Stradsett Hall, a family-run stately home near Downham Market in Norfolk, offers four licensed venues for civil ceremonies and receptions: the Rose Garden, the Orangery, the dining room of the Hall and the Old Stables. Any combination can be booked. The Old Stables take up to 80 seated or 100 standing, and the Orangery and the Hall each take up to 60. Marquees can be set up on the lawn, in the park or by the lake.
Weddings and receptions
The estate describes four wedding venues and says couples can tailor the day by combining them. Outdoor ceremonies take place in the Rose Garden and on the Orangery lawn. Indoor options are the Orangery and the formal dining room of the Hall. The Old Stables are the cosier, barn-style alternative. Woodland and lakeside weddings can also be arranged, and so can finishes after midnight and moonlight ceremonies. Guests of all ages are welcome, and children's activities such as puppet shows, magicians and lawn games can be arranged on request.
For marquee receptions, the estate recommends local suppliers who work within a range of budgets and sizes. Locations include the lawn, the park and the lakeside, and some can run past midnight by special arrangement. Top Hat marquees are available for smaller events. The estate does not charge corkage or commission on outside suppliers, and couples may bring their own professional suppliers.
Rooms and capacities
The Orangery, the original Victorian glasshouse filled with citrus and jasmine, takes weddings and private events of up to 60 guests, with open-air seating on the lawn if wanted. It can be set with a long table for 26. The Hall's formal dining room, hung with portraits of the Bagge baronets, takes between 30 and 60 guests and is licensed for civil ceremonies. The Old Stables, dating from 1886, are licensed for civil ceremonies and take 100 standing or 80 seated, with a beamed ceiling and floating candle lanterns. The Rose Garden, with over 400 English roses, is licensed for outdoor ceremonies, and the estate says parties of all sizes can be accommodated.
Catering
The estate recommends caterers but does not require them. There is no corkage or commission.
History and setting
The foundations of the Hall date back a thousand years. The estate is the ancestral home of the Bagge baronets and includes a working farm, the medieval church of St. Mary the Virgin and a park created by J. C. Loudon. The showground in the park also hosts large country events with 4,000 to 20,000 visitors.
Getting there
The Hall is at Stradsett, Norfolk PE33 9HA. By train it is about 90 minutes from London King's Cross to Downham Market, then 5 minutes by car. King's Lynn is 10 minutes away and Norwich an hour. Contact the estate office on 07342 044 264 or at events@stradsett.com.
