Celestial archway of stars creates Christmas sparkle at Knightshayes

A glimmering archway of golden stars, hand-moulded by hundreds of visitors to Knightshayes, has been created as an art installation heralding the start of the festive season at the National Trust property near Tiverton.

Visitors will be able to walk through a glistening archway from the Gothic house into its Victorian conservatory, looking up to see a star-studded ceiling twinkling with decorations made by children and adults who visited Knightshayes during October half-term. Over 450 Christmas decorations were made by visitors and the team at the house are hoping visitors might be able to spot the decoration they made glittering in the conservatory, or on the Christmas trees in the house if they return to Knightshayes during the festive season.

The decorations, which are also being hung on the giant Christmas trees in the house, are filling Knightshayes with the lovely scent of Christmas as they were made from a paste which included cinnamon and apple sauce.

Sarah Jayne Edwards, the artist who created the artwork, said, ‘It was great fun working with so many people in October. Everyone got stuck in to help us make these lovely Christmassy decorations. Many people said they were going to come back and try and spot the star they’d made adorning the conservatory.’

She continued, ‘I’m really pleased that everyone had so much fun and that there were enough to decorate the conservatory and trees throughout the house, filling it with the lovely festive fragrance of cinnamon.’

The installation has been commissioned to celebrate that the elaborate Gothic designs which decorate the ceilings in the library and drawing room at Knightshayes have inspired much of the National Trust’s UK-wide Christmas collection this year. Ornate stars, leaves and opulent floral motifs by renowned Victorian designers such as John Dibblee Crace and William Burges, are adorning many festive National Trust goodies from sparkling Christmas baubles, patterned scarves and shopping bags, to festive mugs and traditional treats.

For anyone wishing to see the sparkling stars, Knightshayes will be open from 30 November to 2 January as the house opens for Christmas. There will be a chance to see the house in a different light as the popular illuminations return from 4-7pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December.

For more information visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knightshayes