quirky
WEDDING VENUE

Dodford Manor is a wedding venue steeped in a history, which over the passing centuries, has left it’s fair share of quirky touches amongst the Manor’s architecture and grounds. It would be remiss to not highlight the charming features preserved at Dodford Manor that will add to the magic and atmosphere of your wedding day.

For a quirky wedding aesthetic, mixing the past and the present fuses a unique style for your wedding day. Carefully placed roof lanterns enable a wonderful skyward view to include the towering Wellingtonia trees which have stood firm since the 19th century. The combination of architecture amongst Dodford is a hybridisation of centuries of revival to the Manor. A 1920’s Orangery, modern glazed Atrium and Oak Framed Barn sit together in harmony amongst the historic stone manor house.

 In the 1890’s Dodford Manor was home to a Deer Park and our glorious deer antler chandelier is a quirky nod to the previous lives Dodford Manor has seen. And also amongst the finery of Dodford Manor, the barns also give a delightful atmosphere and sanctuary to prepare for your big day. With a luxurious Beauty Booth for brides and a Stag Den for grooms, it offers intimate spaces and moments of calm amongst the grandeur of Dodford Manor before the excitement of your day begins.

The Dairy Barn, which now stands as the wedding bar area, was built in the 1790’s with a sloping floor to aid with keeping the dairy cattle on dry clean bedding. The dairy remained a hand milking dairy until the 1970’s when the restoration of the buildings then began. The sloping floor has been levelled to avoid anyone rolling into the Oak Barn as part of the restorative work. Down the west wall of the dairy, you will find part of the old hay manger has been retained. One of many structures and fittings, we kept to add to the quirky feel of the venue.

Then there is the splendid Mortain Barn, a late 17th to early 18th century Ironstone Barn with both a large door and small door. Why this charming, quirky feature? Simply, when horse-drawn carts full of harvested wheat sheaths would arrive, they could not fit through the smaller door. So, they would enter through the large door and leave out of the smaller door. The tiny, high windows were a means of centuries old  due ventilation and lighting. 

 When visiting Dodford Manor you may also note the rounded corners to the Cart Shed, which now serves as renovated toilet facilities. These rounded corners were purposefully built into the shed to help any cart wheels that may have clipped the side of the shed to not become caught and damaged. Instead, it would aid the cart wheels to glide around the corners. 

 Last but, certainly not least, our Oak Framed Barn is truly a beautiful spectacle to behold. The Oak Barn can be kept a surprise until the last minute for your guests, with curtains that draw back to reveal the barn and add a feeling of drama and occasion to your wedding day. The flow of your day will take you from the 1920’s Orangery all the way through to the Oak Barn as the ceremony and celebrations unfold.