Hall to re-create 18th Century pleasure garden

A Lincolnshire visitor attraction is to recreate an 18th Century "pleasure garden".

Spalding's Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens will undergo the transformation on the evenings of 21 and 22 March.

Organisers of the Ayscoughfee Enlightenment event said visitors would experience the "elegance and excitement of the Georgian era" through theatrical performances, lantern-lit pathways, period music and artistic displays.

Councillor Elizabeth Sneath said it would be unlike anything seen before in South Holland, while "pushing the boundaries of storytelling to create Ayscoughfee's own little world to bring our fascinating local heritage to life."

Organisers said the event was inspired by pleasure gardens like Vauxhall and Ranelagh in London.

According to London Museum, they were the "height of fashion and culture" in the 1700s and 1800s, before earning a "shady" reputation. All had closed by the late 19th Century.

At Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens, there will be activities and attractions for the whole family to enjoy, with performances from opera singers and a quartet, as well as a dance troupe giving the chance to try Georgian court dances.

In addition, there will be fire displays, art installations and illuminated nightscapes including glowing pathways and a grotto.

Families will be invited to take part in a storytelling trail and character-based scavenger hunt based around Spalding's Georgian history, organisers said.

Visitors are encouraged to dress in Georgian-inspired outfits, with a prize for the best-dressed.

Ayscoughfee Enlightenment will run from 18:00 to 21:00 GMT on both days, with visitors able to book a one-hour slot. Pre-booking is required. More details can be found on South Holland District Council's website.

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