About Henry and the Lion's Christmas Feast
Henry and the Lion's Christmas Feast is an original story written by Joseph Coelho OBE in collaboration with Chatsworth House Trust with illustrations by Vivien Mildenberger.
Young Henry Cavendish, budding experimental scientist and grandson of the 2nd Duke of Devonshire, is searching for the legendary Chatsworth lion, while the lion is on the hunt for a delicious Christmas feast!
The story has inspired the theme for this year's Christmas at Chatsworth celebrations. Join Henry, Lion, and a mischievous menace of mice, and travel through over 20 rooms in the house, each filled with festive decorations, twinkling lights, and surprises designed to ignite your imagination and encourage you to see things from a new perspective.
About Henry Cavendish
Henry Cavendish was the grandson of the 2nd Duke of Devonshire and was a talented natural scientist credited with discovering hydrogen and calculating the Earth's mass. Watch a short film about him here.
Chatsworth Lions
The Chatsworth Lion is one of two large sculptures that 'guard' the Sculpture Gallery at Chatsworth.
Commissioned in 1823 by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, they are replicas of the Lions carved by the Italian sculptor Canova for Pope Clement the Fourteenth's tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City. Canova and the 6th Duke were great friends.
They were created by students of Canova, Francesco Benaglia and Rinaldo Rinaldi, using casts taken from Canova’s original lions.
Credits: Henry and the Lion's Christmas Feast, written by Joseph Coelho with illustrations by Vivien Mildenberger
Film © Chatsworth House Trust
Words © Joseph Coelho
Illustrations © Vivien Mildenberger
