Peckforton Castle Medieval Banquet

We had our Christmas Party in January this year, just three weeks after Noel, to enable the maximum number of my colleagues to attend.

We had a wonderful evening at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, just south of Tarporley. Although it is a relatively new castle, built in the 1850s by an MP who became a Lord, it is built in a traditional style and has been listed as Grade I.

We had a medieval themed evening and everyone dressed up. There were Knights, Princes, Princesses, Monks, numerous Lords and Ladies, Peasants, Jesters, swash-buckling Pirates and lusty Wenches and even our own Executioner.

We had a traditional Christmas meal, turkey and trimmings, rather than chicken legs, game and mead, but it still felt very special.

We were entertained throughout the evening by a professional Jester (from Chester!) who tumbled, juggled, capered and scampered. And then we had a good old-fashioned disco (lots of Abba) and the wine flowed.

The castle is fabulous, old, cold stone walls and lintels, deep brocade and damask draperies and upholstery, splendid beds with heavy wooden head and foot boards.

And they parked my car for me because it was raining and dark and a long way to the car park from reception. And then they were kind enough to go all the way back to it to collect the phone I stupidly left on the dashboard (which was a bit of a waste of their time as it turned out as there was no reception anywhere in the castle.)

My generous bosses paid the meal, the room and the wine, all I had to do was find a suitable outfit and turn up.

We had a ball, and I can heartily recommend it for a very special night out!