English Heritage Venue Hire 2023

Page 1

VENUE HIRE

WEDDINGS

CORPORATE EVENTS & PRIVATE PARTIES

HIRE A VENUE WITH HISTORY

English Heritage cares for hundreds of historic sites across the country – and we’re delighted to offer you the chance to host your event at ten of our most special places.

You can hold a summertime party in the stunning grounds of Kenwood in Hampstead Heath, host a PR launch at the iconic London Wellington Arch or hold a family reunion hidden in our Georgian Pleasure Gardens at Wrest Park. And whether you’re organising an intimate affair for 20 guests or a marquee celebration for 500, our dedicated team will be on hand to make sure your event runs smoothly.

What’s more, by hosting your event with us, you’ll be directly contributing to the vital work of our charity. Whether it’s repairing medieval masonry, restoring historic gardens or welcoming hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren to explore our sites for free, you’ll be helping to keep the story of England alive for future generations to enjoy.

Please note prices and capacities are subject to change.

OUR VENUES

ELTHAM PALACE

Once the childhood home of Henry VIII, Eltham Palace was transformed in the 1930s into one of England’s most remarkable homes. With astonishing art deco interiors and restored original features, it’s a masterpiece of modern design with a unique medieval twist.

You can make use of two distinctive rooms in the house, each of which lead out to the gardens.

The circular Entrance Hall features elegant curving staircase, a glass domed ceiling and striking marquetry, while the grand medieval Great Hall, with its Minstrel’s Gallery and soaring hammerbeam roof, provides a spectacular setting for any occasion.

Available spaces

Entrance Hall – Up to 100 guests

Great Hall – Up to 200 guests

Prices from £8,950

“Sam and I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work and ensuring that we never felt any stress leading up to the day or on the day itself. We had a wonderful day and we know everyone else did too!”

Ellie and Sam, Eltham Palace

KENWOOD

Set amid rolling parkland on the edge of Hampstead Heath, Kenwood is a country house venue within easy reach of the city. Its breathtaking interiors are matched by stunning city views and a world-class collection of masterpieces by some of history’s finest artists.

The Music Room is lined with rich colours and grand Georgian portraits, making a fine option for corporate events. Throughout May, from Thursday to Saturday, you can book our stunning marquees complete with the essentials like flooring, lighting, furniture and toilets. You just need to arrange your own catering and add your own personal touches and decorations.

Available spaces

Music Room – Up to 50 guests (Corporate events only)

Marquee hire on the Kitchen Garden – Up to 200 guests

Prices from £3,950

“We had an amazing day, and I know our guests did too. The staff at Kenwood were all so friendly and helpful at all times, not just throughout the day but also at the end of the evening and the following morning, when we were respectively stowing and retrieving bits and bobs.”

Nik and Anjali, Kenwood

RANGER’S HOUSE

Available for wedding ceremonies, photo shoots and filming.

This handsome red-brick mansion was built for an 18th-century naval captain and later became the ‘grace and favour’ home of the Rangers of Greenwich Park – an honorary title granted to minor royals and distinguished servants of the Crown. Today it’s home to an incredible collection of rare and unusual Renaissance artworks.

The Long Gallery, with its fine bay windows and antique furnishings, is an elegant space suitable for beautifully intimate ceremonies.

Available space

Long Gallery – Up to 80 guests

Prices from £3,950

WELLINGTON ARCH

Available for corporate events, private parties, photo shoots and filming.

This monumental gateway to Constitution Hill is one of London’s best-known landmarks. Originally designed to form an outer entrance to Buckingham Palace and later used to commemorate the Duke of Wellington, today it’s home to contemporary rooms which open out onto viewing galleries offering magnificent views of the central London skyline.

Throughout the year the interior at Wellington Arch is updated with new art exhibitions and displays, creating a fresh backdrop for every season.

Available space

Upper Quadriga Gallery – Up to 80 guests

Prices from £3,950

“I just wanted to write and ask you to thank the members of the Wellington Arch team. Everyone was absolutely charming, polite, helpful and the party was a great success. Everyone loved the venue and we were lucky that the rain stopped and people could go outside and enjoy the views.”

Grace, Wellington Arch

CLIFFORD’S TOWER

Available for corporate events only.

