Historic Venues
A historic venue exudes charm, character, and a sense of timeless elegance that modern venues just can’t offer.
Many of the UK’s most spectacular events venues are historic buildings and heritage sites. These have only become more popular with time.
These venues offer a backstory and heritage which can help inspire your attending delegates.
Why not consider incorporating the venue’s history into your event, making it more engaging and educational for attendees? This storytelling factor can add depth and intrigue to your event’s theme or purpose.
A historic venue can also add a sense of prestige and significance to your event. It can elevate the importance of your event and should impress attendees, sponsors, and stakeholders alike.
Why A Historic Venue?
A Historic Venue Can Bring Your Event To Life
Decoration
Many of these venues have a lot of historic charm and with their grand chandeliers, ornate ceilings, and antique furniture, you won’t need to spend as much time and money on decorations. The venue’s natural beauty becomes a big part of how the event looks.
Here Are Some Reasons Why….
Immediate Impact
A venue steeped in history can often exude a sense of grandeur, charm and character. The architecture, art and overall ambience can create an instant memorable atmosphere for your conference attendees.
Combines the old with the new
Many historical venues have been adapted to modern conference needs without sacrificing their historical charm. This means you and your delegates will benefit from the aesthetic appeal of the venue while still having the necessary, up-to-date facilities in order to host a successful event.
Instagrammable Spaces
Historical venues offer picturesque settings, providing excellent photo opportunities. This can be particularly appealing for marketing the conference, as well as creating a positive impression on attendees.
Memorability
Unique venues can provide a memorable backdrop to encourage discussions & networking. Participants are likely to remember corporate events and networking opportunities made in an historic setting.
Unique Selling Point
A venue carrying so much history can attract lots of attention from the media and potential attendees or client prospects. This will enhance your event and help contribute to its overall success.
Cultural and Educational Opportunities
Choosing a historic venue can immerse your delegates into the local culture and heritage (especially advantageous if international delegates are attending). Quite often there will be the opportunity to arrange private tours or talks from an expert which adds an additional enhancement to any event.
Opting for a venue with an historical background can do a lot of the work for you.
For corporate events and conferences a historic venue will exude your event with additional significance and authority. What’s more, many of these historic venues have been sensitively restored to boast state-of-the-art technology. Hence additional renovated facilities can support the most ambitious event plans.
We hope you can draw inspiration from our top picks, below:
Choosing a venue for any corporate event entails lots of different aspects and can feel extremely overwhelming. This is where we can help!
Roman Baths – Bath, Somerset
Once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, this spectacular Castle is an award-winning historic venue offering stately grandeur, stunning gardens and luxurious five-star accommodation.
There’s a championship golf course, an outdoor swimming pool and tennis court. There’s a beautiful lawn for marquee events, a 38-acre lake, woodland and fields for outdoor pursuits and team building activities.
There are predominantly three event spaces on the Hever Castle estate. These spaces can be hired together or individually subject to requirements. The Estate also offers marquee opportunities.
The Astor Wing – is a Tudor style extension, built onto the castle by William Waldorf Astor in 1903 and this can be booked as an exclusive use space.
The largest room is the Tudor Suite which can accommodation up to 60 delegates. Guests are then allowed to dine in the castle in the evening and stay overnight in one of the 27, 5-star bedrooms.
The Castle – The Castle Inner Hall can accommodate drinks reception for 40 – 60 guests. This space has a beautiful gallery inspired by the Kings College Chapel, Cambridge.
After drinks, guests can be led through to the Castle Dining Hall when they can dine at Elizabethan oak tables overlooking an ornately carved stone fireplace and 16th century wall tapestry.
Private tours can be arranged if required.
Hever Castle – Kent
The Guthrie Pavilion – Located in the Italian Garden, this versatile, contemporary space can accommodate up to 180 delegates. This space offers the flexibility of being used for conferences as well as corporate dinners.
The Loggia – This is also located in the Italian Garden and is a stone structure flanked by pillared colonnades, a classical stone fountain and a lake side piazza. It can be hired for outdoor drinks and summer parties. It is a covered structure so guests will be protected from the good old British weather!
The Winter Garden Lawn has great views of the Castle and is a great space for marquee events such as corporate fun days, Summer & Christmas parties for up to 600 guests.
Hever Castle is also great for teambuilding events. Combine some great activities with a meeting or you can have a full day of outdoor pursuits within the 600 acres of Kent countryside.
Hever Castle may have the stately aesthetics of a bygone age, but the conference facilities are as modern as they come.
Search Venues
From the HMS Warrior to Action Stations at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyards you can choose which historic venue to hire for your next corporate event.
Whether you are looking to impress guests with a unique corporate dinner experience, or a networking event, or a reception, there is a venue to suit all requirements.
The venues are located within the Portsmouth Naval Base on the South coast. Easily accessible by road and public transport.
HMS Victory is one of the most iconic and historic ships in naval history. Hold your dinner at the table where Vice Admiral Lord Nelson dined in the Great Cabin or get a taste of history by hosting a reception on the Upper or Lower Gun Decks for up to 100 guests.
Please note, this venue can only be booked during the months of March – October.
HMS Warrior was once the pride of Queen Victoria’s fleet, and today stands as the world’s first iron-hulled warship. This historic ship is ideal for dinners and drinks receptions.
There are 4 event spaces you can hire – ranging from 240 for a dinner in the Gun Deck to hosting a sophisticated dinner for 12 in the Captain’s Cabin
Action Stations is a large Victorian Boathouse which has been restored to a modern and versatile space offering a wide range of facilities. With an auditorium to seat 275 people, the 1st floor Horizon Suite which is a blank canvas ready to be transformed to suite your conference needs, or added team building activities on site including laser quest and a 27ft climbing wall to enhance any event.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyards – Hampshire
What our clients say
“I shouldn’t openly admit this but I often rely on Kate and Lida to save the day for me. We host all sorts of events and nothing is ever too much trouble for the team at DeSouza Associates. From sourcing large conference venues to team activities and restaurants in both the UK and Europe, nothing is ever too much trouble or too big a challenge for this team! They are wonderful to work with, professional and always hit the brief and timelines. I’ve been going to them for year and can’t see myself ever going to anyone else! The best in the business.”
Contact
Get in touch to discuss your next event
9:00 AM – 5:15 PM
DeSouza Associates Ltd,
70a Castle Street,
Farnham,
Surrey, GU9 7LP
United Kingdom