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Your wedding day is everlasting. It’s the start of the next chapter in your story. It’s a moment captured in time – through pictures that stand for a lifetime
and memories re-lived for years to come.
English Heritage’s historic wedding venues share this unique sense of the everlasting. With castles rising above the sea, royal retreats and sweeping views of age-old gardens,
our venues give you a connection to the past and an inspiring setting for your future.
Whether you make your vows in a 16th-century castle; toast your future in the tranquil ruins of a medieval abbey; dance on the lawns of a royal
residence or dine amid the glittering treasures of a millionaire art collector, your wedding day will be everlasting.
OUR PAST
Romance runs deep in many of our historic properties. Centuries of courtship and long-term love have played out within their walls. From the castle chambers where Queen Elizabeth I was wooed by a suitor, to the war-time air raid shelter where a married couple retreated as the bombs fell on London. And the locations in which these properties stand are every bit as inspiring as the stories that they tell. Step into a villa on the banks of the River Thames, or overlook the sea in Queen Victoria’s home on the Isle of Wight.
It’s these stories, and these historic scenes, that make your wedding day all the richer. You’ll be sweeping up drives where royalty once arrived, you’ll be lighting up rooms where candles once flickered and you’ll be dancing in halls where minstrels once played. You’ll be setting the scene for a sparkling future.
YOUR FUTURE
You may be marrying in a historic setting but our team and accredited suppliers are experienced in delivering the very best in modern day service, supporting you from the moment you book until the last guest leaves. Your dedicated hospitality co-ordinator will work with you and recommend our many accredited caterers, florists, lighting and entertainment suppliers to ensure that your day runs smoothly. Our suppliers are carefully selected from the surrounding area for their high standards and excellent service.
If you’d like to be shown one of our wedding venues please contact the property directly. Don’t forget that all of our properties make a unique and inspiring setting for an engagement photoshoot. With over 400 sites across the country, you’ll be able to find the perfect backdrop for your photos, please contact our filming department to find out more.
Eltham Palace and Gardens was the dazzling home
of a millionaire couple, whose lifestyle encapsulated
the glamour of high society living on the eve of the
Second World War. Virginia Courtauld was vivacious
and chic. Her husband, Stephen, was her opposite,
cautious and reserved. But they shared a vision of a life
in luxury and, in 1933, Eltham was the place they chose
to create it.
Your wedding day will lead you and your guests over
Eltham’s ancient bridge into this remarkable world.
Emulate 1930s sophistication with a ceremony in the curved
Entrance Hall. Whether you enter through the double doors,
or down the curved staircase, you can stand together under
the glass domed roof to make your vows. From here, lead
your guests out for drinks on the terrace, where spring time
wisteria tumbles over the pergola.
Or step into the drawing room to gather around the marble
fireplace and grand piano. As the evening draws in, head into
the medieval Great Hall where you can dine in splendour
as royalty once did, then dance into the night as a backdrop
of stars appears through the stained glass windows.
ELTHAM PALACE & GARDENS GREENWICH, KENTCEREMONY: 200 | RECEPTION 200
0208 294 2577 [email protected]
Invite your guests into the stylish world of the 1930s. You’ve a choice of luxurious Art Deco rooms in which to make your vows and celebrate, or you can use the medieval Great Hall which adjoins the main house as a contrasting setting. Surrounded by flower filled gardens, your celebrations can extend onto the terrace and lawns.
Written into Wrest Park’s sweeping views, woodland
avenues and waterside paths is the story of England’s love
affair with landscape. For over three centuries the de Grey
family created grounds and gardens to appeal to the eye
and the soul. From formal design, through the more natural
style of Capability Brown, to layouts complementing the
chateau-style home, each generation left its mark.
This amalgam of styles gives Wrest its unique charm.
This remarkable setting, where the outdoor scenery is as
impressive as the indoor decor, ensures that you’ll have
an unforgettable wedding day.
You can sweep up the drive to the front door and enter into
a soaring hall with a dramatic staircase. Where ladies once
glided up and down the stairs with their petticoats swishing,
you can pause for wedding photos.
