Armfuls of greenery, fir trees, boxes full of baubles - and a card showing three drunk robins. The ingredients for a happy Strangers’ Hall Christmas include decorations ranging from historic to hilarious.
The house dates back to the 14th century and welcomes Christmas in styles to match its rooms – including the 17th century spaces being more muted and modern to reflect Parliament’s 1647 law banning all Christmas celebrations.
“This ban had an impact in that Christmas was never particularly acknowledged until its 19th century revival,” said Bethan Holdridge, assistant curator of social history with Norfolk Museums Service.
The property, on Charing Cross near St Benedict’s, was given to the people of Norwich exactly a century ago, after being saved from demolition, and those lost 17th century Christmases are more than made up for with the decorations and celebrations which fill the hall today.
“The main difference between decorating Strangers' Hall for Christmas and decorating an ordinary home is scale,” said Bethan. “The house is massive! And we are also not allowed to stick or pin anything on to the historic surfaces which means we have to be cunning with our knots and ribbons. “The Victorian Rooms in particular need an element of grace and awareness. The spaces are small and rammed with popular oddments of the Victorian era.
“You need to make sure that you are careful that you don’t knock anything with over-enthusiastic baubling!”
All the greenery, much of it from the gardens of museum staff and volunteers, has to be washed with disinfectant to ensure no pests which could damage the hall or its contents are brought in.
The baubles are copies of traditional decorations because the real things are too fragile. However, the candle-holders on the tree in the Victorian Parlour are original – but the candles are never lit for obvious reasons.
There are also copies of original Victorian Christmas cards in the museum collection.
“They have a different look to modern cards with pictures of flowers, or being in the shape of a glove!” said Bethan.
Another shows traditional Christmas robins – in very non-traditional drunken poses.
The decorating team steers clear of modern blue lights and plastic models although Bethan said sticklers for historical accuracy might question the trimmed tree in the mediaeval Great Hall, explaining Christmas trees were first introduced to the royal court by Queen Charlotte and taken up as a fashion by the upper classes in 1800.
The history of Strangers’ Hall
The Strangers’ Hall undercroft dates back to the 14th century, with the Great Hall above built for a wealthy cloth merchant. The house was lived in by mayors and merchants including 16th century Mayor Thomas Sotherton who invited the ‘strangers’ to Norwich. They were skilled Dutch protestant weavers fleeing religious persecution and the influx of talent is credited with bringing prosperity to the city. Some are thought to have lodged in Strangers’ Hall.
In the 18th century the hall was the official residence of judges who came to the city to preside over important court cases but by the 1890s it stood empty and neglected and derelict. It was saved from demolition by city solicitor Leonard Bolingbroke. A keen collector, he furnished the house with antiques and in 1900 opened it as a folk museum – one of the first of its kind in Britain.
In 1922 he presented the museum and contents to the City of Norwich. It reopened as a museum in 1923 and is now part of Norfolk Museums Service. Next summer it will celebrate the centenary with a programme of special events.
Christmas at Strangers’ Hall
Sing your way around with a medieval music evening on December 16. Singer, actor and musician Richard de Winter who has led workshops in settings including Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London will take participants on a tour of the hall to sing Christmas tunes from medieval times, adapting their singing style to each historic room. Tickets include a hot drink and a mince pie.
See the Incredible Christmas Pie by Norfolk’s historical puppeteers The Fool’s Puppet Theatre Companie in the Great Hall on Sundays December 4, 11 and 18, and Wednesday December 21.
The festive family show focuses on a search for 12 secret ingredients for the 12 days of Christmas. Then take the Christmas pie trail through the Victorian rooms, parlour and toy room.
The first ever British Sign Language (BSL) tour of Strangers’ Hall will help deaf adults enjoy the history of the house for free at 3pm and 6pm on Thursday December 15, led by deaf architect Martin Glover. Booking essential for all three festive events.
Strangers' Hall is open on Wednesdays 10am-4pm and Sundays 1-4.30pm, but upstairs rooms which are part of the Christmas pie trail will be closed on puppet show days.
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