'A Christmas Carol'

The Sherborne invites visitors into a uniquely magical experience: an intimate, candlelit display of Sir Quentin Blake’s original illustrations for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol—exhibited on the site where Dickens himself delivered a celebrated public reading of the story in 1854.

In a nod to Victorian tradition, and to enhance the magic of Quentin's work, the exhibition can only be viewed by candlelight. Visitors will receive battery-powered candles to explore the darkened galleries, allowing shadows, light and colour to dance across the pages.

This gentle glow creates an immersive atmosphere that deepens the narrative: part theatre, part time travel, part festive enchantment. It is a way of experiencing A Christmas Carol unlike any other.

The Sherborne holds a remarkable connection to the story. On 21 December 1854, Charles Dickens (1812–1870) visited Sherborne to give an eagerly-anticipated reading of A Christmas Carol at the Sherborne Literary and Scientific Institution.  The event was described as “crowded to excess,” with eager listeners pressed into the room for what was only the second public reading Dickens ever gave from the novella. His performance, lasting nearly three hours, was noted for its dramatic flair, vivid characterisation and emotional force.

Sir Quentin Blake, one of Britain’s most beloved artists, created the drawings shown here for an illustrated edition of A Christmas Carol, published by Pavilion Books in 1995. Reviewers celebrated the artist's “boundless imaginative energy,” noting his gift for letting characters leap and dance from the page.

Quentin's interpretation is both respectful of Dickens and full of his signature charm—bringing humour, humanity and a sense of movement to a narrative defined by transformation and hope.

Concurrently, Quentin's new series of works 'Our Friends in the Country' is also on display at the Sherborne.  Both shows will run until Sunday 4 January 2026.