Standing proudly atop a tall grassy mound, Clifford’s Tower is the sole surviving remnant of the once-mighty York Castle and an icon of the city. It was founded in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest and remained in use for many centuries as a stronghold, a storehouse and a prison.

A dramatic contemporary building now sits within the shell of the medieval tower, with new walkways and staircases leading to a roof deck and unrivalled views across the centre of York.

Available spaces

Roof Deck – Up to 120 guests

Tower Floor – Up to 120 guests

Prices from £3,950

OLD WARDOUR CASTLE

Available for ceremonies, photo shoots and filming.

The time-worn ruins of Old Wardour Castle can be found deep in fine, wooded Wiltshire countryside. Built as a luxurious medieval home, in the 16th century, Old Wardour was updated with the latest fashions and regarded as a ‘wonder of the west’, but it was badly damaged during the Civil War. Later, it was incorporated into the Georgian pleasure grounds of nearby New Wardour Castle.

The Castle Room is a simple, unadorned space inside the medieval keep, while the Pavilion is a bright and airy mock-Gothic Georgian building with wonderful views of the lake.

The central exterior courtyard is a perfect space for drinks receptions or a relaxed post ceremony picnic. The green open grounds surrounding the castle offer a stunning backdrop for any special occasion photo shoot.

Old Wardour Castle is available for exclusive hire.

Available spaces

Castle Room – Up to 64 guests

Pavilion – Up to 64 guests

Prices from £3,950

“We just wanted to say a massive thank you. It really couldn’t have been a more perfect day. You helped everything run so smoothly, and all our friends and family commented how wonderful you all were at getting stuck in and helping with everything.”

Dan and Martin, Old Wardour Castle

OSBORNE

With its grand Italianate mansion, colourful formal gardens and far-reaching views out across the Solent, Osborne was the beloved seaside home of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their nine children.

For events at Osborne, you can hire the delightful Durbar Lawn next to the house, which was often used by Queen Victoria when hosting summertime balls. This lawn is perfect for marquee events, allowing you and your guests to truly appreciate the backdrop of the house and the wider estate of Osborne.

Available spaces

The Durbar Lawn, grounds hire for marquee – Up to 300 guests

Prices from £9,950

“We could not have chosen a more perfect setting for our wedding day than Osborne. Absolutely a stunning house and gardens but with a real difference to any other venue we looked at with its unique position by the sea. The staff and Osborne along with all the suppliers truly made a day to remember. Thank you.”

Mr and Mrs Orme, Osborne

PENDENNIS CASTLE

Built on the orders of Henry VIII to protect England’s southern shores, picture-perfect Pendennis Castle offers sweeping views over the Roseland Peninsular, the Fal Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. For centuries the fortress rang with the sounds of soldiers on the lookout for enemy ships on the horizon, and today it’s a far more peaceful reminder of our island’s turbulent past.

The Edwardian Royal Artillery Barracks provide converted, contemporary rooms for corporate events, while the Lower Gun Room, with its stout stone walls and carved Tudor coat of arms, is an atmospheric space in the very heart of the Tudor keep.

Available spaces

Lower Gun Room – Up to 120 guests (Wedding ceremonies only)

Edwardian Royal Artillery Barracks – Up to 120 guests (Corporate events only)

Prices from £2,950

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for helping us pull off such an amazing wedding day! Everything was perfect.”

Sammy and Anthony, Pendennis Castle

TYNEMOUTH CASTLE AND PRIORY

Available for wedding blessings, receptions, photo shoots and filming.

Soaring ruins combined with spectacular coastal scenery make Tynemouth Castle and Priory an unforgettable venue for marquee events.

Once a rich and powerful medieval monastery, Tynemouth Priory was transformed into a Tudor fortress by Henry VIII. Its defences were updated throughout the centuries, and it played a key role in protecting the Tyne during the First and Second World Wars.

Due to this being an outdoor hire space, Tynemouth Priory and Castle is available for hire from April to October.

Available space

Grounds hire for marquee wedding – Up to 300 guests

Intimate outdoor ceremonies at the chapel – Up to 40 guests

Prices from £4,950

“We had the most fabulous day at Tynemouth. We had always said ‘wouldn’t it be amazing to get married there’ and from the moment we enquired to the end of our amazing day it was seamless.”

Emily and Alex, Tynemouth Priory and Castle

WREST PARK

At Wrest Park, stunning historic gardens and acres of peaceful parkland are crowned by a honey-coloured, French-style house and a magnificent baroque pavilion.

