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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2023

Last update: March 2024

One of England's most iconic landmarks, St Osyth Priory, offers a historic wedding venue for couples looking to celebrate in Colchester, Essex. The estate takes its name from the 1,400-year-old legend of Osyth, the daughter of Frithwald. Just over an hour away from London by train, with direct lines from Liverpool Street Station, this accessible venue is the perfect setting for a wedding steeped in grandeur.

Facilities and Capacity

St Osyth Priory is nestled on a 350-acre estate home to rare breeds of deer, sheep, and cows, enhancing the majesty of the area and making for more unforgettable moments. This gorgeous wedding venue holds a civil ceremony licence; However, there is a church just three minutes away for a traditional ceremony. You can also host celebrant ceremonies or other religious blessings within the extensive grounds, surrounded by glorious nature. The property features many beautiful spaces for your festivities, including Darcy House - The Gallery, The Great Hall, the historic Chapel, under the Gatehouse, on the Precinct, and in the gardens. This choice allows for extraordinary memories and incredible photo opportunities. Darcy House can seat 110 guests upstairs in the Gallery for your wedding breakfast and 110 loved ones downstairs in the Grand Hall. There is a lift inside and wide corridors for easy access, so everyone can move about in comfort. The venue's flexibility allows couples and event planners the freedom to have marquees or structures in many areas of the grounds if they wish to host an extravagant soiree. There are striking, scenic, and historic accommodation options throughout the estate for you and your guests. You can also book one of the self-catering retreats to return for your anniversaries to come.

Services Offered

Hosting your wedding at St Osyth Priory means you will have nothing to worry about. The team of exclusive wedding planning experts will be there from the very start to guide you. On the big day, an event manager will be present to coordinate your festivities and ensure everything runs smoothly. The Head Chef, who formerly served the late Queen Elizabeth II, will be overjoyed to continue providing phenomenal menus for your special day. The team will be of service to all dietary requirements, ensuring exquisite dishes everyone can enjoy. Your day will be bespoke to you, your partner and your guests.

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Unusual weddings
Stately home
Historic
Landmark
Marquees and tents
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Chapel or temple on-site
Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Marquee available
Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for wedding couple
Overnight accommodation for guests

Venue staff assistance:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Pet-friendly
Elephant baraat permitted
Horse baraat permitted
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Reviews for St Osyth Priory

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
3 reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Luke and Jemima
Luke A. Sent on 15/04/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Our Dream Venue

We couldn't recommend St Osyth enough. Lizzie and Livi went above and beyond to give us our dream day. Everything from the aesthetics of the location - which we had always dreamed about but found hard to find - to the service and attention to detail were incredible. This will forever be such a special location to us and I'm sure we will continue to visit for the rest of our days!
Lisa
Lisa C. Sent on 23/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

My dreams came true

Where can I even begin… from the very first moment I stepped into St Osyth priory, I knew it was the place I had dreamt of!

I’ve just had my wedding at St Osyth Priory Estate and it was the most magical day, asa DIY bride, finding a high quality venue, who allowed creative control was going to be difficult, but the team at St Osyth done just that, they went above and beyond to ensure I had nothing to do on the day! From decorating my wedding table, putting together my boxes for cake and being my personal assistants, it was like having two best friends to make my day run beautifully. I cannot explain in words how wonderful Lizzie and Livi were and they have my heartfelt thanks for an eternity of beautiful memories.

The venue itself was everything we could’ve hoped for, everyone commented on how breathtaking it was, from the Darcy west house, to the chapel built in the 1100s, the winding rose gardens, twinkling wisteria walkway and flock of white and red deer. There are so many different settings to fit in with your day and these girls really will help you to have the day you’ve been picturing.

I love that the venue is currently growing and adding new restored areas,I’ll be coming back each year for my anniversary to see it grow and thrive and cannot wait to enjoy the rooftop hot tub!

The food is covered by an internal caterer and we had a free private food tasting with our chef who has previously cooked for the queen. We had our own lamb on the day and they were the most accommodating, helpful and incredible team of cooks, no long waits between courses, beautifully presented and cooked to perfection!

I genuinely cannot explain how incredible this venue is and I owe them my biggest thanks for making my day more than I could’ve ever imagined.

If you can imagine it, they seem to find a way to make it happen… if you’ve struggled to connect with wedding co-ordinators and felt they’ve not truly listened to what you want, then this is the place for you!
D
Dan Sent on 02/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Hidden gem - totally amazing

We got married in October 2023 and were so lucky to be one of the first couples at this total gem of a venue. Set in an old priory really close to the coast, it's been refurbished to an incredibly high standard with rooms on site which are incredible. The food was amazing and we had canapes, wedding breakfast and evening food which was just amazing. We had a tasting a few weeks before at one of the lodges with the chef. The venue is split on two floors and we got married & wedding breakfast on the upper floor and had the receptions downstairs. there was plenty of room for a 110 wedding/150 reception - we hired a pinball, full band and there was space to dance and have a drink. The grounds are gorgeous and we had amazing photos, we even had shots on the nearby beach which we love. Lizzie & Livi were amazing helping us co-ordinate before the wedding and running around on the day to make sure everything went smoothly. We loved our day and the whole experience and would totally recommend St Osyth to anyone.
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Preferred suppliers

Dapper Chaps Formal Wear
5.0 out of 5 rating , 30 reviews
· Groomswear Shop
Courtyard Bridal
5.0 out of 5 rating , 3 reviews
· Bridalwear Shops
Day and Knight Photography
5.0 out of 5 rating , 12 reviews
· Photographers
Thirty Three Px
5.0 out of 5 rating , 6 reviews
· Stationery
DJ Scott Dewing
4.6 out of 5 rating , 11 reviews
· Music and DJs

Map

St Osyth Priory, West Field Lane, Essex CO16 8GW Colchester (Essex)
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