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Is this Kent’s most festive house?The impressive Christmas lights display in Colonels Lane, Boughton-under-Blean, near Canterbury

By: Max Chesson mchesson@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 11:47, 30 November 2023

Updated: 13:56, 30 November 2023

With more than 80,000 lights, 3,000 ornaments and a snow machine, this is surely Kent's most festive house.

The incredible Christmas display can be found in Boughton-under-Blean, between Canterbury and Faversham, and is so bright it can even be seen by people driving along the A2.

Dad Ross Clark has been putting on the impressive spectacle in Colonels Lane since 2018, spending more than £15,000 over the years.

It takes three weeks to turn his garden and the front of the house into a winter wonderland – but he says it only adds £100 to the month’s electricity bill.

Ross told KentOnline: “The kids love it. It feels very good to see everyone come here and get so much joy out of what we do.

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“When the lights go off at half 11 every evening it feels kind of lonely. It makes me feel like they should be back on.

“I remember going around as a kid in the back of my mum or nan’s car looking at all the Christmas lights – and we’ll probably do that this year too.”

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The Clark’s Christmas display in Colonels Lane, Boughton-under-Blean
Visitors can take pictures inside a gingerbread house and a snowman figure

As well as the tens of thousands of illuminations, jolly Christmas tunes gently play from speakers and a snow machine delicately dusts the heads of visitors.

There’s also a gingerbread house and a giant snowman to take pictures in too.

Despite the extravagance of the set-up, Ross estimates it only adds £100 to his electricity bill, partly due to investing in low-level LED lighting.

But over the years he believes he has spent somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000 putting together the display.

Visiting the house has become something of a tradition for villagers – as well as others from further afield.

The Clark family outside the house a few years ago
There are more than 3,000 ornaments
The Clark’s Christmas display attracts people from all over the county

People from as far as the Isle of Sheppey, Maidstone and Gravesend flock to the country lane to see the display.

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Ross gets genuine joy out of lighting up the faces of the people of Kent – but the origins of the display have a poignant meaning.

On November 24, 2002, Ross and his wife Michelle’s son Jack was born three weeks premature and sadly died at just two weeks old.

The family moved to the county from Wimbledon back in 2009 and have often tried to use this time of year to commemorate Jack.

They always turn on the lights on November 24 – and hope their endeavours can raise funds for charities close to their hearts.

The Clark family put on the display to remember baby Jack
The display has cost more than £15,000 over the years

This Christmas, Tiny Toes is the campaign Ross is hoping to raise £1,000 for – and donations can be made here.

The charity raises funds to support the neonatal intensive care unit at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford as well as the special care baby unit at QEQM in Margate.

As for the future of the lights, there’s no sign of Ross stopping any time soon – despite running out of room on his lawn.

“We can’t go forward any more – we can only go up!” he said.

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