The Finer Details About Chapel House Estate
Chapel House Estate – Kent’s best-kept secret
Looking for a luxury wedding and events venue that offers intimate or large wedding options, outdoor or indoor ceremonies all year round, relaxed, charming and off the beaten path. A wedding venue with that ‘Night Luxe Vibe’ and immaculate attention to detail in Kent.
Suppose you yearn to escape the city or seek a different wedding venue in Kent. Chapel House Estate is relaxed, elegant and comfortable, making it the perfect destination wedding venue for you and your guests.
Tucked away in the Garden of Kent, on the Kent Coast, this family-run private estate has a historic Grade II, 700-year-old Chapel. The Flint and Stone-Built, with a tiled roof Chapel that became known as the Bailiff’s House is at the heart of the Estate. The 13th-century Chapel has been transformed into an idyllic family country retreat with a honeymoon suite, perfect on the night of your wedding.
This brand-new Kent wedding venue has been built from the ground up with your needs and wants in mind. Launched in the South East of England in July 2022, this is the premier wedding and events venue in Kent, England.
Once a farm growing cauliflower in the winter and rhubarb and spring onions for the London market in early spring and summer – Thorne Farm, Minster, Isle of Thanet, Kent, can now accommodate up to 150-day guests seated and 200 standing. About one mile from Minster, two miles from Ramsgate and within easy reach of Margate, Broadstairs, Whitstable and Westgate. The farm at this time was called ‘Rope Yarn Farm’ as everything was held together with string; it could also be hired for smaller, more intimate private and secluded weddings in The Walled Courtyard.
The Estate has a timeless appeal that, once discovered, no one wants to leave.
Chapel House (previously known as Bailiff’s House)
The converted Grade 11 listed (List Entry Number: 1224336) Chapel House is at the heart of the estate, surrounded by a beautiful and romantic Arts & Crafts-style garden.
Many guests are intrigued by the unique history of our venue. The medieval chapel, once part of a grand Mansion owned by Henry de Thorne – Lord of Thorne in 1300, is a testament to its rich past. Evidence of the original manor house has been found in the garden of Chapel House, south of the Chapel. Despite the church in Minster, Lord Thorne built his own private manorial Chapel that now you and your nearest and dearest stay in on the night of your wedding or event.
When the Chapel was built in 1290, the Round Table at Winchester Castle, by order of the King, was also in construction. How fitting that the Chapel, which is over 700 years old and one of the oldest buildings in Thanet, along with Manstone Court and Salmestone Grange, was used for private masses, as now the venue is licenced for private indoor and outdoor wedding ceremonies.
This much-loved converted and renovated historic 13th-century Chapel is not just historic; it’s also supremely comfortable and elegant. Its elegant design significantly contributes to making this a distinctly different wedding venue, ensuring you and your guests feel pampered and special. This is a must-see if you are recently engaged or unable to find your perfect wedding venue.
The ancient flint-walled Chapel (found in the local chalky soil) includes a vaulted room, a cosy sitting room, a relaxed garden room with double doors that open out into the private lushly planted patioed garden and sunken pond, a kitchen, a downstairs toilet, three guest rooms, all ensuite, and a fifth room that includes single adult-size bunk beds.
The Honeymoon suite has a free-standing elegant copper bath and a private ensuite bathroom. This leads out onto a private roof terrace with a transparent glass surround that creates the perfect wind barrier for that last glass of Gusbourne bubbles overlooking the immaculate private gardens for the newlyweds. Or, at the end of the night, why not lay on the loungers for a spot of romantic star gazing?
Lovely Gardens
At Chapel House Estate, we understand that beautiful gardens have long been important backdrops for weddings and events. In this knowledge, the garden room double doors from the Chapel House open out onto a private locked garden that is lushly planted and includes a sunken pond.
Beyond the private garden, the wrought iron gates open onto the formal Arts and Crafts style quintessential English garden, providing the perfect backdrop for your photos and drinks reception.
The Wild Apple Orchard
The Wild Apple Orchard, seating up to 150 guests, is perfect for outdoor ceremonies during British Summer Time from the middle of April to the middle of October.
With a timber frame gazebo, the Orchard as a backdrop is perfect for your outdoor photographs. Why not read our latest blog on outdoor ceremonies
The Dew Lawn & Pond
The Dew Pond lawn, adjacent to the Brick and Timber Built Old Malt Granary, provides the perfect setting for your post-ceremony or blessing drinks and canapé reception. The Dew Pond provides a glimpse into past farming practices.
The artificial pond was created where a natural surface water supply may not have been readily available but gathered after a storm and was used for watering livestock when the previous Thorne Farm surrounded the Chapel.
The Beauty Treatment and Massage Lodge
Prepare for your wedding or event in the Beauty & Treatments Massage Lodge in the West Paddock, along with nine Hide Away Lodges.
The Beauty Lodge, named Gold Crest, includes a shower, hand basins, tea and coffee-making facilities, and comfy seating. Adjacent to the lodge is a Massage Therapy Room. Treatments are not included in the venue hire.
Last-minute getting-ready hints
Wear a robe on the morning of your wedding
Robes don’t just look nice in photos. They are also practical. By ensuring you wear something fastened from the front, you don’t ruin your wedding hair or make-up when you slip out of it to put your dress on.
Here is a crazy, one pack a, thin pillowcase
By putting a thin pillowcase in your must-pack overnight bag, you can gently place it over your head before changing into your wedding dress to avoid any unwanted stains or smears from your make-up.
Use heel protectors; we are a garden wedding venue, after all!