From here choose between a number of ground floor rooms
for your ceremony and celebrations. The suite of formal
rooms open onto each other, so you can move smoothly
from drinks to dinner to dancing. Out in the garden you
can gather inside the glass-roofed Orangery for a ceremony
bathed in sunshine or supper under starlight. A marquee
on the lawn offers you an ideal opportunity to celebrate
right in the heart of Wrest’s unique landscape.
WREST PARK LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRECEREMONY: 170 | RECEPTION 1000
01525 863704 [email protected]
Inside and outside, this 19th-century mansion inspires romance. A series of richly decorated rooms sparkle with chandeliers and gilded plasterwork. French doors open onto a terrace, with a wide stone staircase leading down into a landscaped park dotted with statues, flower filled borders and a series of lakes. You and your guests can also enjoy these views from the Orangery or a marquee.
On October 10, 1839 Queen Victoria stood at the top of
the stairs at Windsor. Walking up to meet her was Prince
Albert. It was only the second time that they had laid eyes on
each other. Five days later, they were engaged. Albert wrote
that ‘Heaven has sent me an angel whose brightness shall
illuminate my life.’ And she did. For the next 22 years - until
the moment he died. Even then her love for him lived on
through 40 years of widowhood.
Osborne, on the Isle of Wight, nurtured this royal romance.
It was here, sheltered from the public, that the couple made
a home together. This island palace has seen royal weddings,
romances and parties grace its rooms and gardens for over
160 years. Step into its grounds and you and your guests will
be writing another chapter in the story of this unique home.
Emulate Queen Victoria herself and draw up for
your wedding in a horse and carriage. Choose to hold
your ceremony in one of the lavishly decorated rooms
or outside on the beach or in the gardens. You can raise
a toast surrounded by priceless artwork, or for a more
relaxed feel, enjoy drinks on the terrace and dinner in
a marquee on the lawn.
OSBORNE EAST COWES, ISLE OF WIGHTCEREMONY: 120 | RECEPTION 2500
0198 320 3055 [email protected]
Celebrate your marriage in the family home that Queen Victoria built with her beloved Albert. It’s a setting that is both grand and welcoming. Hold your ceremony in rooms bursting with colour and regal splendour, or down in the wood-fringed private beach. A marquee over-looking the sea is a memorable setting in which to hold your reception and celebrations.
Built for defence, Pendennis also saw wartime romance.
After the First World War broke out the castle became
home to Territorial Army volunteers. Here, on this grassed
capped headland, they readied for battle.
One of these men was Tommy Glasson, a 25-year-old
teacher. In a black and white photo he looks out seriously
from under his cap, moustache neatly trimmed, eyes in a
steady gaze. Yet Tommy had a fun side too, revealed in
letters to his friend Gertrude Brooks. He tells her about
football games played at the barracks and jokes about
their shared love of Cornish pasties.
He didn’t survive the war, but her feelings for him did.
Gertie later told her niece that ‘nobody could take the place
of the one I lost.’ The letters that she kept take us back
to a time when feelings were written by hand, and safely
treasured in envelopes.
The castle and its grounds are still a site that inspires
romance – either in an intimate ceremony in the keep
or looking out to the horizon where the blues of sky and
sea merge into one. With the choice to celebrate in the
converted Royal Artillary Barracks overlooking the sea, or
in a marquee on the lawn, you’ve every chance to make the
most of the history rising around you and the views unfolding
before you.
PENDENNIS CASTLE FALMOUTH, CORNWALLCEREMONY: 120 | RECEPTION 1500
01326 310 106 / 01326 310 100 [email protected]
In this picturesque coastal Tudor castle you and your guests can enjoy views across a shimmering bay to distant ships passing on the horizon. Make your vows in the 450-year-old keep, toast your future on the headland lawns and entertain your guests in the banqueting rooms within a former Royal Artillary Barracks.
Kenilworth played a key part in a Tudor royal love story.
