Lewes wedding venues
For wedding reception venues, Lewes is a very popular town due to its cobbled streets, alleyways, and range of historic buildings, including Lewes Castle and Anne of Cleves House - both available for your ceremony.
It also has a lovely registry office in the historic Southover Grange and if you fancy a hotel venue a Pelham House wedding is hard to beat.
There’s something about the character of Lewes that captivates people. It’s a market town with lovely cafes, independent shops and art galleries. You won’t find huge department stores here. Surrounded by chalk cliffs and the South Downs national park, it’s a beautiful location.
If you’re willing to look only a few miles outside of town there’s a great range of Barn wedding venues, and a couple of incredible country Manor Houses for something really extra special on your big day.
Venues in town are listed first, followed by those nearby.
Page contents
Venue index
PELHAM HOUSE
ANNE OF CLEVES HOUSE
LEWES CASTLE
THE SHELLEYS
WHITE HART HOTEL
LEWES REGISTRY OFFICE
LAUGHTON BARNS
FIRLE PLACE
GOTE BARN
NORTHEASE MANOR
BROYLE PLACE
Wedding venues in Lewes
Pelham House Hotel
My favourite venue in the town.
If you haven’t been here before you’d never guess that there’s a beautiful terrace and landscaped gardens at the back of the hotel with clifftop views. You’d never know you’re in the town as it’s so quiet - only a few steps along a nice side road from the High Street.
As well as the gardens, I love the elegant Georgian features of the hotel as they’re a perfect backdrop for photos.
Room-wise, in addition to the Goring Room (up to 125 seated, 150 with standing) the venue’s also licensed for you to have your ceremony in the Gazebo as an alternative, which lets you take advantage of the amazing views of the South Downs.
The Blencowe Room holds up to 150 for your wedding breakfast, and will cope with up to 200 for your evening do. Across the hall is the Garden Room with a newly designed bar, space to relax, and amazing cocktails!
Anne of Cleves House
An Anne of Cleves House wedding would suit you down to the ground If you’d love to get married in a place stacked with history. It’s been hosting celebrations for over 600 years!
It was granted to Anne of Cleves by Henry VIII, and has the kind of features that you would expect in a place like this such as wood panelling and old oak beams. There’s a lovely Tudor garden for wedding photos too.
Your ceremony would take place in the East Room with its beams, big fireplace, and original furniture, and after your ceremony you’d head into the garden for drinks and photos. Typically, you’d follow this up with your wedding breakfast in the East Room and Tudor Garden (weather dependant of course).
Probably the most romantic venue in Lewes in my opinion.
Lewes Castle
A Lewes Castle wedding is really special.
As you’d expect being a castle, it’s on top of a hill and therefore has spectacular views. A nice surprise though is that it’s main entrance is off of the high street.
Although this isn’t a complete castle in the same condition as Leeds Castle, for example, it’s still a fantastic location with two intact towers each with several floors, and a lovely garden surrounded by the castle walls.
I love that instead of walking down the aisle, you’ll walk along the zig-zag steps to The Keep where your guests are waiting for you in the Pleasure Garden under the shade of the old lime tree. Your ceremony would take place under the ancient West Tower archway.
After your ceremony, head into the Gun Garden for drinks and your photos. Your wedding breakfast can be held here too, and the venue will let you have up to 100 guests join you for your reception.
My top tip for this venue - buy some heel stoppers to cope with the steps, lawn, and some uneven walkways.
Available any day of the week between April and October.
Website
Google map location
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The Shelleys
A 17th century country house hotel on the high street with a nice relaxed ambience, uneven stone-flagged floors, gorgeous chandeliers and comfortable sofas to relax when you get a chance on your wedding day!
This venue is great for smaller weddings, but can easily cope with extra evening guests. There’s even space for a band if that’s something you’re considering.
Their drawing room has lovely decor and is licensed for up to 60 guests for your ceremony, but if you fancy a marquee there’s space for around 150 in their gardens. Another option is their garden summer house, also licensed - I think it’s pretty but do take a look at their website for a better idea.
Plenty of rooms for you and your guests to stay, and the morning breakfast is very extremely good here, I’m told, but I haven’t experienced it first hand.
White Hart Hotel
Another venue in the High Street, so getting here is easy, with the added bonus of a conservatory that looks out to the countryside of the South Down over the rooftops of Lewes.
It was built in the 16th century as a coach house and therefore has lovely features that I love like oak beams and big open fireplaces. As the hotel has been updated over the years they’ve managed to nicely blend historical features with modern decor as in their leisure club and spa, which is great if you fancy a bit of relaxation either side of your wedding.
Capacity-wise there’s the Sheriff’s Room (max 30 seated), the County Suite (max 130 for eating and evening reception), and if you fancy the conservatory and terrace you can have up to 60 for your wedding breakfast and reception. There are 51 bedrooms.
They have a wedding license.
Website
Google map location
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Lewes Registry / Register Office Wedding
It’s based in the lovely Southover Grange, which is a 16th century Grade II listed Manor House that’s in the beautiful public gardens - brilliant for wedding photos. With lots of original features the Grange mixes character and elegance beautifully. I highly recommend this register office.
