Combe Manor Barns

About the venue

Two restored 19th-century barns beside a 1669 manor house in Combe, at the southern tip of West Berkshire. The Russell family offer six days of exclusive dry hire per wedding for £5,950 with no VAT or corkage. The barns also host parties, balls and talks.

Walbury Hill rises above Combe Manor Barns. It is the highest point in southern England, and on a clear day you can see four counties from the top.

Combe was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. The manor was rebuilt in 1669 and belonged to King's College, Cambridge for over 400 years, and Charles II and Nell Gwynne are said to have visited. The Russell family have lived here since the 1960s and have run the barns as a venue for 30 years.

The venue is two 19th-century barns arranged in an L-shape. A raised stage sits in the angle between them, with a black and white dance floor in front, so bands and speeches face the whole room.

Fabric drapes hang from the antique beams. They are there for the acoustics as much as the look, because nobody wants to struggle to hear the person sitting next to them.

Combe works as a dry-hire venue. Couples bring their own caterers, drinks and florists or choose from the venue's list of local suppliers, and there is no corkage. A production kitchen beside the barns, with a separate service courtyard for barbecues, can cater for up to 200 guests.

The neighbouring Grade I listed church stands 50 yards away and seats 120. Civil ceremonies for up to 170 seated guests happen in the licensed barns, and outdoor ceremonies on the lawn are possible in good weather.

Inside the manor, a bridal bedroom with an en suite is used for getting ready, and the Drawing Room suits smaller groups. Gardens and courtyards surround the house.

The land is managed without pesticides or nitrogen fertilisers, and low-intensity grazing encourages wildflowers. Amplified music ends at 11:15pm, in line with council advice.

Two restored 19th-century barns in an L-shape

1669 manor house below Walbury Hill, West Berkshire

Six days of exclusive hire for £5,950, no VAT or corkage

Civil ceremonies for up to 170 seated guests in the barns

Grade I listed church 50 yards away, seating 120

Raised stage and black and white dance floor

Production kitchen for caterers serving up to 200

Bridal bedroom with en suite in the Manor House