Brinsop Court

I recently attended a wedding at Brinsop Court Manor House in Hereford and thought I would write an article about this dog friendly wedding venue. I was booked to look after Winnie the Cockapoo at the wedding of Catrin & Elly. I got to see the venue in some detail from the morning until around 5pm when I left with Winnie to stay in a nearby dog friendly hotel for the night.

Brinsop Court History

There are a number of buildings within the Brinsop Court estate but the oldest is the Grade I listed main Manor House which dates from the 14th century. It was extended in the 16th and 17th centuries and has undergone numerous renovations. It has had many different owners over the years with the Dansey family owning it for the longest time (over 500 years). The current owners are Martin & Pat Churchward who took ownership in 2005 and turned it into the events venue it is today. The estate is 800 acres in total complete with a moat. The image at the top of this article is a view from the rear of the Manor House. Another image below shows the Manor House courtyard.

As well as the historic Manor House, other buildings include The Knot Barn, a rustic oak barn completed in 2020 which is often used for parts of a wedding day. For this particular wedding, the ceremony would take place outdoors but the wedding breakfast took place inside The Knot Barn.

Brinsop Court Weddings

Being such a large venue there are many indoor and outdoor locations where a couple can have their wedding ceremony at Brinsop Court. These include:

• Elizabethan Library – Brinsop Court Manor House. One of the smaller rooms for a wedding ceremony but still suitable for a wedding party of 94 guests. A combination of dark wood and books, this room doesn’t get as much natural light from the windows as some of the other rooms.
• The Banqueting Hall – Brinsop Court Manor House. Suitable for up to 120 guests this is a popular option for a number of reasons. This 12th century room comes with vaulted ceilings and candles for a very romantic option.
• The Knot Barn. Much more modern which is suitable for ceremonies up to 250 guests. Often this barn is used instead for the wedding breakfast where it can typically cater for up to 180 guests.
• The Courtyard – Brinsop Court Manor House. In the centre of the Manor House is the Courtyard which can seat up to 150 guests. The ceremony would take place under the central pergola. An outdoor venue but quite protected from wind with the Manor House on all 4 sides.
• Wordsworth Lawn. Surrounded by the moat and to the right of the Manor House as you view it from the front, this outdoor location is suitable for up to 180 guests but can work well for much smaller ceremonies as well.
• Cricket Pitch Lawn. Located to the rear of Brinsop Court Manor House and running its full width, this large lawn can be used for a wedding ceremony of up to 500 guests. For the wedding I attended this lawn was where drinks and canapés were served after the ceremony and before the wedding breakfast. It was also used for outdoor garden games and was a great place to walk Winnie as well.
• Woodland Ceremony. Another outdoor ceremony option could be to use the venue’s woods. Suitable for up to 180 guests I would imagine a couple must really want to use a woodland setting to pick this option as it is further away from the main estate than the other options listed above.
• The Astley Pergola. Suitable for up to 200 guests this seems to offer a great compromise between an outdoor and indoor ceremony. At outdoor setting but covered to protect against the chance of a rain shower.

There are also a couple of local churches that a couple can use for the ceremony should they want a traditional church wedding and return to Brinsop Court Manor House for the remainder of the festivities.

Overnight accommodation

Another strong point about having your wedding at Brinsop Court is the fact that they have plenty of overnight accommodation so you and your guests do not need to arrange taxis to local hotels, B&B’s etc. The Manor House has a total of 18 bedrooms split between the ground floor and first floor. Fifteen of the bedrooms are superkings and three bedrooms are singles, sleeping a total of 33 people. This capacity can be increased by hiring extra z-beds and you can also hire 4 cots for guests with very young children.

Brinsop Court also has a glamping site and two self catering cottages which can be hired at additional cost. The glamping site looked very good and speaking to guests it was very comfortable. Naturally the glamping is better suited to summer weddings. My understanding is that the cottages are dog friendly but not located within the grounds of Brinsop Court. They also state that dogs can’t be on the furniture or be in the bedrooms. Those who want to have their dog attend the wedding can speak to Brinsop Court to clarify the situation regarding whether dogs can stay overnight. In the case of the wedding I attended a local pet friendly Travelodge was booked where I looked after Winnie the night of the wedding.

Summary

Brinsop Court Manor House is an impressive wedding venue and looking at their reviews others share my opinion! It really has lots of options for your ceremony and plenty of space for your guests to relax and enjoy the occasion and the venue. For those looking for a dog friendly wedding venue in Herefordshire I would recommend including Brinsop Court in your shortlist of options to consider.