Countryside Charm at The Old Manor Hotel

Written by: louise

One of the best bits of my job is sharing hidden gems with you my gorgeous readers, and this one really is a beauty for any of you searching for the perfect country venue with heaps of charm. The Old Manor Hotel is an historic former farmhouse nestled in the Wiltshire countryside near Bath. This gorgeous venue dates back as far as the Doomsday book and it's so easy to see why current owners Tudor & Lucy Hopkins (and Camber the dog!) fell in love with it!

A few weeks ago Mr B and I were invited to experience it for ourselves, a welcome trip out of the city to the stunning countryside on one of the hottest summer weekends! A huge thank you to Rachel from Rachel Jane Photography for joining us to take these beautiful images.

Arriving at The Old Manor Hotel on a sweltering summer's afternoon we were warmly welcomed by the team and given a tour of the venue by owner Tudor. Having taken over the hotel last summer, moving from another successful wedding venue on the coast, it was lovely to chat about his vision and plans for the venue and discover Tudor and Lucy's excitement and passion for the future. Overlooking four acres of pastures and wildflower meadows, The Old Manor Hotel is a quintessentially English choice with a relaxed, homely style. Having opened their gorgeous new Greenhouse marquee wedding venue this summer, they are now currently lovingly restoring the hotel back to it's original Queen Anne style.

On the weekend we visited, they were hosting a wedding open day for a handful of interested engaged couples, a really lovely intimate way for couples to experience the venue looking super pretty and to sample the delicious menu! The marquee was set for a wedding with vintage pretty bottles of wild flowers and informal linens creating a charming country look. Accommodating up to 150 guests, the marquee overlooks the pretty gardens and is equipped with a wood burning stove for year-round celebrations! Overlooking the pretty gardens, and with beautiful wooden floors and rustic furniture provided the marquee is the perfect blank canvas for you to introduce your own wedding style. With banquet tables, the food can be served family-style on farmhouse platters, a formal three-course or even a quaint afternoon tea (love that!). Catered by the hotel's own restaurant, The Milking Parlour, with head chef Matthew Briddon (formerly at River Café) creating menu's using local produce with many ingredients grown on the grounds themselves!

Within the pretty walled garden grows vegetables, herbs and salads all used in the kitchens as well as fruit from the surrounding orchard trees. They keep their own bees on the edges of the pastures, producing honey flavoured by the local wildflowers, free-range chickens and rare breed pigs (which arrived just after we left) which will also provide ingredients for the restaurant. For our stay, Matthew created a tasting menu starting with Kentucky-fried chicken scratchings (yummiest thing ever!) and the most amazing charcuterie board with meats smoked in their own smoker, followed by locally reared rack of lamb with home grown vegetables and a sweet & sticky treacle tart with creamy ice cream perfectly finishing off the meal. Dinner was served in The Milking Parlour, an original farm building which is now filled with comfy vintage furniture and is licensed for weddings.

Each of the 21 bedrooms is beautifully furnished with antiques and crisp white linen, the show stopper being the honeymoon suite with it's four-poster bed stealing the show! The bathroom is pretty impressive too, with a bath plenty big enough for two for some post-wedding relaxation!

Our lasting memory is one of wonderful hospitality; friendly staff, home comforts and a wonderful sense of relaxation. For any couple seeking a country wedding venue with heaps of history and traditional details, yet informal, unstuffy and relaxing The Old Manor Hotel may just be your perfect choice!

Categories: supplier spotlight, travel & honeymoons · Tags: bath wedding venue, fine art photography, minimoon, rachel jane photography, review, the old manor hotel, wedding venue, wiltshire wedding venue