It’s the enduring testimony of the romantic gestures made
by a suitor to his queen. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester,
was a childhood friend of Elizabeth I and shared her passion
for riding and dancing. That he sought her hand in marriage
was no secret. In 1575, when Elizabeth came to stay at
Kenilworth, Dudley built a tower so that she could stay in
greatest comfort and designed a garden for her pleasure,
‘perfumed by sweet trees and flowers’. It was one of the
wonders of the Elizabethan age.
Romance still fills the air at Kenilworth, making it the
perfect setting for your own love story.
The garden has been re-created as it was in Elizabeth’s day,
while the grand scale ruins make a unique backdrop. As you
celebrate centuries on, you can imagine Dudley entertaining
his queen with feasting, music and dancing.
Your ceremony and reception take place in and around the
gatehouse, which stands beside a topiary-filled parterre
garden. You can use the 16th-century rooms for a highly
atmospheric setting, or set up a marquee on the lawn, from
which you can look out over the ruins into the countryside
beyond.
KENILWORTH CASTLE KENILWORTH, WARWICKSHIRECEREMONY: 120 | RECEPTION 300
0192 685 7482 [email protected]
These centuries-old ruins and their unique gardens are an inspiring setting for your wedding day. Once the home of Robert Dudley, who laid on lavish entertainments to woo Queen Elizabeth I, the castle can now be the stage for your love story. Make your vows in the Tudor gatehouse then continue celebrations in the stable building.
In the 18th-century Kenwood was home to William Murray,
1st Earl of Mansfield, once England’s most powerful judge.
As the Lord Chief Justice he had a long list of distinguished
figures to entertain. The house he bought in 1754 was a
relatively simple villa. The house it became was a grand
design. Carriages would sweep down the gravel drive,
unloading statesmen, artists and even royalty in front of
the house. Passing under a full-height pedimented portico
they would step into the entrance hall and begin a weekend
of fine dining, music and engaging conversation.
Holding your wedding day here you’ll feel ensconced in
greenery. With a ceremony in the Orangery, your guests
can overlook the clipped lawns that stretch down towards
two lakes.
Continue your celebrations with dinner in the Old Kitchen.
Once humming with the work of the cook and kitchen maids,
you can now dine surrounded by the old wooden dressers
and the cast-iron open range. Or, if you want to make the
most of the grounds, a marquee out in the Flower Garden
creates a memorable setting.
KENWOOD HAMPSTEAD, LONDONCEREMONY: 100 | RECEPTION 480
020 8348 1286 [email protected]
Set in the rolling hills of Hampstead Heath, Kenwood is a London venue that feels like it’s in the heart of the countryside. Green lawns and landscaped gardens spread out from the chalk white house. The 18th-century interiors, which include an orangery, give you a choice of rooms that are both romantic and elegant.
Nearly 500 years ago Henry VIII was vying for power in
Europe and the prospect of a French or Spanish attack
loomed on the horizon. The shoreline was restless with
the threat of invaders and pirates, prompting the king to
build a chain of fortresses along the south and east coast.
St Mawes was one of these castles.
Today the gentle curves of its clover-leaf shape give the
castle a unique charm. Clipped green grass encircles the
fortress and runs down to the rocks that stretch into the sea.
There’s an air of tranquillity, but the waves still froth with
tales of past adventures.
Lead your guests over the ancient bridge, through the
mighty arched doorway and into this stirring setting.
Within the curved walls of the castle are a number of
evocative rooms in which you can hold your ceremony
and reception. With a spiral stone staircase, window
alcoves and an ancient fireplace, the rooms’ features are
packed with character, creating both charm and intimacy.
Outside the charm continues. On the terrace, in the Little
Fort or from a marquee on the lawn, you and your guests
can take in the views out to sea. Drink in hand, guests can
explore the grounds down to the water or take photos
framed by the fortress.
