Woodhill Hall hosts weddings of up to 110 guests for the ceremony and parties of up to 150 in its tepees, and it also takes corporate events, retreats and private celebrations. The house stands on a 100-acre private estate at Otterburn, in Northumberland, and has 18 bedrooms for overnight guests.
Seminars and company events
The venue lists conferences, team-building retreats, product launches and gala dinners among the events it organizes outside weddings. Each project is quoted individually after a viewing, and the in-house team prepares the catering to the brief. A group can combine a working day in the house with a dinner in the Orangery and a night in the bedrooms, which suits leadership retreats that need some distance from the city. Woodhill also runs seasonal seven-course tasting dinners, called Wild Wood, and can cater private parties.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are the core business here, and have been since 2009. The Olive House is licensed for civil ceremonies and partnerships for up to 110 guests, with 24-foot ceilings and wide views over the grounds. Ceremonies can also take place outdoors, on the terrace or in the woodland. Drinks receptions move to the courtyard, which has its own hidden bar, before the wedding breakfast in the Orangery. The evening party continues in the triple tepee. Packages are all-inclusive for food and drink and include a late bar and a music license.
Rooms and capacities
The Olive House takes up to 110 guests for a ceremony. The Orangery, recently extended, is used for the wedding breakfast and seated dinners. The triple tepee and its bar hold the evening party, with a stated capacity of up to 150 guests. Outdoor areas include the Panoramic Terrace, the Walled Garden, the Elephant Courtyard and a Secret Courtyard. The floorplan also shows a library, a dining room and a garden room inside the hall.
Accommodation
The hall has 18 bedrooms that sleep up to 36 guests. Stays include a full English breakfast and an 11 a.m. checkout. Recent work added two bedrooms and a new outbuilding, the Love Shack.
Catering
Food is prepared on site under chef Paul Amer and covers canapés, the main meal and evening food. Drinks packages are arranged by the venue, so there is no need to bring in an outside caterer.
History and setting
The hall dates from 1680, with a Victorian wing added in 1880. Only five families have owned it. The current owners, Corinne and Chris, bought it as their home in 1998 and opened it to weddings eleven years later. The estate runs along the River Rede and is managed with conservation in mind, with new hedgerows, woodland restoration and wildlife ponds.
Getting there
Woodhill Hall is at Otterburn, postcode NE19 1JX, in rural Northumberland north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne. Most guests arrive by car, and the team can advise on transport for larger groups.
