Chawton House in Hampshire hires out historic rooms by the hour for private lunches, team meetings and small celebrations, and larger spaces for receptions, corporate events and weddings of 50 to 100 guests. The house is near Alton and is run by a charity, Chawton House Library, dedicated to early women's writing. Each booking is priced individually by the hire team.
Seminars and company events
The events offer is built around small rooms for team meetings and private lunches, and around larger spaces for parties, receptions and corporate events. A single room can be hired for a simple gathering, or several can be combined. The small rooms are not set up as conventional conference rooms, but Wi-Fi and power are available. Hire is possible during opening hours, when the other areas of the house stay in use and staff manage access to your room, and when the house is closed, subject to availability and staffing. The hire team is reachable at hire@chawtonhouse.org.
Weddings and receptions
Chawton House does not sell fixed packages and has no full-time wedding coordinator. Couples assemble their own team of suppliers and stage the chosen space as they wish, within basic guidelines for preserving the heritage environment. The house will not hold another wedding for at least a week on either side of the date, so the couple has the house to itself. The house is licensed to host the ceremony and to serve drinks at the reception. Groups of 50 to 100 guests are directed to the weddings page.
Rooms and capacities
The smaller rooms listed with capacities are the Cross Room, an attic room at the top of the staircase with views over the gardens, for up to 15 people; the Billiards Room, for 12 to 14, with a small kitchen with a fridge, a sink and tea and coffee facilities; the Maids' Sitting Room, a panelled room for 10; and the Smoking Room, also panelled, for 10. Tables and chairs are provided in the larger rooms, and glassware, linen, crockery and cutlery can be added for a modest fee.
Catering
The Old Kitchen Tearoom provides light lunches, afternoon teas, drinks and snacks. Dinners and bespoke menus may be possible by special arrangement. You may also arrange your own food and drink.
Accommodation
The site lists accommodation in the area and a stay in The North Wing. The pages read give no bedroom numbers.
History and setting
Chawton House is a manor house with a library of early women's writing, a garden and parkland. It is open to visitors on some days, so check how your hire fits with opening hours.
Getting there
The house is at Chawton, near Alton in Hampshire. The visit pages include directions and local accommodation.
