Venue Review: Dewsall Court

Why Book?

Dewsall Court is the ideal setting for a deliciously down-to-earth celebration, stretching over two-to-three days. The design-led team will ensure it’s a show-stopping wedding with endless charm from the moment you arrive. The venue is an elevated (and Grade II listed) home-from-home, filled with cosy nooks, log fires, and 17th-century quirks. It is an archetypal country house that sits against the backdrop of the Black Mountains, with 12 acres of gardens and grounds surrounded by the Duchy of Cornwall’s pocket of Herefordshire countryside and views as far as the eye can see. But there is no austere pretension here. Dewsall Court has long been a buzzing family home and is now run by a mother-and-daughter duo who have, for 14 years, taken care of every detail to create standout weddings with some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful setups we’ve seen.

Venue Style

Dewsall boasts a charming mix of modern eclecticism and effortless old-world grandeur. It is a prudent choice for a couple who wield their welly boots as much as they enjoy a luxurious escape. It is gorgeously unfussy and authentically down-to-earth, giving you and your loved ones a relaxed atmosphere equally suitable for kicking off your shoes and relaxing or twirling around in a ball gown.

Take over the house with 28 of your nearest-and-dearest and indulge in Dewsall’s nonchalant charm for a two night stay over the weekend. And there is the option to lengthen your celebration and indulge your guests in a third night of fun.

Claudia and Toby; Samuel Docker Photography

Set The Scene

While self-evidently grand with layer-upon-layer of one-of-a-kind antiques, the house will welcome you as soon as you arrive with a warm figurative hug. It is filled with sprawling rugs with squishy sofas and cosy nooks to curl up in. Hygge galore!

At Dewsall, you are encouraged to slow down and indulge in the experience. Queue walks through 12-acres of crunchy autumn leaves, or if you are even more of an active type, there is billiards, croquet, or clay pigeon shooting, all arranged by your dedicated House Host. They will make your stay seamless, meeting every need, from a last-minute mad dash to find scissors to a cup of tea (with a homemade biscuit, obviously).

If at any point you are looking to sneak off from a rowdy crowd, Dewsall has the ideal secluded spot. Tucked in the arms of an ancient oak tree, you will find a 2-story treehouse (known as The Nest) with a perfectly positioned bar to grab a Herefordshire Wild Knapp Distillery Gin and Tonic, if you so desire.

Event Spaces

Choose from eleven different locations that bring Dewsall’s country feel to the fore. Such choice may feel overwhelming, but never fear: you will have a dedicated Events Manager and Catering Manager to support every step of the way.

Enjoy the bucolic, sunny romance of the rolling Herefordshire hills at The West Lawn or the mirrored tranquillity of The Lake Field, nestled under a weeping willow tree. Be sure to note the particular abundance of these generous swathes of Herefordshire countryside. Dewsall has conducted an extensive rewilding project that has created new homes for all kinds of wildlife.

If you are after traditional charm, walk to the end of the garden, slip through a wooden gate, and head down a winding path lined with daffodils. You will reach a country church steeped in history, so old it was mentioned in the Doomsday book.

Inside, enjoy the sun-dappled Conservatory or the Chinoiserie, a particularly stylish offering with hand-painted silk walls sprinkled with natural motifs. Or you could opt for The Wainhouse Barn, a purpose-built conversion with a paired-back rustic feel—the perfect canvas for you to execute your particular point of view. The space seamlessly blends the best of the outdoor-indoor experience, whatever the weather, with retractable glass doors. While some stay inside, chained to the dance floor, others can happily look on, toasting marshmallows by the firepit.

And the best part, when the clock strikes midnight, you and your guests can sneak down to The Den to keep the fun going until dawn. Hidden in the cellar, this party den is equipped with the necessary components for a boogie: a bar, disco lights, and almighty sound system.

Food & Drink

Take a quick peek at Dewsall Court’s Google reviews, and you will be met with gushing praise, nearly all of which mentions the food. All menus prioritise seasonal produce and local suppliers, with cheese from nearby Neal’s Yard Creamery and organic wine from Nothing But the Grape. Expect a breakfast spread that similarly puts local produce front and centre, with bread by local artisan baker Peter Cook slathered with in-house fermented butter and honey from the four beehives at Dewsall Gardens.

But their secret weapon is their Fusion Wedding Menus. In collaboration with chef Ruchita Green, who specialises in Indian cuisine, cooking vibrant home-style food with a contemporary twist. These menus aim to showcase the diversity of food and cultures across the Indian subcontinent. When conjuring up a Wedding Menu, Green carefully fuses “the cultural background of the two families that are coming together” and works with you to communicate this story on the plate.

Whichever menu you go for, collaboration will be part of the process. Prior to the wedding, couples will delight in a 12-course tasting menu, where they will have quality time with the in-house cheffing team to talk through all things food and drink. And there will be much to plan, from relaxed welcome dinners to a joyful gossip-heavy departure brunch – anything is possible.

Accommodation

Dewsall Court can accommodate 28 of your nearest and dearest. All of the rooms carry the nonchalant character of its 400-year history. Expect ornately embroidered soft furnishings and deep roll top bathtubs. There is, of course, a spectacular suite for the wedding couple – The Dewsall Suite – that spans a third of the first floor of the house, filling the windows with near-panoramic views of the Duchy.

There’s no such thing as a bad room at Dewsall; some, such as The Damask Room, infuse light airiness with chic simplicity, while others bring the ancient history of the house to the fore with the plush old-world comfort of four-poster beds. And if you would prefer to recuperate away from the crowd, you can find quiet respite at The Cottage Barn, a cosy alternative to the hustle-and-bustle of the main house.

Wherever you end up, your room will be design-led, emphasising the individual (and often original) features that bring forth the character of the room.

The Story

Dewsall Court was first built in 1644 by Richard Pearle but fell into disrepair after the bankruptcy of the party-loving patron of the arts, the 1st Duke of Chandos. This close connection to the art world continued through to the Second World War, when The National Gallery kept paintings at Deswall for safekeeping. Those were dramatic decades for Dewsall — it was even used by the SAS to prepare for the Iranian embassy siege in the 1960s.

But in 1989, the house became a home for the Robinsons—Joe, Jane, Samantha and Joseph — the first owners to live in the house since the 18th century. They spent the next decade restoring it to its former glory, making it the joy filled house and highly-regarded wedding venues it is today.

Eco-Friendly

Sustainability and ethical business practices are at the heart of what the team at Dewsall Court do.Where sustainability is concerned, no detail is too small, who abide by The Sustainable Wedding Alliance’s strict code of conduct. Every piece of food waste is collected and converted into biogas for generating “electricity, heat, and vehicle fuel,” and the byproducts are used as organic compost fertiliser. And any leftover fruit is carefully dehydrated and stored to garnish your next tipple. This commitment continues down to the minutiae, from cooking oil that is collected, cleaned, and repurposed as biodiesel to the water that is distilled in-house as part of Dewsall’s support for the Whole World Water project. And, true to the ethically-minded commitments, all guests will find recycled, biodegradable, or sustainable bamboo paper products in their bathrooms.