Inside the house, a series of richly decorated rooms feature gilded fireplaces, painted ceilings and sumptuous wallpaper. A short walk from the house is the Orangery – once home to the largest orange trees in England, and now a bright and airy space for entertaining.

On select dates throughout June and September, you can book our stunning Pavilion Marquee situated at the Petit Trianon Lawn, complete with flooring, lighting, furniture, toilets and bar. You just need to arrange your own catering and add your own personal touches and decorations.

Available spaces

Library – Up to 100 guests

Dining room – Up to 60 guests

Drawing room – Up to 60 guests

Orangery – Up to 170 guests

Marquees – Up to 450 guests

Prices from £3,950

“Thank you so much for everything you did for our wedding. Words can’t explain how happy and perfect the day was for us! Everything was so seamless and flowed so well on the day. We had the wedding of our dreams. All the suppliers worked so well together - perfectly orchestrated by yourselves and we will be forever appreciative of that. What a venue! What a day!”

Molly and Matt, Wrest Park

STONEHENGE

Available for corporate events, private parties, photo shoots and filming.

Stonehenge is a true icon of England. Built over 4,500 years ago, it sits at the centre of a vast ritual landscape dotted with earthworks, barrows and ancient avenues. Its enormous sarsen stones still trace the journey of the sun across the sky throughout the year, and it stands as a powerful testament to human ingenuity, imagination, and creativity.

Available for exclusive hire just once a month, you can have this world-famous stone circle all to yourself for unforgettable early morning small events, proposals and photo shoots. You can also hold receptions in the elegant contemporary visitor centre, with catering options ranging from hot drinks and breakfast sandwiches to pastries and champagne picnics.

Available spaces

Stone circle – Up to 20 guests

Prices from £2,250

YOUR DAY

WEDDINGS

We’re delighted to be able to host unique and unforgettable weddings at the spectacular historic sites in our care.

Whether you’re planning an intimate ceremony, an extravagant celebration or something in between, when you choose to hold your wedding at an English Heritage site you’re guaranteed that your big day will go do down in history.

When you hold your wedding with us, you get the flexibility to tailor-make the day of your dreams.

There are no in-house caterers or set decorations – instead, you get to choose from a range of trusted, high-quality suppliers who understand how to protect the historic fabric of our sites.

Our experienced team will also be on hand to help guide you through the process of planning your perfect day.

Sites available for weddings:

Some of our other, smaller sites are available for ceremonies. Get in touch to find out more.

Eltham Palace page 4

Kenwood page 5

Ranger’s House page 6

Old Wardour Castle page 9

Osborne page 10

Pendennis Castle page 11

Tynemouth Castle and Priory page 12

Wrest Park page 13

“We just wanted to say another huge thank you for helping to organise the best day of our lives. We’re so happy we got to share it with you. It ran so incredibly smoothly, and it was all because of you.”

Images clockwise from top left Tynemouth Castle and Priory, Eltham Palace, the terrace at Wrest Park, the gardens at Wrest Park, Osborne, Pendennis Castle.

Mr and Mrs Benson

CORPORATE EVENTS

AND PRIVATE PARTIES

From wedding anniversaries to birthday parties, and from product launches to drinks receptions, our historic venues offer flexible settings for a wide range of events and occasions. You can host a banquet in a medieval great hall, dance under the stars in formal gardens or entertain clients in one of London’s most iconic buildings. Whatever the occasion, our experienced team will be on hand to help you plan your event at every step.

Our simple approach gives you the flexibility to plan your ideal event. There are no in-house caterers or set decorations – instead, you get to choose from a range of trusted, high-quality suppliers who understand how to protect the historic fabric of our sites.

Sites available for parties and corporate hire:

Eltham Palace page 4

Kenwood page 5

Wellington Arch page 7

Clifford’s Tower page 8

Osborne page 10

Pendennis Castle page 11

Wrest Park page 13

“I just wanted to thank you and your team on behalf of myself and my parents for a fantastic evening last night. The evening ran very smoothly, and all the guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout.”

Sarah and family

Images clockwise from top left Eltham Palace, Pendennis Castle, Wrest Park, Clifford’s Tower, Kenwood, Wellington Arch.
Please contact us for more information hospitality@english-heritage.org.uk
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.