It’s a Summer of Fun at Paxton House & Grounds! In the school holidays, we pride ourselves on offering fun for all, so that everyone in the local area around Berwick upon Tweed and Duns and all the holiday makers in the Scottish Borders and Northumberland can spend time with us.

Families are really important to us – Paxton House was home to the Home family for five generations and our Trustee, John Home-Robertson, has happy memories of running wild in the woods as a child. Our special Super Summer Fun programme of events kicks off this July with activities on Mondays for 3 to 4 year olds and on Wednesdays for 4 to 7 year olds, everything from storytelling to Viking Warrior School and bushcraft – check our What’s On calendar for details.  We’ve managed to squeeze in some creative and messy play sessions on Tuesdays too and, did you know? – every Wednesday is Bouncy Castle Wednesday. If you have musical kids – or wish they were – there are sessions for children and families as part of July’s Festival of Chamber Music, Music at Paxton and a pop-up session for under 5s in August.  Our popular Fairies & Dragons Trail brings a bit of magic to your walks around our grounds all summer. The highlight of the season will be our Summer Fayre & Dog Show on 13 August which encapsulates so much we love about summer days out at Paxton, friendly, fun and relaxed with a smattering of well-behaved dogs and lots to keep you entertained.

We haven’t forgotten the adults either.  In Paxton House, two major exhibitions are running that explore aspects of the Home family’s connections with the Caribbean through costume, paintings and furniture. We are staging a series of specialist tours of Paxton’s superb interiors on selected days in August and September to explore aspects of the house’s fascinating history in a bit more detail with our expert guides. Music at Paxton is established as one of the key musical events in the area with a range of top performers alongside new arrivals on the music scene as well as this year’s talented associate ensemble, the Consone Quartet. Bring a picnic to share on the terrace lawn before the performance for a really memorable summer evening’s entertainment and to make the most of our long July evenings or pick up one in advance from our Stables Tearoom. If you haven’t experienced the intimacy of classical music played in the superb acoustics of Paxton House’s Regency Picture Gallery, this is an experience you should not miss.  Each Wednesday, our marquee is taken over by local artisans and crafters for a weekly market where you can find all sorts of original gifts and items for the home.

There is plenty happening this summer in the grounds for the whole family. Take a boat trip up the River Tweed or challenge the family to a competitive game of croquet or a round of putting. Round your visit off with at the Stables Tearoom where you’ll find a fantastic summer menu of delicious light lunches, milkshakes and cakes. And, of course, if all you want is to give your kids a chance to run wild in the woods and get close to nature, they can still do that too. Now you see why we think Summer 2023 will be the Summer of Fun!

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