You wedding guests will be awestruck. You will be too. Your first glimpse of Blencowe, along the winding lane that leads from Greystoke village, is its two fortified towers of rosy sandstone rising over the hedgerows. As you sweep up the drive the view expands to buttressed walls and the arched entrance to an inner cobbled courtyard.
Inside you’ll find flagstone and oak floors, vast hearths of blazing log fires, high ceilings hung with chandeliers and a lavish claret dining hall, lit by candle sconces, leading onto a generous terrace ideal for hosting pre-dinner drinks. An antique dinner gong calls attention to speeches. The first floor Solar Room, reached by a stone spiral staircase, spans an entire wing of the castle and is licensed for the ceremony itself. The handsome billiards room is a perfect spot for catching up over a frame or two by Tiffany lamplight. Guests who need sit-out time have a choice of firelit and panelled snugs.
The castle kitchens are made for banquets, replete with a four-oven Aga and Bosch gas hob and oven, two American-style fridge freezers, two dishwashers and a laundry. The pretty butler’s pantry is an ideal space to lay out a buffet or prepare for serving between courses so the wedding breakfast runs smoothly. For large scale catering, your caterers can set up in the grounds if needed.
Spill out into the private castle gardens for stunning photographs overlooking the Eden Valley and rolling Lake District fells beyond. With terraces, lawns, a bubbling rill, an old moat and a haha, idyllic nooks abound for your guests to explore. If you need more space, you’ve a marquee field. And when the celebrations end, guests you can’t squeeze into the castle can totter over to the lovely coach house and barn conversions in the Estate gardens.
After vows, feasting and dancing, the castle bedrooms befit a wedding night, with carved, silk-hung four posters, polished beams, chaise longues, under-floor heating, glass Juliet balconies, roll top claw baths and rainfall showers, sleek Egyptian cotton and feather duvets. You’ll find fresh flowers and Molton Brown toiletries in every room.