction and to continue expanding our partnership with Raby Castle.”

To complement this new collaboration, florists, Periwinkle Barn will also be situated in the Potting Sheds near to the Conservatory, providing seasonal bouquets and floral workshops.

To celebrate the arrival of Garden Trading at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, a launch event will be taking place on Thursday 19th March for late night shopping, perfectly timed before the spring equinox, where attendees can browse the array of products and speak with Garden Trading representatives, who will also be in attendance to share more about the beautiful collection and brand.

Taking place between 4pm and 7pm, the evening will include 20% off all Garden Trading furniture and accessories and a complimentary Ravello Bud Vase for any Garden Trading purchases over £30 (exclusions apply).

The Garden Trading residency in the Conservatory will be open daily between 11am and 3pm and is free to enter.

For further information, visit: www.raby.co.uk/raby-castle/whats-on/

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The new collaboration will be hosted within The Conservatory in Raby’s Walled Gardens, where Deborah Simpson Boston, a floral designer and owner of Periwinkle Barn, has worked with Raby’s team of experts to create a beautifully designed flower pop-up shop.

The retail space, featuring seasonal bouquets, tools and books about gardening and floristry, will be within the central space of The Conservatory, alongside an exhibition area detailing the history of Raby’s 18^th century Walled Gardens and a space where Deborah will host a series of workshops on selected dates.

Deborah said: “Everything is so beautiful and well thought out here at Raby – it really is a dream place to work with its calming and soothing atmosphere. I hosted workshops at Raby Castle in the summer which was a fantastic introduction and I’m really looking forward to my ongoing residency here for the next few months. The winter period will bring seasonal workshops including wreath making, tablescapes and so much more.”

Deborah returned to the Durham countryside after studying and working in Brighton and London and has been growing delicate and romantic stems from her 400-year-old barn since 2022. She has over ten years of experience in event flowers and created the flower display for the 2025 Royal Maundy Service at Durham Cathedral, which was attended by His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

With a passion for British flowers, sustainability is also a keen focus for Deborah at Periwinkle Barn. She said: “I’ve made the conscious decision to work as sustainably as possible, growing and using seasonal British stems from spring to autumn. From late autumn to winter, I source stems which are as sustainable as possible without chemicals or pesticides.

“My ethos closely aligns with Raby’s – there’s a wonderful synergy between us both and it’s brilliant to work with like-minded people.”

During her residency, Deborah will be working closely with Raby’s assistant head gardener, Becky Crowley, to utilise the cutting garden at Raby and what is available there seasonally, which will also provide an interactive element to the Periwinkle Barn workshops.

Becky said: “Deborah has designed a fantastic series of workshops for our visitors to enjoy, focusing on different flowers and floral creations, incorporating a wide variety of methods to learn too. They will be taught from a sustainable point of view whilst also making use of the flowers we have available in our cutting garden and have been thoughtfully designed so visitors can take part in them as an entire series, a selection or even just a standalone experience.”

The Periwinkle Barn workshops will focus on a floral meadow box, hand-tied floral arrangements and urn arrangements alongside a selection of seasonal and festive creations, from advent candle wreaths and luxury Christmas wreaths to Christmas garlands and table arrangements including pots and bouquets.

The workshops will take place on the following dates between 10am and 12pm and tickets are between £50 and £70 per person:

• Floral Meadow Box on Saturday 1^st November
• Hand-tied Floral Arrangement on Saturday 8^th November
• Dutch Masters Urn and Fruit on Saturday 15^th November
• Seasonal Tablescape on Saturday 22^nd November
• Advent Candle Wreath on Sunday 23rd November
• Luxury Christmas Wreath on Friday 5th December and Saturday 6th December
• Luxury Door Swag on Sunday 7th December and Sunday 14th December
• Christmas Wreath on Friday 12th December
• Luxury Christmas Wreaths on Saturday 13th December
• Christmas Table Arrangement Pot on Saturday 20th December
• Christmas Table Arrangement Bouquet on Sunday 21st December
• Christmas Garland on Monday 22nd December and Tuesday 23rd December
• Christmas Table Arrangement on Wednesday 24th December

The Conservatory featuring the Periwinkle Barn residency will be open between 10am and 4pm, Thursday – Sunday, where visitors can also place bespoke wreath orders with Deborah in the build up to Christmas, and delivery of these special festive items can be arranged.

To find out more about the Periwinkle Barn floristry residency at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens and to book workshop tickets, visit: www.raby.co.uk/events/raby-x-periwinkle-barn/

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Following the successful outdoor living and gardens collection in Raby’s conservatory throughout the summer, a new accessories collection from Neptune is now available in The Coach House Shop.

Stephanie Goss, who is retail, buying and merchandising manager at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens said: “The seasonal summer collaboration was a great success and a wonderful way to showcase such a well-known brand. Neptune’s products are of high quality and sophistication, aligning closely with Raby’s overall retail vision.

“Neptune has a loyal customer base and many have visited us over the summer months, so we’re incredibly pleased to be introducing a new handpicked accessories selection – perfect for the cosy autumnal months when many of us spend more time indoors at home.”

Neptune is known for its timeless style, thoughtful design and enduring craftmanship, and the latest selection, designed for the home, features kitchenware, baskets, vases, lamps, dinnerware sets and cushions.

“We’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Raby Castle, Park and Gardens into the autumn,” said Fred Horlock, design director at Neptune. “Our new autumn collection has been thoughtfully curated to bring warmth, style, and enduring quality into the home during the cosier months ahead. Partnering with such a prestigious, independent stockist allows us to reach customers who truly appreciate craftsmanship and timeless design, and we’re delighted to see our pieces becoming part of their homes.”

The Coach House is open daily between 10am and 4.30pm and will be hosting a Christmas shopping launch evening on Thursday 9^th October, followed by an additional Christmas shopping evening on Thursday 13^th November, where the retail space will remain open until 7pm and visitors can browse the selection of seasonal decorations, gifts, and treats.

Raby’s popular Christmas market will also be returning on Friday 28^th November for three days of seasonal celebrations, with over 50 festive stalls of artisan crafts, gifts, and produce for visitors to peruse.

For further information about Raby’s retail space can be found on the following link: www.raby.co.uk/raby-castle/shop/

Further details for the Christmas shopping events can be found via: www.raby.co.uk/events/christmas-shopping-evening/

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