Cowdray House

Cowdray House, located at the heart of the 16,000-acre Cowdray Estate in West Sussex, is surrounded by beautiful, manicured gardens and the rolling hills of the South Downs. At Cowdray House, timeless elegance blends with the gentle warmth of a former family home to create a peaceful, romantic wedding setting unlike any other.

Whether you are looking to host an intimate gathering for 15 guests or a larger reception for up to 150, with 22 luxurious bedrooms and opulent reception rooms, your wedding day, weekend, or week-long stay will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

When it comes to the ceremony itself, whether you’re dreaming of something more intimate held outside in the beautiful gardens or a larger affair inside the grand interiors of the house, Cowdray House has numerous possibilities.

Choose from Buck Hall, which is situated at the heart of the house and has a vaulted ceiling, arched minstrels’ gallery, and a splendid fireplace that takes centre stage, to the wood-panelled Dining Room, or even the outdoor Summer Pavilion overlooking the manicured lawns, perfect for the warmer months. All of these areas are licensed for civil ceremonies.

The dedicated team are experienced in creating and running prestigious, bespoke events and will be on hand, along with esteemed suppliers, to bring your ceremony vision to life.

Cowdray House is an exclusive-use wedding venue, which in turn means that all rooms and spaces can be transformed to suit your perfect day.

Whether you’ve chosen to have your ceremony in Buck Hall, underneath the beautiful, vaulted ceiling, or in the Summer Pavilion, the drinks reception can be held outside on the manicured croquet lawn or in two of the elegant reception rooms – the Library and Drawing Room – which open onto the front terrace. Here, your guests can enjoy a refreshing glass of fizz whilst gazing out onto the gardens and enjoying the view of the South Downs in the distance.

Once the reception drinks have been enjoyed and the gardens used for photographs, guests can move into Buck Hall for the wedding breakfast. Located at the heart of the house, this is a magnificent setting to host dinner and speeches, seating up to 150 guests and providing a stunning backdrop to enjoy celebrating with your loved ones. Alternatively, there is ample space in the grounds around Cowdray House to stage a marquee if you so wish.

As night falls, dance the night away with live music and dancing in the Dining Room, where you and your guests can celebrate until the early hours.

Cowdray House has 22 lavish bedrooms, each individually designed with opulent bathrooms, perfect for the wedding party to stay in during the festivities. The Diamond Suite, with its far-reaching views, large balcony, stunning bathroom and dressing room, is the perfect place for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready.

Guests can enjoy the amazing facilities when staying at Cowdray House, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a bowling alley and a tennis court. There is also the opportunity to make use of the activities on the wider Estate, from a round of golf on the 18-hole championship course, to fly fishing for brown trout on the River Rother, wildlife tours and clay pigeon shooting.

Additional accommodation is also available across the Estate, including the newly refurbished luxury holiday cottages, complete with hot tubs and far-reaching views are perfect for a mini-moon after the wedding or for guests considering a longer stay. There are also four self-catered cottages at Benbow Pond, secluded luxury treehouses easily accessible from The Walled Garden and nearby Bed and Breakfast Accommodation at the Lodge.

The Yellow Kitchen, Cowdray’s in-house event catering team, are dedicated to delivering exceptional service and culinary excellence rooted in the rich history of Cowdray. The team is committed to ensuring every event is memorable, bespoke, and reflective of the Estate’s beautiful surroundings.

The talented team of event catering chefs can cater for a wide range of dietary preferences and requirements, creating menus which draw on Estate-grown produce alongside other premium quality, carefully sourced ingredients.

The “Cowdray twist” brings a unique and distinctive flair to every experience, blending the rich history of the Estate with modern culinary excellence. Each carefully crafted dish served by The Yellow Kitchen celebrates the very essence of quality English dining.

You can also consider a selection of carefully chosen external caterers.

Sustainability means a lot to the Cowdray House team and the wider Cowdray Estate, from ensuring that all florals are sustainably sourced to their in-house caterers, The Yellow Kitchen, using locally sourced produce from the Estate.

The wider Cowdray Estate, nestled amongst the rolling hills of the beautiful South Downs National Park, has plenty to offer the wedding party and guests. This includes the award-winning Farm Shop, Café, and Lifestyle shop, exhilarating polo matches in the summer months on nearby Lawns, rounds of golf at the Cowdray Golf Club, and many enjoyable scenic walks across the Estate.

There is also plenty to do further afield, such as mountain biking in the South Downs, visiting West Wittering Beach, taking a stroll through the lovely village of Petworth, or stopping by one of the picturesque countryside pubs located nearby.

For those driving, entering the venue’s address into Google Maps will direct you along the A272 and to the gates of Cowdray House. After turning onto the drive, continue to the front of the house, where signage will guide you to the parking area.

Haslemere is the closest station for guests travelling by train, offering direct services to and from London. From the station, it is a quick 20-minute drive to the Cowdray Estate, and plenty of taxis are available.