Raby Castle Christmas Market
Friday 27 November – Sunday 29 November 2026
Raby Castle, Park & Gardens, Staindrop, County Durham(DL2 3AH)
Raby Castle's Christmas market fills the estate's Riding School and the Dutch Barn, a mile out of Staindrop in County Durham. Over three days at the end of November, more than 50 festive stalls are joined this year by a new pop-up of luxury brands, and the Christmas Emporium is stocked with baubles, decorations and gifts. Musicians play every day, anything from acoustic sets to a brass band, and lights glow along the woodland trails. Choose a real Nordmann Fir or Norway Spruce in the Coachyard, then warm up with mulled wine, a wood-fired pizza or a Longhorn burger. A Deer Park and Gardens ticket, which includes the market, adds a winter walk in the five-acre Walled Gardens and the 200-acre Deer Park. Children get into the market free, and parking costs nothing.
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What to expect
Date & times
Friday 27 November – Sunday 29 November 2026
Getting there
Raby Castle, Park & Gardens, Staindrop, County Durham (DL2 3AH for sat nav)
Dogs
Information coming soon
Accessibility
Available: Accessible toilets, Accessible parking / blue badge parking. Not confirmed: Wheelchair accessible, Step-free access, Accessible viewing areas.
Stalls
Stall list coming soon
Live schedule
Full timetable available when market goes live
Interactive map
Site map with GPS location available when market goes live
Live announcements
Real-time updates available when market goes live
Accessibility
Confirmed:
- Accessible toilets
- Accessible parking / blue badge parking
Not confirmed:
- Wheelchair accessible
- Step-free access
- Accessible viewing areas
Notes
There is a designated Blue Badge parking area in the car park, and there are accessible toilets at the Vinery Café and the Plotters' Forest. Roads within the Deer Park are surfaced with tarmac; the landscape is grassy and undulating.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Raby Castle Christmas Market?
Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November 2026.
What are the opening times?
Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November: 9am to 3pm. Limited on-the-day tickets are available for morning and afternoon slots, and lunchtime is the busiest period, so the estate suggests coming early or late in the day.
Where is it?
At Raby Castle, Park & Gardens, Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3AH (what3words cares.writers.curls). The stalls are in the Riding School and Dutch Barn. The estate says Staindrop is 1 mile away, Barnard Castle 8 miles, Bishop Auckland 8.5 miles and Darlington 13.5 miles.
Do I need a ticket?
Yes. The estate says the market is a special event and you need a ticket to enter Raby over the Christmas Market weekend, including for The Vinery, the Coach House Shop and buying a tree. Children's market admission is free, and the market is free to Raby Members on Friday 27 November. Members need a ticket too, which is free on the Friday.
How much are tickets?
Market only: £5 on the day for an adult, less when booked online, and under-15s are free. A Deer Park, Gardens and Market ticket is £14 for an adult booked online (£15 on site), £7 for a child aged 4 to 15, and free under 4. Combined tickets with the castle and the Plotters' Forest trail are on the booking page.
Where do I park?
The estate says there is no charge to park at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens. A ticket does not guarantee a space, so allow plenty of time as the car park will be busy, and car sharing is encouraged. The car park has electric vehicle charging points.
How do I get there by bus?
The estate lists the North Lodge stop. Arriva 6 runs from Durham through Bishop Auckland to Cockfield about every 30 minutes, where you change to bus 84, and Arriva 75 runs between Darlington and Barnard Castle via Staindrop about hourly, a walk of about a mile from Staindrop. The estate says to confirm routes with the operators.
Are dogs allowed?
The estate advises against bringing dogs to the Christmas Market because of how busy it gets. Outside the market, Raby says well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the Walled Gardens, Deer Park and Vinery Café; dogs are not allowed in the Plotters' Forest, and only assistance dogs are allowed in the Castle.
What is there to eat and drink?
The Vinery (pulled pork rolls, mac & cheese, wood-fired pizzas), The Garage Café (sweet treats, hot chocolates, Brymor Ice Cream), a Pop-Up Kitchen in the Dutch Barn (German sausages, Longhorn burgers, Prosecco), The Bar (mulled wine, Bailey's hot chocolate) and Tom's Estate BBQ in the Coach Yard.
What is on?
Over 50 festive stalls in the Riding School and Dutch Barn, a new pop-up shopping area of luxury brands, the Christmas Emporium and Coach House Shop, real Christmas trees in the Coachyard (Nordmann Fir and Norway Spruce, on sale daily until 24 December), and live festive music each day. The Walled Gardens, Deer Park and Plotters' Forest are also part of the estate's Christmas weekend.
Is this your market?
This is a basic listing we've put together so visitors can find Raby Castle Christmas Market. If you're one of its organisers, you can claim it — take control of the page, add your schedule, map and more.
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