Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa

About the venue

A 1920s house built to look medieval from salvaged stone, beams and doors, now a 39-bedroom hotel and spa in 30 acres running down to Climping beach. Weddings use its restored 13th-century chapel, and private rooms take dinners and meetings of up to 90.

Until 1927, Bailiffscourt didn't exist. The house that looks medieval was built for Lord and Lady Moyne of the Guinness family, using stone, beams, windows and doors salvaged from old buildings around England.

The main oak door came from a 15th-century church at South Wanborough. The gatehouse is a 15th-century building moved whole from Loxwood. Lord and Lady Moyne each had their own building, joined by an underground tunnel.

The one genuinely old building is the chapel. It dates from the 13th century, when Benedictine monks from Normandy managed the land and a bailiff-monk held court here, which gave the place its name.

It has been a hotel since 1947 and is now one of the Historic Sussex Hotels. The 39 bedrooms are spread across a group of houses and cottages, and their names come from the surrounding fields as recorded in 1610. Some have four-poster beds, log fires or roll-top baths.

The 30 acres of parkland lead straight to Climping beach. There is a rose garden, a wildflower meadow, a tennis court and a helipad.

The spa was built in the style of a Sussex barn, with a green oak frame, and has won design awards. It has an indoor pool, a heated outdoor infinity pool, a gym and TEMPLESPA treatments. Dogs are welcome in most of the hotel, apart from the spa and restaurant.

1920s medieval-style house built from salvaged materials

13th-century chapel licensed for weddings

39 bedrooms in houses and cottages

30 acres leading to Climping beach

Private dining for 4 to 90 guests

Meetings for 2 to 100

Award-winning spa with indoor and outdoor pools

Exclusive use of the whole hotel