STEPPING back into the 18th century was a treat for visitors to Gilbert White’s House at Selborne on the run up to Christmas.

The tourist attraction was decked out with traditional Christmas decorations while the smell of mulled wine permeated through the historic site.

The occasion was the annual mulled wine weekend which this year attracted a large crowd of visitors who were entertained by choirs singing traditional Christmas carols before enjoying a tour of the garden and joining the staff in apple wassailing to celebrate a good crop.

For the children, there was an activity area where they were shown how to make paper wreaths so they could decorate their own home while the Wickham Morris entertained with their spirited dancing.

As an added attraction, this year bottles of Gilbert White’s gin, made from botanics in his garden, were on sale and proved popular.

Participating choirs were the Froxfield Shuffletunes, Alton Convent, Selborne School Choir, and Petersfield Choir.