ST MAWES CASTLE ST MAWES, CORNWALLCEREMONY: 100 | RECEPTION 200
01326 310 106 / 01326 310 100 [email protected]
With three circular ceremony and reception rooms, an outdoor terrace, tiered gardens and long-reaching views across Falmouth Bay, St Mawes Castle is the perfect setting for a coastal wedding. Lead your guests over the bridge into the 450-year-old castle for a wedding inside the castle or outside in the sheltered Little Fort.
The woman who attracted this attention was Henrietta
Howard, mistress of George II when Prince of Wales.
This was where she could retreat from the hurried lifestyle
of central London. Up in the Great Room, she held court
with her many intellectual admirers. Discussing the issues
of the day, guests would then enjoy music or dancing before
heading downstairs to dine and end the evening over cards,
backgammon and port.
Step into the home, surrounded by 66 acres of parkland,
and lead your guests into the Georgian era – sometimes
known as the age of elegance. Up in the Great Room
there’s still an unmistakable air of splendour.
Your guests can take their seats just as women in their
hooped petticoats and men in their powdered wigs did
300 years ago. Then you can lead them downstairs for
a reception in the strikingly designed Tetrastyle Hall.
Outside you can celebrate with one of London’s most elegant
mansions as your backdrop. Its perfectly proportioned white
exterior is an ideal frame for photographs, while the lawn
stretching down to the riverside is a memorable spot to
linger with a glass of champagne.
Marble Hill House was once the centre of fashionable society, with royal mistresses, poets and politicians passing through the doors. Amid the rustling of silk brocade dresses and the click of gentlemen’s heels were the whisperings of society secrets and the affairs of state.
MARBLE HILL HOUSE TWICKENHAM, LONDONCEREMONY: 40
020 8892 5115 [email protected]
Built by an Admiral who died at sea, lived in by royalty and
now home to the art collection of a 19th-century diamond
magnate, Ranger’s House is no stranger to glittering events.
In the mid 18th-century, this redbrick villa on the fringe of
Greenwich Park passed to Philip, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.
A diplomat and a politician, he was one of the foremost
men of his age, well-known for his love of art. In order to
display his paintings, Chesterfield set about building a gallery,
which became the centrepiece of the house.
In 1815 the house became the official home of the park’s
ranger. It was the ‘grace and favour’ home for a succession
of minor members of the royal family and distinguished
Crown servants.
Within elegant panelled interiors this treasure trove provides
a glittering backdrop for intimate occasions. Make your
vows in the lovely gallery surrounded by chandeliers,
statues and high bay windows flooding the room with light.
The charming walled garden provides a private space
where the wedding party can toast to the future either
within a marquee or in the garden itself in fine weather.
RANGERS HOUSE BLACKHEATH, LONDONCEREMONY: 80 | RECEPTION 100
0208 294 2577 [email protected]
On the fringes of Greenwich Park, this red brick 18th-century villa has over 700 pieces of Renaissance art. Filled with antique furnishings and paintings, the wood floored gallery is a remarkable space in which to say ‘I do’. There are further rooms to celebrate indoors or you can make use of the walled garden where a marquee adds another ‘room’ to the house.
Old Wardour Castle was built in an age when great lords
lived in luxury and laid on lavish hospitality. Inside this
remarkable six-sided castle its original owner, Lord Lovell, did
just that. Visitors arrived through Wiltshire downland to find
the castle tucked beside a hill and a picture of grandeur. As
they rode closer, their horses threading through orchards and
gardens, the castle turrets grew higher in front of them.
Inside, arched stone openings from the inner courtyard led
them into the castle. Meals were brought into the great hall
by a procession of waiters, as the windows, stretching two
storeys high, flooded the room with light.
Lords and ladies continued to dine in the castle for another
250 years until Civil War fighting left it ruined. But today
these ruins once again offer a spectacular setting for
entertaining guests. The towering façade with its soaring
windows and a single turret still rising from the wall, the
arched doorways and the open fireplaces all set the stage
for an unforgettable wedding day.
