Old films reveal world of make believe at Chirk Castle
Rare film footage from the 1920s and 30s has been revealed showing what Christmas was like for the family who lived at Chirk Castle.
The winter wonderland created by a bohemian for his children at Chirk Castle will feature in a new documentary to be broadcast on BBC1 Wales on Sunday.
The programme, Wales’s Christmas Home Movies, showcases rare amateur movies of Christmas and the New Year in Wales from the last century. The earliest films are scenes of snow and pageantry at Chirk Castle in the 1920s made by by the Howard de Walden family.
In the programme, barrister Thomas Seymour enjoys watching these old home movie reels and tells how his grandfather, Thomas Scott-Ellis, the eighth Baron Howard de Walden, leased Chirk Castle from 1911 to 1946. He played out his fantasies of medieval life there.
Mr Seymour said: "My grandfather, ‘Tommy’ Scott-Ellis was a renaissance man: a poet, playwright, medievalist, Olympic fencer and patron of the arts. Thanks to his love of early cine photography, today we can enjoy footage of his children dressing up in medieval costume and duelling in the castle."
The collection also includes footage from the 1920s of the Scott-Ellis children and friends playing British Bulldog, skating and enjoying horse-drawn sleigh-rides in the castle grounds.
Mr Seymour also reveals memorabilia and photographs documenting the series of Christmas shows that his grandfather wrote for his children and their friends to stage in the castle.
“The main item on the agenda at Christmas was the pantomime. My grandmother persuaded my grandfather, who had been very sad after the end of the first world war for quite a while, to start writing them.”
From 1923 to 1931, Scot-Ellis wrote a series of six pantomimes, including The Reluctant Dragon, Puss and Brutes and The Beauties and the Beast. The costumes were provided by a London costume designer and family friend.
“My grandfather loved play of all kinds, fantasy and play, and everyone had to participate,” added Mr Seymour.
Until December 23, visitors to Chirk Castle can enjoy elaborate decorations inspired by the six pantomimes and can dress up in costumes modelled on those worn in the original 1920s shows.
*Wales’s Christmas Home Movies will be broadcast on Sunday, December 16, at 5.05pm on BBC1 Wales.
