28 November 2025 – 4 January 2026 at The Sherborne, Dorset

An early festive treat awaits visitors to The Sherborne in Dorset when it unveils a dedicated display of Quentin Blake’s original illustration series for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, in the same location where the Victorian author famously performed the work.  

Bringing to life the much-loved characters of Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and his family, the four ghosts, and the story’s redemptive magic, Blake’s distinctive line and spirited colour will delight visitors of all ages.

Adding an extra-special element to the experience, is the fact that the show can only be seen by candlelight, which will make for very intimate and exciting viewing. Visitors will be provided with battery-powered candles to take around the galleries and enjoy a unique way to see the delightful pictures.  

The display not only represents families, schools, and art lovers a rare chance to experience Dickens’ favourite festive yarn told through one of Britain’s most beloved artists but also carries local significance. In some ways, the exhibition represents something of a welcome return for the celebrated author.

A Christmas Carol Ghost of Christmas Present

On 21 December 1854, Charles Dickens (1812-1870) stood in the very building that is now home to the Gallery – then known as the Sherborne Literary and Scientific Institution – to give his enraptured audience a reading of A Christmas Carol. Contemporary reports described the room “the room was crowded to excess and many were unable to obtain admission” as Dickens shared just the second public delivery of his already-famous 1843 novella, written to raise awareness of the inequalities in Victorian society.

Dickens’ readings were renowned for their theatricality – his performance at Sherborne was said to have “occupied nearly three hours, to the great delight of the audience” – so it is appropriate that Blake’s own images will bring this perennially popular ghost story to life once again, in the building where the famous writer captivated his listeners.

A Christmas Carol Scrooge and Marley

Liz Gilmore, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Sherborne, says: “The Sherborne has always been a place of thought leadership and a convening point historically. This exhibition celebrates The Sherborne’s powerful heritage connection with Charles Dickens, a major Victorian author, in what became an iconic work of Christmas literature.”

She adds: “Quentin’s drawings are a joyful bridge through time, letting visitors experience Dickens’ world with all the playful creativity he brings to the page. You can almost feel the echoes of the past mingling with the present, where imagination meets history.”

It was in 1995 that Sir Quentin Blake (b.1932) illustrated an edition of A Christmas Carol with his inimitable illustrations guiding young readers through Scrooge’s lively journey to find the meaning of Christmas. As visitors to the exhibition will see, Blake’s style for the story is typically playful, expressive, and energetic. Something a reviewer for The Guardian noted, saying his work for the book expressed “boundless imaginative energy”.

Quentin says “”Until I got to know the whole range of Dickens’ works, I always assumed that A Christmas Carol was a sentimental Christmas fable. But then I was invited to illustrate it. It is a fable, but detailed, observed, imaginative and tremendously rewarding to make drawings for. I’m delighted to think that they’re going on show in The Sherborne’s candlelit aura. Perhaps even Dickens might get to look at them.” 

The exhibition opens at the Sherborne Christmas Lights Switch On, which is 28 November at 6pm.

A Christmas Carol Scrooge counting money

Illustrations for A Christmas Carol will run concurrently with Quentin Blake: Our Friends in the Country, which features recent works celebrating all things countryside by the world-famous artist. Created in 2023 with watercolour washes and ink lines, the 12 images focus on scenes depicting different aspects of rural life, including animals and people and the bonds that exist between some rather unlikely pairings. These two exhibitions will act as the first two parts of a trilogy of shows devoted to Blake’s work, with Airborne Over Sherborne and 100 portraits to follow later in the year,

For more information about both displays, plus opening hours and workshop information, please visit www.thesherborne.uk

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