Powderham Castle hosts conferences, seminars, training days, presentations, private parties and weddings, with State Rooms for up to 120 guests and grounds that take marquees. The castle stands on the west bank of the River Exe, close to Exeter in Devon, and has been the home of the Courtenay family, Earls of Devon, since 1391.
Seminars and company events
The State Rooms serve for large conferences as well as small seminars, meetings, presentations and training days. Several rooms can also be hired for indoor functions, from a small gathering to a large dinner. Beyond the house, Powderham is one of the busiest greenfield event sites in the South West of England. For five decades it has staged concerts by artists such as Sir Elton John, Sir Tom Jones and Coldplay, along with classic car shows, food and garden festivals and sporting events, and its event grounds can be hired for large outdoor productions.
Weddings and receptions
Powderham holds four licensed venues for ceremonies, inside the State Rooms and outdoors. Couples can say their vows in the Music Room, the State Dining Room or the Libraries, in the Belvedere tower, on the Rose Terrace or in the American Garden, a wooded glade with a garden pavilion. The Barn suits a relaxed wedding, with a garden for outdoor seating and lawn games next to it and the lake a few steps away. Marquees can go up in the Deer Park, at the Belvedere or in the castle gardens. The venue is dog friendly.
Rooms and capacities
The Music Room, the largest State Room, was added by the 9th Earl of Devon for his parties and performances. A concealed door links it to the Libraries, which is why it is also called the Secret Ballroom. It seats 120 for a ceremony or dinner. The State Dining Room, a Victorian addition with linenfold oak paneling and a gilded family tree, takes 80 for a ceremony or 60 for a banquet, with a minstrels' gallery for a band or harpist. The Libraries, with tall windows over the Deer Park and the Rose Terrace, hold 70 for a ceremony or 90 for dinner. The Belvedere Garden takes a marquee for receptions of up to 90.
Accommodation
Bedrooms in the castle can only be booked together with a hire of the castle, for a wedding, a function or a private party. The Honeymoon Suite sits in the clock tower, with a bay window over the estuary and the park. Further bedrooms range from doubles to super kings, some with four-poster beds, with en-suite or shared bathrooms. Cots and high chairs are available for families. On the estate, the Old School House is a self-catering cottage with five bedrooms.
Catering
Several catering options are offered to guests staying overnight, from a cooked breakfast served in the room to a continental buffet in the State Dining Room.
History and setting
The Courtenay family has lived at Powderham since 1391, and the house records more than seven centuries of family history. The 18th-century Belvedere, built as a ballroom and banqueting house, overlooks the estate and the estuary; restoration of its roof and structure allowed it to reopen after more than 60 years. The Barn has served as a tennis court, a wartime newspaper printing press and a riding school.
Getting there
The castle is at Kenton, near Exeter, Devon EX6 8JQ, a short drive from the city.
