Christmas Cello & Piano Dinner at Appleby Castle
Saturday 19th December 2026
Begin the final weekend before Christmas with a very special evening of live cello and piano music, traditional Christmas carols and festive dining in the magnificent surroundings of Appleby Castle.
On Saturday 19th December, a renowned Cumbrian cellist will join Peter Bass, Appleby Castle’s resident pianist, for an intimate evening of Christmas music in the Castle’s beautiful 15th-century Great Hall.
Guests are invited to arrive from 6.00pm for a festive drink before taking their seats for dinner at 7.00pm.
Throughout the evening, cello and piano will accompany a carefully chosen programme of traditional Christmas carols, seasonal favourites and some of the best-loved works from the classical repertoire.
The programme will include music such as Pachelbel’s Canon in D, selections from Handel including the Hallelujah Chorus, together with a range of familiar classical favourites and traditional Christmas music.
The combination of cello and piano is particularly suited to the Great Hall, where the warmth of the instruments and the natural acoustics of the room create a wonderfully intimate atmosphere.
Traditional Christmas Carols
The evening will include a generous selection of traditional carols and seasonal music, with pieces such as:
- Silent Night
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- The First Noel
- Away in a Manger
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
- Once in Royal David’s City
- O Little Town of Bethlehem
- In the Bleak Midwinter
- Good King Wenceslas
- Joy to the World
- Ding Dong! Merrily on High
- We Three Kings
- While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
- Deck the Hall
- The Holly and the Ivy
Alongside the carols, the musicians will perform a selection of classical favourites, creating a programme that moves between festive, reflective and uplifting music throughout the evening
Three-Course Christmas Dinner
Seated at 7pm
A traditional three-course Christmas dinner will be served in the Great Hall from 7.00pm, allowing guests to enjoy the music while dining in one of the Castle’s most atmospheric historic rooms.
Starter
Homemade seasonal soup
served with fresh bread
Main Course
Traditional roast turkey
with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, stuffing, pigs in blankets and rich gravy
Dessert
Traditional Christmas pudding
served with a festive accompaniment
Vegetarian, vegan and coeliac options can be provided with advance notice.
Make a Weekend of It
For those wishing to turn the evening into something even more special, why not stay at Appleby Castle for the weekend before Christmas?
Spend the night in one of the Castle’s historic bedrooms, enjoy the festive atmosphere of the Castle at Christmas and wake the following morning in surroundings that have witnessed almost a thousand years of history.
With the Great Hall dressed for Christmas, the tree illuminated, fires burning and the Castle decorated for the season, it is a particularly atmospheric time of year to stay.
Guests attending the Cello & Piano Christmas Dinner will be able to combine the evening with an overnight stay, creating a memorable pre-Christmas escape in the heart of the Eden Valley.
A Special Evening Before Christmas
This is not simply dinner with background music.
It is an evening designed around the setting itself — cello and piano in the Great Hall, a traditional Christmas dinner, familiar carols and classical music, all within the walls of Appleby Castle.
A chance to enjoy one final special evening before Christmas arrives.
Saturday 19th December 2026
Arrive from 6.00pm
Dinner from 7.00pm
Live cello and piano throughout the evening
Limited places available.