Dumfries House given festive makeover ready to welcome Christmas guests

The King’s Foundation is hosting dining experiences and other events at the property over the festive season.

By contributor By Ryan McDougall, PA Scotland

Published 20 hours ago

A worker adds a decoration to a large Christmas tree — Dumfries House has been decorated for the festive season (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Dumfries House has undergone a festive makeover ahead of a number of Christmas dining experiences hosted by the King’s charity.

A worker adds a decoration featuring an image of Dumfries House in the snow to a Christmas tree — Hundreds of people will attend festive events inside Dumfries House this winter (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The 18th century property, near Cumnock in east Ayrshire, has more than a dozen Christmas trees adorned with around 1,000 baubles throughout its rooms, which are also decorated with nutcrackers, garlands and wreaths.

The King’s Foundation events and tours teams at the estate are anticipating a busy festive season, with around 1,500 guests set to experience candlelit tours, gourmet dining, and traditional festive feasts and banquets.

Man holds a Christmas wreath — A steward prepares to hang a wreath in the tapestry room as finishing touches are made to Christmas decorations at Dumfries House (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Revenue from dining experiences and tours of Dumfries House is given to the foundation’s education and training programmes that benefit more than 15,000 people a year at Dumfries House, across the UK and around the world.

A worker lights candles on a large table set up for dinner — Dumfries House steward Joe Mackie lights candles on a dining table in the library (Dumfries House/PA)

Dumfries House is the headquarters of the foundation, which Charles established to train the next generation of skilled craftspeople – including in fashion and textiles – in heritage techniques essential to many traditional UK industries.