A historic National Trust property in Northumberland has officially entered the record books this festive season by creating the world's tallest bedded Christmas tree.
A Giant Awakens for the Festive Season
The record-breaking feat was achieved at Cragside, the renowned Tudor Revival country house located near Rothbury. The tree in question is a giant redwood, a living monument originally planted on the estate in the 1860s. This year, the majestic tree, which stands at a staggering 44.7 metres (over 146 feet) tall, has been transformed into a spectacular Christmas centrepiece.
To put its scale into perspective, the festive giant is more than twice the height of the iconic Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead. Decorating such a colossal living tree presented a unique challenge for the National Trust team, who acquired Cragside in 1977.
Engineering Festive Cheer
Turning the ancient redwood into a Christmas tree required specialist equipment and careful planning. The team had to employ a cherry picker to safely reach the very top of the tree and string it with lights. In total, over 1,300 individual lights were meticulously placed across its vast branches to create a dazzling winter display visible across the estate.
The achievement specifically breaks the record for the 'tallest bedded Christmas tree', a category for living, rooted trees that are decorated in situ, as opposed to cut trees displayed in public squares.
A Lasting Legacy of Light
This record adds a new chapter to Cragside's already remarkable history. The estate, once the home of Victorian inventor Lord Armstrong, was famously the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. Now, over a century later, it is illuminated by a record-setting festive beacon.
The successful attempt highlights the National Trust's innovative approach to celebrating Christmas at its properties, combining heritage conservation with spectacular, record-breaking installations. Visitors to Cragside this season can witness the world-record holding tree, a breathtaking fusion of natural history and festive tradition.
