Conferences for up to 950 seated delegates, private dinners, drinks receptions and wedding receptions can be held in the buildings of Westminster School, next to Westminster Abbey in central London. Westminster School Enterprise hires out twelve indoor and outdoor spaces, from rooms of the medieval monastery to the art deco Lawrence Hall, which seats 950 and holds 1,200 standing.
Seminars and company events
Conferences, exhibitions and meetings are spread across several halls. Lawrence Hall is the largest, with a stage, audiovisual equipment, a projector, breakout rooms and changing rooms. Millicent Fawcett Hall, the Manoukian Music Centre, Bentham and the Lecture Room host conferences and meetings, while Boult and Camden combine meetings with private dining and drinks. Vincent Square, the school's sports field, adds corporate cricket matches and team-building days. Spaces are mainly available during school holidays, half terms and exeat weekends; term-time hire is possible only in exceptional cases. Bookings should be made at least six months ahead, there is no minimum number of guests and events end by 11pm.
Weddings and receptions
Wedding receptions are offered in School, in Ashburnham Garden and on Vincent Square. School, the former monks' dormitory, seats 350, or 160 with a dance floor and bar area. Ashburnham Garden lies within the walls of the old monastery refectory. The site lists receptions rather than ceremonies, so couples should confirm whether a ceremony can take place.
Rooms and capacities
School takes 350 seated or standing and has a stage, a grand piano, a projector, blackout blinds and lift access. Lawrence Hall seats 950 and holds 1,200 standing, with step-free access and an accessible restroom. The Library Drawing Room in Ashburnham House, with fireplaces and chandeliers, is used for drinks receptions, and Gibbon for meetings and private dinners. Vincent Square has a two-story pavilion with a terrace, a wood-paneled room with a fireplace, a galley kitchen and accessible parking. Capacities for the other rooms appear in the venue layout brochure.
Catering
The school's caterer, Lodestone House, works all year and covers drinks receptions, barbecues and fine dining. Approved suppliers for catering, florists, photography and furniture hire are listed for each space. Outside suppliers are accepted but must provide two venue references, public liability insurance, fire safety compliance and a top food hygiene rating.
History and setting
Westminster School is the only long-established school still on its original site in central London. It grew from a charity school run by the Benedictine monks of Westminster Abbey and has existed since at least the early 14th century. Henry VIII secured its future after the dissolution of the monasteries, and Elizabeth I is honored as its foundress. School served as the schoolroom for the whole school from 1599 to 1884. Boult stands on the site of the monastery's great kitchen of the 1060s, and Camden and Gibbon belong to Ashburnham House, first built around 1380. Lawrence Hall was built from 1925 to 1928 by Easton and Robertson.
Getting there
The enterprise office is at 17 Dean's Yard, London SW1P 3PB, beside Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Parking in Dean's Yard is not available except in exceptional cases, so guests should come by public transport; Westminster and St James's Park Underground stations are a short walk away. Vincent Square lies in Pimlico.
