Lainston House

About the venue

Late 17th-century red-brick house in 63 acres near Winchester, with 50 bedrooms, two restaurants and Season Cookery School. Weddings use the Dawley Barn or an outdoor Pavilion for 120, and meetings run across five rooms seating up to 166.

The panelling in Lainston House's Cedar Bar was carved from a cedar tree that came down in the great storm of 1930. The red-brick house itself was built in the late 17th century on the foundations of a much older medieval dwelling, and took its current form in 1981. A mile-long avenue of lime trees leads up to it across 63 acres at Sparsholt, outside Winchester.

The Avenue restaurant is named after those trees. Its tasting menu comes from Head Chef Tom Hamblet, a winner of MasterChef: The Professionals. The Wellhouse, in a listed building that once housed the estate's well, cooks everything over wood fire, and Season Cookery School runs hands-on classes beside the walled garden.

Lainston hosts one wedding a day. The 17th-century Dawley Barn seats 120 for ceremonies and receptions under its oak beams, and the outdoor Pavilion takes ceremonies of 120 with the house in view. Linden, Houghton, Hampshire and Ash suit smaller groups, and the mahogany-panelled Tilia seats 10. Marquees and tipis can go up on the South Lawn.

The hotel has 50 bedrooms, five meeting rooms, a gym, tennis courts and a helipad. Chalk stream fly fishing on the River Test is ten minutes away, booked through local guides.

Late 17th-century house on medieval foundations

Mile-long avenue of lime trees

Dawley Barn and Pavilion for 120

One wedding a day

The Avenue and The Wellhouse restaurants

Season Cookery School

50 bedrooms, 5 meeting rooms

Helipad and Test Valley fly fishing