Heel protectors enable you to easily walk in the lawned areas to prevent your heels from sinking into the grass as you walk down the aisle.
Unless you want that fly-away look, use veil weights
As an outdoor wedding venue, avoid a windswept moment when you least expect it, and use veil weights. Don’t worry; they are not ugly; only you and your bridal shop will know they are there.
Put some hand cream on last minute before the ceremony
To enable your wedding ring to glide onto your finger, please apply hand cream just before leaving The Chapel House. It’s like a minor miracle and avoids any awkward moments when your partner is asked to place the ring on your finger.
Your Guests
To help you achieve this, we offer additional accommodation, and you can hire the on-site Volkswagen Caravelle passenger transportation to pick up or drop off your guests from the brand-new High-Speed Link Parkway.
Additional Accommodation
Hideaway Lodges
In addition to Chapel House and Chapel Cottage, there are nine Hideaway Lodges for your guests’ accommodation. The Hideaway Lodges can sleep up to 18 guests (plus children), all with ensuite bathrooms and King-Size beds. All located in the West Paddock, these modern purpose-built Lodges are named after the birds spotted on site. Seven of the Hideaway Lodges are single pods, two twined with a lockable door between them.
The Chapel Cottage
The Chapel Cottage is one of four brick and tiled cottages, previously known as Throne Cottages, on the edge of the Estate. This gorgeous cottage sleeps six people the night before your wedding or three for single occupancy.
The Cottage includes a kitchen, a cosy sitting room, two King-size bedrooms and a room with adult-size bunk beds.
The Old Malt Granary Barn
The Old Malt Granary, an old Brick and Timber Kent barn, has been transformed into the perfect indoor ceremony building. It can accommodate up to 150 people seated, 120 on the ground floor and 30 on the mezzanine floor.
The barn with exposed brick walls and original features gives this old granary a charming and atmospheric allure. The barley was grown on a large scale (before becoming a cauliflower farm) to supply the Cobb Margate brewery. The previous barley Barn has been sympathetically restored to keep its rustic charm while providing modern amenities, including heating, lighting, sounds, windows, and doors to let the light flood in for your indoor ceremony.
This carefully converted barn enables you to have a rain-free ceremony, or perhaps you want the big moment to take place indoors when all eyes are on you at the front of the room. Whether you opt for a rustic, traditional or contemporary wedding, the Old Malt Ganary lets you enjoy a moment in the spotlight with style.
The Cobb & Co. sign remains in the Old Malt Granary.
Included within your large venue hire in the Thorne Barn – package dependant on 80 plus guests:
- We will reserve your Civil Ceremony with Kent County County Council. The fees are payable directly to Kent County Council
- Civil Ceremonies can be held outdoors in The Wild Apple Garden Orchard and the Walled Courtyard during British Summer Time. For intimate weddings within the Chapel House in the Vaulted Room and up to 150 in The Old Malt Granary
- Chapel House sleeps ten (and your pets) on your wedding night. This includes the honeymoon suite plus four other bedrooms
- For guests staying on-site, breakfast is served in the No 9 Restaurant from 10 am the following morning
- Your reception in the beautiful new purpose-built Thorne Barn for up to 150 guests
- The supply of Easels for your welcome sign and seating plan (two easels)
- Choose from a traditional silver square or round silver wedding cake stand and a cake knife
- Wooden outdoor chairs for your indoor ceremony
- Wooden cross-back chairs for your indoor ceremony in The Old Malt Granary
- During your Wedding Breakfast, 150 chairs and two high chairs.
- If you are using our in-house catering, glassware, crockery and cutlery are all provided, and an invitation to our food and house wine-tasting event at our very own restaurant, No 9 (this does not include hog roasts and barbecues)
- As per the Chapel House Estate licence, finish times for your event Sunday through to Thursday inclusive are as follows:
- 11:30 pm Last Orders Called
- 11:45 pm Music to finish and bar to close
- Midnight Premises to be vacated
- As per the Chapel House Estate licence, finish times for your event based on Fridays and Saturdays are as follows:
- Midnight Last Orders Called
- 12:15 am Music to finish and bar to close
- 12:30 am Premises to be vacated
Food
Drinks
The North Paddock
The North Paddock, next to the Throne Barn, is the perfect place for a large marquee, festival tent, evening food trucks, fun fair, lawn games or simply for your guests to stroll after the wedding breakfast.
The Walled Courtyard
For a smaller private drinks party, the Walled Courtyard Lounge, with indoor and outdoor seating plus a bar, is perfect for pre-dinner drinks, followed by an intimate dinner in the No 9 Restaurant. The Walled Courtyard is ideal for a small wedding, usually defined as a celebration with fewer than 60+ guests. Smaller weddings have become increasingly popular due to their intimate atmosphere.
Within the Walled Courtyard is a Lounge Bar and the No 9 Restaurant, where you can celebrate your wedding anniversary a year or five after saying I do! Before the work we undertook on the farm, the lounge was home to Landrace pigs in 1955. The previous Piggery has now been transformed into a gorgeous lounge cocktail bar.
No 9 Restaurant
The day after your wedding or event, everyone staying on-site (checking out of their lodges) and a few additional guests (seats 60+) can meet for breakfast at 10:00 a.m. and leave at 12 a.m. Breakfast is served plated, and we cater to all dietary requirements.
The Caravelle
If your guests are arriving by, for example, a high-speed train from London St Pancras, why not hire the Caravelle people carrier to collect them from the brand new Parkway Train Station? Carries six people.