You have two rooms to choose from depending on the size of your wedding party:
The Evelyn Room - Capacity for 30. A light airy room with views of the walled garden. Seating for up to 8 guests on two ornate sofas.
The Ainsworth Room - Capacity for 60. Grandiose decor, large windows to let the light flood in, and views of the garden.
Wedding venues near Lewes
Laughton Barns
Set in the countryside, around 15 mins by car from the centre of Lewes, these barns have all of the features that you’d want from a barn wedding. It’s set in over 80 acres of countryside and has two pretty lakes. A big bonus here is that you get exclusive use of the venue for the weekend.
Your ceremony would be in the Apple Barn - oak beams everywhere! You’d follow this with drinks on the Crown Barn terrace and time to explore the grounds. The lakes are a magical setting for some stunning wedding photos!
Your wedding breakfast would be in the Crown Barn which has a minimum requirement of 80 guests, and up to 200. The food from their in house caterers is highly critically acclaimed, so if you’re a foodie I think it’s a big selling point for this venue. Max capacity for the evening is 250 and there’s overnight parking for 200 cars.
Hire of the venue includes their resident DJ.
Firle Place
A stunning venue in an incredible location at the foot of the South Downs, an easy drive along the A27, less than 5 miles from Lewes.
This is such a beautiful venue that I find it hard to put it into words that do it justice. My advice - click the link below to visit their website. If you’re looking for a truly bespoke wedding this could be the perfect venue for you.
Locations include the Georgian Riding School and Croquet Lawns, a majestic listed building and adjacent grounds, or one of their unique marquee sites. The House itself is now also available for civil ceremonies and events.
St Peter’s Church in the Firle village holds weddings each year for village residents and regular church attendees, and if you book well in advance it’s possible for non-residents to use the church for blessings ceremonies.
Max 150 at your ceremony, and 250 at your reception.
Website
Google map location
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Gote Barn
3 miles outside of Lewes, in Ringmer, Gote Barn is a Grade II Listed venue built around the 1600’s with high vaulted ceilings and lots of original features. As of Autumn 2020 it’s not licensed for ceremonies but they hope to have this in place in 2021. There’s a good choice of churches in the vicinity, and the lovely register office in Lewes.
Capacity is a minimum of 80, up to seated, and 250 in the evening. There’s overnight parking for 100 cars.
If you fancy a relaxed countryside wedding, fire pits, fairy lights, and a pet friendly location I recommend this one. Bear in mind that it’s a relatively new venue, but is run by Circa Events who are very experienced in hosting weddings.
Website
Google map location
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Northease Manor
Another rustic barn wedding venue near Lewes, despite the name! It’s a straightforward 3.5 mile drive from the centre of Lewes.
The location is a private boarding school that’s available on the weekends. The barn itself is a rustic 17th century Tudor Hall with a thatched roof. It’s licensed for civil ceremonies of up to 110 guests. A big bonus here - they provide free of charge a marquee for after your ceremony. You can have your drinks and canapés in the Rose garden with amazing views across the South Downs. You can have your wedding breakfast in the marquee (max 80) on the front lawns, or in the Tudor Hall (max 110).
Note that the finish time for music and their bar in 11pm - could be important for you.
Broyle Place
A grade II Elizabethan Manor House in Ringmer a 5 mile drive from Lewes.
I love the intimate feel of Broyle Place and the overall setting of lawns, terraces around the house and lovely water features - so many romantic settings for your wedding photos.
Most of the time, your ceremony would be outside at the oak Boat House which is bordered by the moat (not up to Hever Castle standards as moats go, but still lovely!). It’s just the perfect setting with your guests seated on the lawns and you all surrounded by mature woodland.
Ceremonies are mostly held outside and the oak Boat House, bordered by the moat, is a stunning setting for weddings up to 150 guests. The great hall in the manor house is also licensed to host civil ceremonies or marriage celebrations and can seat up to 50 guests. Alternatively the Great Hall has seating for up to 50 guests, and a sweeping staircase for your entrance!
They have a very nice custom designed marquee with capacity up to 160 guests. Not your standard, possibly draughty, marquee. A solid wooden floor, wood panelling, and a hand carved bar. It’s fully heated too.
Website
Google map location
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Parking
If you know where to park, Lewes has plenty of parking including on-street and car parks. Of course, your venue may have it’s own parking but spaces may be limited.
Here’s a link to Lewes Council’s parking page
I like to use JustPark which lets you to reserve parking spaces in advance in certain areas.
By Train
Lewes railway station is an easy walk to the centre of town and there’s a taxi office on the main forecourt.
There are good links from London (London Bridge, Victoria, Waterloo), Brighton, Eastbourne, Haywards Heath and plenty of other towns in the South East.
Parking is available at the station, but it’s usually very full.
Summary
This page gives you details of the best wedding venues separated by ‘in Lewes town’, and ‘within a short drive of Lewes’
Each venue listing has Google map locations and links to the venue website
Nearly all venues have historical significance and period features
Venues near to Lewes are either barn-based or spectacular country manor houses
Lewes has one of the nicest register offices in the county
Venue capacities here range from intimate up to 250
Parking is free and ample for venues out of town
Transport links to Lewes town are excellent. Venues out of town will require travel by car, taxi, coach hire etc
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