You can also hold your celebrations in the 18th-century
lakeside pavilion or out on the lawns. Surrounded by wooded
tumbling hillside and romanticised grounds with alcove seats
and even a grotto, the scenery offers a unique backdrop for
your ceremony and celebrations.
OLD WARDOUR CASTLE NR TISBURY, WILTSHIRECEREMONY: 60
0132 631 0100 [email protected]
Time-worn ruins wrapped in green woodland, Old Wardour Castle is steeped in charm. You can marry inside the medieval castle remains surrounded by stone arches and an ancient stairway, or in an 18th-century pavilion beside a lake. Make the most of the rolling landscape with a drinks reception and wedding photos out on the lawn.
For centuries, news could only be carried to and from
England by the wind and the waves. And the coastline
was the country’s lookout and first line of defence.
Portland Castle was built by Henry VIII in the mid-16th
century to fulfil just that purpose and guard against invasion.
Spending nearly £5,000 on it, perhaps about £5,000,000
in modern terms, the unusual fan-shaped castle had three
tiers of firepower.
Over the years, the sea carried with it both friends and
foes. The Spanish Armada clashed with the English fleet
off Portland Bill. Just over 350 years later Portland was the
main anti-submarine base in the Second World War and
HMS Osprey was the centre for underwater warfare and
detection.
Now you can set sail to your own adventures and the next
chapter of your life with a wedding at Portland. Entering the
castle under the royal coat of arms of King Charles II, you’ve
a choice of rooms for your ceremony – the warm Portland
stone walls provide snug surroundings for winter weddings
and a cool setting for sunny summer celebrations.
With a marquee site for a seafront wedding reception,
views from the Upper Gun Deck and a contemporary
heritage garden which reflects the different aspects of the
site, Portland Castle is the perfect venue for a unique
and unforgettable wedding.
PORTLAND CASTLE C ASTLETOWN, DORSETCEREMONY: 50 | RECEPTION 150
0132 631 0100 [email protected]
Standing right on the water’s edge, this unusual fan-shaped castle is a captivating wedding venue. Choose between two rooms in the 16th-century castle for your ceremony. In winter, your guests can gather with drinks around a log fire, in summer they can enjoy sea views across Portland Harbour from a marquee on the lawn.
Eight hundred years ago, Cistercian monks founded an
abbey known as ‘Flowering Valley’ deep in the Somerset
countryside. Here they lived and worked side by side.
They copied manuscripts by hand, listened to spiritual
readings in silence and chanted in candlelight. A ringing bell
would call them together for mealtimes and in winter they
would gather round the fire in the warming room. Outside,
the flowing stream brought power to the mill and the flock
of sheep provided wool for market.
Today, Cleeve Abbey is still a haven of peace and tranquillity.
The cloister buildings are the most impressively complete
in England. These stone surroundings, encased in green
countryside, create a remarkable setting on which you
can style a unique and memorable wedding day.
With a choice of five beautifully preserved rooms,
you could be making your vows against a backdrop of
arched windows, under soaring ceilings and watched
by wood-carved angels.
For summer weddings, take advantage of the cloister for
outdoor drinks and canapés, sheltered by the walls of the
monastic buildings. Or continue your celebrations in a
marquee on the abbey’s lawn.
CLEEVE ABBEY WASHFORD, SOMERSETCEREMONY: 100 | RECEPTION 100
0132 631 0100 [email protected]
Once known as ‘flowering valley’, the well-preserved ruins of Cleeve Abbey are surrounded by countryside and are invitingly atmospheric. An ancient tree dips over the stream that runs next to the abbey ruins and in the five rooms inside you’ll find vaulted ceilings, arched windows and stone pillars. Raise a toast within the cloisters or use a marquee for dinner and dancing.
The English Heritage Trust is a charity, no. 1140351, and a company, no. 07447221, registered in England.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/weddings
@EHHospitality
facebook.com/HospitalityandEvents
For details of English Heritage venues available to hire, please visit
Thank you for your support.
By choosing one of our historic sites for
your wedding day, you’re playing a vital role
in keeping the story of England alive.
