Fennes is a Georgian manor house in 100 acres of countryside at Bocking, near Braintree in Essex. It hosts weddings, functions and conferences, private celebrations and Christmas parties, with a banqueting hall that seats up to 500 guests and exclusive use of the facilities.
Seminars and company events
The site lists corporate events, team building, special events, celebrations, Christmas parties, outdoor events and retreats under its corporate and events menu. Its enquiry form offers a function or conference option, so organisers can request a business date alongside the wedding calendar. The pages we read give no meeting equipment list or daytime delegate rates, so ask for the technical details when you inquire.
The owners state that exclusive use of all facilities is guaranteed, which means your group is the only one on the estate on the day.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings have been the core activity since 1995, and the venue reports more than 5,000 events. Ceremonies can take place in several licensed rooms, in the banqueting hall, in the chandelier-lit Pavilion, or outdoors under a licensed gazebo in the grounds. A wedding and events manager follows each couple from planning to the day. The site also offers twilight weddings, last-minute weddings, woodland weddings, same-sex marriages and a dry hire option for multicultural weddings.
Rooms and capacities
The Banqueting Hall seats up to 500 guests. The Pavilion, a marquee-style room with lights and chandeliers, holds 150. The Drawing Room and the Dining Room each hold 30, and suit intimate meals, buffets or small gatherings. Further rooms are listed on the site as ceremony, drinks reception and reception rooms, and a capacities and plans page is available.
Accommodation
The pages we read describe the Honeymoon Cottage, with a four-poster bed, as the on-site stay for a couple. The site also has a House Rooms page, but the number of bedrooms is not given in the text we read. Braintree is five minutes away by car for guests who stay in town.
Catering
Catering is prepared by the in-house team using locally sourced ingredients. The offer covers canapés, wedding breakfasts, world buffets, hog roasts and an evening feast. For wakes and celebrations of life, the venue offers afternoon tea, finger buffets and light lunches, with exclusive-use hire included in the catering packages. Bartenders serve wines, champagne and cocktails.
History and setting
The manor is a Georgian house with high ceilings and spacious rooms, surrounded by gardens, a woodland, meadows and lakes. A history page on the site tells the story of the house.
Getting there
Fennes is on Fennes Road, Bocking, Braintree, Essex CM7 5PL, on a private drive. The center of Braintree is five minutes away by car and Chelmsford is about 30 minutes away.
