Herefordshire school transformed into top UK wedding venue

An historic estate dating back to the Saxon period, Bredenbury Court was recently labelled as the UK’s best wedding venue by Hitched.

Bredenbury Court Barns, best wedding venue on Hitched

The estate, set in 29 acres of land and a Grade II listed building, was previously home to St Richard’s school.

For 94 years, students filled the rooms that are now used for happy couples to tie the knot.

Bredenbury Court Barn

The school closed in July of 2016 and was bought by owner of Bredenbury Court Simon Steel, who renovated the property into a wedding venue.

The independent day and boarding school, which had just over 100 three-to-13-year-old pupils on its books, previously said a drop in pupil numbers had led to the decision.

St Richards School Bredenbury pupils l-r Georgie De Rohan, Frances Page, Patrick O'Driscoll, Lucy Parker, Alexandra Spencer-Brown, Thomas Bull, Katy Ratcliffe and Lisa Legge. George Robb also gained a scholarship to Monmouth.

An action group had been set-up to try and save the school from closure, at the time.

In 2016 St Richard's said the news was greeted with "great sadness" as well as a determination from parents to keep the school open.

"The school had a narrow escape from closure in 2013 and has been reliant on a benefactor since then," the statement says.

"However, the school’s numbers have not grown fast enough and indeed were forecast to drop this year, meaning that borrowing commitments could not be met nor a secure future guaranteed.

"The appointment of the head (Fred de Falbe) to a post elsewhere might have hastened the decision to close but has not caused it.

"The decision was made as early as possible to given parents and staff as much time as possible to relocate to other schools and posts."

The estate was owned by William Henry Barneby between 1663-1920.

Prior to this it was owned by the church 1242-1660 and prior to this in 1066 the estate was awarded to Norman knight, Roger de Lacy and remained in the de Lacy family for nearly two hundred years.

Before the Norman invasion, Bredenbury was preceded over by a Saxon ‘Overlord’ called Leofsi.