Gingerbread Castle - press preview days from 3rd to 5th December

What can you make with eighty eggs, 10kg butter, 10kg sugar and 72kg icing? A gingerbread castle fit for a king!  

The magic of Christmas descends on the Leeds Castle this December, as the estate near Maidstone is transformed in to a spicy gingerbread wonderland from 6th to 23rd December featuring unique displays and decorations, a festive market, real reindeer and festive activities.

Visitors can feast their eyes on a two metre scale model of Leeds Castle & courtyard, made entirely of gingerbread and icing by celebrated hand-iced biscuit company Biscuiteers. On display in the Exhibition Centre in the Stable Courtyard, the exhibition will show how the intricate, beautiful biscuit decorations were made through 3D models, pictures and film.

Inside the castle's Seminar Room is another confectionary marvel - a 2.5 metre long gingerbread Doll's House based on Leeds Castle. The spicy interpretation features eight 1930s and Tudor period rooms with recognisable furniture, paintings and the castle's distinctive decor, all made entirely from hand-iced gingerbread.

Eighty eggs, 10kg (1 stone 8lbs) of butter, 10kg (1 stone 8lbs) of sugar and 72kg (11 stone 4lbs) of icing were used to make the Leeds Castle Gingerbread Castle and Dolls House. Each model weighs in at around 63.5kgs - that's almost 10 stone! In total, the Gingerbread Castle and Doll's House took 550 hours to make.

Visitors will be enchanted to discover the transformation of the 900 year old castle into a delicious gingerbread theme with beautiful Christmas decorations and several Christmas trees around the Castle, each with delicious Biscuiteers gingerbread decorations to match the history of the room.

The hand-made gingerbread decorations will include Royal symbols such as the pomegranate for Katherine of Aragon in the Queen's Gallery and the Tudor Rose symbols in the Henry VIII Banqueting Hall. The intricate attention to detail continues throughout the castle with a gingerbread nativity scene in the Entrance Hall and Henry VIII and his wives in the Inner Hall. More than 240 eggs, 30kg (4 stone 10lbs) of butter and sugar and 216kg (34.5 stone) of icing were used to create the gingerbread biscuits and structures around the castle.

Outside the castle, children will love the Gingerbread Quest as they search for clues throughout the Woodland Walk, grounds and adventure playgrounds to find all the hidden gingerbread men.  On their way, they can look out for the real reindeer staying at Leeds Castle until they leave for more 'pressing matters' on Christmas Eve…                                                                                                                                             

As part of the entrance ticket visitors are also free to explore the Christmas Market on the Cedar Lawn and discover an array of seasonal gift ideas, toys, decorations, live music, cookery and floristry demonstrations and delicious local food and drink.  Enjoy a warming hot chocolate or mulled wine, a ride on the carousel or Ferris wheel, or the live music playing every day from the bandstand with spectacular views of the beautiful moated Castle. Special Christmas talks will also be held on selected dates, giving visitors an insight into what it was like to spend Christmas at the castle in the 1950s.

The Leeds Castle Gingerbread Christmas Dolls House and Exhibition model will be available for press preview photography and filming from Wednesday 3rd to Friday 5th December before opening to the public on Saturday 6th December.

The Biscuiteers will be at the castle and available for interview on Thursday 4th December.

Imgaes are STRICTLY EMBARGOED until Saturday 6th December.

To arrange behind the scenes access and interviews please contact Samantha Williams or Hannah Lawrence on 01622 767866 or 767760 or email pr@leeds-castle.co.uk

Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone in Kent just off Junction 8 of the M20 within easy reach of London.