FAIRYTALE lovers can enjoy a trip to the land of Lilliput next week, as Blenheim Palace opens its Christmas spectacular.

The palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is this year celebrating the release of the movie Gulliver’s Travels, scenes from which were filmed at the palace.

The film stars Jack Black, famous for his roles in King Kong and School of Rock, Billy Connolly, Emily Blunt, Catherine Tate and James Corden.

And to celebrate its arrival in cinemas later this month, the Woodstock tourist attraction is opening an exhibition to show what went on backstage.

Palace spokesman Hannah Payne said: “Christmas is always a special time to see the palace decorated, and the Gulliver’s Travels theme this year is particularly magical.

“We’ve really enjoyed creating the displays and decorations around the filming that took place here last year, the giants’ place setting on the grand table in the saloon is a particular highlight.”

Gulliver’s Travels tells the story of Gulliver, a mailroom clerk who finds himself a giant amongst men when he washes up on the hidden island of Lilliput.

At first enslaved by the tiny population of Lilliputians and then declared their hero, Gulliver learns a valuable lesson that it is what’s on the inside that counts.

Throughout the Palace’s State Rooms, costumes worn by actors including Jack Black will be on display.

The stars filmed on location at Blenheim in summer 2009.

In the Great Hall, visitors will enjoy a travellers’ theme with a boat and hot air balloons set amidst the grand scale of Christmas trees.

And in the Saloon the grand table will be set for a Royal Lilliputian feast, just as featured in the film. It will even include a place setting for a giant at one end of the grand banquet table.

Dolls houses have been provided by the Dolls House Emporium to officially bring the land of Lilliput to life in the Long Library.

This was not the first time Blenheim Palace has been the location for major Hollywood movies.

Scenes from blockbusters including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and The Young Victoria were also filmed there.

Geron Swann from Location Oxfordshire, which helps film companies find locations, said: “Oxfordshire is an attractive prospect to filmmakers because it is close to London so they don’t have to travel far.”

“Plus we have some amazing architecture from palaces and castles to old cobbled streets and small villages.”

ITV period drama Downton Abbey, filmed in Bampton, near Carterton, has regularly been attracting 11 million viewers on Sunday evenings.

And Oxford itself is famous as the setting for popular crime dramas Morse, and its spin-off Lewis.

Mr Swann added: “One in five tourists travel somewhere because they’ve seen it on a screen, be it on TV or on film – Oxfordshire is now definitely open for business.”

The exhibition opens today and runs until December 12.