Santa Claus will take up residence in the tower’s chapel and will regale visitors with poems and tales of Christmas traditions, from the Viking version of Santa to the continental St Nicholas tradition.

Simon Corble, of Found Theatre, said: “The man we now think of as Father Christmas has his roots in many different legends, from the actions of Bishop Nicholas in fifth century Greece, to the mid-winter visits by the Viking god, Odin, which has many similarities to the modern Santa. In Viking legend, Odin spent most of the year flying around the sky on an eight-legged horse, but once a year, a stranger calling himself Yule would come down, disguised in a furry hood and with a long white beard, and share stories around the fire – a story which evolved over the years into the legend of Father Christmas riding his sleigh pulled by reindeer.”