Layer Marney Tower hosts company meetings, conferences, away days, weddings and parties for up to 200 seated guests and 250 at an evening reception, across Tudor buildings and 120 acres of grounds near Colchester in Essex. The site is built around what it describes as the tallest Tudor gatehouse in England, with views over the Blackwater Estuary.
Seminars and company events
Three large spaces, the Long Gallery, the Essex Barn and the Corsellis Room, can be hired separately or together. Smaller conference rooms, private dining rooms, sitting rooms and a private cinema suit smaller groups and breakout sessions. The garden opens directly from the Long Gallery and the barn. Outdoors, the estate runs outward-bound activities and other group pursuits, with changing rooms and a fire pit for barbecues. Catering is planned with the client, from arrival coffee with or without pastries to a finger buffet, bowl food or a seated lunch of two or three courses, adapted to the budget.
Weddings and receptions
Rooms in the house are licensed for civil ceremonies, and the parish church stands within the grounds, so couples can choose a civil or a religious service. Drinks are served in the gardens, and the wedding breakfast and evening party take place in the barn. The de Zoete bridal suite is a short walk across the courtyard. Couples choose their own band, florist, photographer and other suppliers, with a list of recommended names, while fireworks go through a set provider. The venue says it has hosted weddings for more than 25 years and offers its own wedding transport, including a red Routemaster bus.
Rooms and capacities
The Long Gallery runs the length of the upper floor of the main Tudor range, behind the gatehouse towers. It seats 180 for a ceremony and 140 at tables, and takes 200 for an informal reception. It has high ceilings, two chandeliers, wood panelling, a sprung oak floor, a Jacobean fireplace, a grand staircase and ramp access. The barn seats 200 and takes 250 for an evening reception, with exposed beams, York stone floors, underfloor heating, a sound system, a radio microphone and a drop-down projector screen, and opens onto the courtyard and garden. The Corsellis Room and Tuke's Chamber are also offered for ceremonies and events.
Accommodation
Six glamping tents in the woods have real beds, running water and proper toilets. An apartment in one of the Tudor buildings sleeps two.
History and setting
The tower was built for Henry Marney, 1st Lord Marney, Lord Privy Seal to Henry VIII, as a show of his wealth and rank. The venue notes that Henry VIII and Elizabeth I both walked its buildings. The house opens to visitors on set days in spring and summer, with a tearoom.
Getting there
The tower is at Layer Marney, CO5 9US, about a mile off the B1022 road between Colchester and Maldon, 6 miles from Colchester and 9 miles from Maldon.
