National Trust Weddings
Unusual wedding venues in the most scenic areas of the country
The National Trust’s properties in the South West of England are some of the most scenic wedding venues in the UK. Devon & Cornwall have a selection of stunning venues in some of the most beautiful areas in the South West. For couples looking for a more unusual wedding venue, the Wessex region is worth considering. Here you can choose between famous film sets, an historic grandstand or a temple with a view.
National Trust wedding venues in Devon & Cornwall include:
· Arlington Court is an intimate and intriguing house hidden in a wooded valley on the edge of Exmoor in North Devon. The house and grounds provide an idyllic setting for a wedding ceremony and to make their day truly memorable brides can arrive in old-fashioned style by horse and carriage.
Civil ceremonies can be held in the Staircase Hall, dominated by the flamboyant Victorian imperial staircase installed in 1865, in November and December (up to 50 guests/ £800). From March to October smaller weddings for up to 30 guests can be held there on Saturday mornings and drinks in the garden afterwards (£600). Arlington Court is not available for wedding receptions.
· Cotehele House is perched high above the River Tamar, the boundary between Cornwall and the rest of England. The estate lies wholly within the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the gardens provide a stunning backdrop to this medieval house. This enigmatic and unique setting with its colourful surroundings provides an ideal location for that special day.
The Barn Restaurant, built in 1453, was originally a tithe barn where produce from the estate was boxed and sent to Plymouth by river and onto London. It can sit 70-80 guests and a 6x6m marquee can be added to the barn. The hire cost is from £800. Alternatively the tea room at the Ewdgcumb Arms can hold a reception for up to 30 guests. Cotehele Barn is available for receptions only every Friday throughout the year and on other days, subject to availability, during November, December and January.
· Killerton House was the much-loved home of the Acland family and still retains the delightful atmosphere of a warm and welcoming family home in a beautiful parkland surrounding set in East Devon. The garden sits on a south-facing slope with far-reaching views towards Dartmoor, Woodbury Common and the Exe estuary. Killerton House is not licensed for civil wedding ceremonies but wedding blessings may take place in Killerton Chapel, by arrangement.
Reception can be held in a marquee in the garden for up to 200 guests on the large lawn area. Killerton can recommend external caterers for marquee receptions and discos and dancing can only take place in the marquee, venue hire only is £1,500 incl. VAT. Killerton is available for afternoon and evening wedding receptions by arrangement between March and October.
National Trust properties in Wessex, where weddings can be held include:
· Dyrham Park is set in a beautiful Gloucestershire valley, surrounded by rolling parkland and a formal garden with lakes and ponds. This stunning example of a grand baroque mansion will remind you of ‘The Remains of The Day’ starring Anthony Hopkins, filmed here in 1993.
Weddings for 60 to 80 guests take place in the large 18th-century Orangery with fabulous views over the park. The Orangery is suitable for civil ceremonies and drinks receptions and is available from the end of May to October. At the top of the parkland there is a marquee site with panoramic views across the countryside towards the Bristol Channel, which is available to hire during the summer (£1,500). As of summer 2010, the West Garden room is available for ceremonies and wedding parties up to 25 guests all year. It is part of the west wing of the Mansion House with large windows across the west garden. As an alternative for an evening function there are also the converted stables within the 18th-century courtyard, which can seat 60 people for a function. Dyrham Park offers inhouse catering and the ceremony package starts at £3,500 and there are only six weddings a year.
· Lodge Park is unique: a rare grandstand and deer course set in its own deer park. With a Cotswold stone floor, the Entrance Hall provides an atmospheric setting for a wedding ceremony and the romantic glow of candle light add to the charm of this unusual building. The hall can seat 40 guests for the ceremony and is available for drinks receptions.
Situated on the first floor is the Great Room (formerly the banqueting chamber). This light and airy setting, with windows facing north, south and east, has the benefit of double doors that open onto the balcony, affording magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. It can seat 60 guests and is also available for dinner in the early evening.
Booking season runs from March to October. Receptions can take place in The Entrance Hall or The Great Room and guests can even enjoy a tour of the fabulous rooftop. A marquee site is also available and couples can use the park until midnight. Ceremonies cost £1,400 plus VAT, a ceremony with reception in the house costs from £2,000 plus VAT and drinks in the house and a marquee in the park starts from £2,400 plus VAT. There is also a holiday cottage on the site, which is perfect for the bride to get ready in or for the couple to spend a couple of days before the wedding together (http://www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk).
· Montacute House offers a limited, exclusive number of ceremonies and marquee receptions a year. Described as one of the most beautiful Elizabethan houses in England, Montacute breathes grandeur. There are more than 50 of the finest Tudor and Elizabethan portraits on view (a loan from the National Portrait Gallery) and the formal gardens are perfect for the wedding photographs, but Montacute’s famous West Drive can also be opened for the Bridal party’s use.
The Great Hall, which seats 100, was famously featured in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ and is available for civil ceremonies, but only during the closed season, while the Georgian Drawing Room, seating up to 50, is an available all year. Drinks can be served on the Orangery Terrace. The basic fee is £1,700 plus VAT. Tintinhull Garden’s Summer House, which is only a short car journey away is also newly licensed.
· Tintinhull Garden’s Summer House is the perfect setting for an intimate wedding. The delightful formal garden with pools, secluded lawns, colourful borders and clipped hedges is a haven of tranquillity amongst the beautiful Somerset countryside.
The garden is created around a stunning 17th-century manor house that now boasts wonderful holiday accommodation that can sleep up to 8 people (http://www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk). Ceremonies can take place in the Summer House for up to 30 guests (£900 plus VAT), but Tintinhull covers all eventualities and offers a period room in the house should the weather be too bad.
· A short stroll from Stourhead House, lies one of the finest landscape gardens in the world, which Horace Walpole described as ‘one of the most picturesque scenes in the world’. Ceremonies can take place at the Temple of Apollo for up to 30 guests. The temple, with its graceful stonework and intimate location, provides a serene setting for beautiful, classic ceremonies. The panoramic vista of the garden from the temple is unparalleled, and these breathtaking views create a stunning backdrop for wedding photographs. Ceremonies can take place daily, year round except Christmas day. Available from April 2010 for a cost of £1,700 plus VAT.
The stunning Picture Gallery at the magnificent Palladian mansion, Stourhead House, is now also available for civil ceremonies at a cost of £4,000 plus VAT. Couples can arrive in style along the drive, have their ceremony in the Picture Gallery for up to 40 guests and then celebrate with champagne in the grand Entrance Hall. There are three reception venues at the heart of the Stourhead estate.
For more information on National Trust properties available for wedding ceremonies or receptions, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/weddings.
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Notes to editors:
The National Trust is a charity completely independent of Government funding. It relies on income generated from membership fees, donations and revenue raised from our commercial operations such as weddings and private events. Having your wedding at a National Trust property means your support will help us look after and maintain these beautiful places.
For further information, please contact Silke Lohmann on silke@exclamationpr.co.uk or
07932 618754.