Built in 1590, Eastgate House is a Grade I listed Elizabethan town house. It’s one of Medway’s heritage wedding venues and the most impressive and distinctive building on Rochester’s High Street. Full of herbaceous lavender and vibrant pelargoniums, the landscaped gardens are a wonderful place to congregate after the ceremony and mingle with your guests. It also provides the opportunity to get a closer look at Charles Dickens’ famous Swiss Chalet and a romantic backdrop for those all-important photos. The building has many stories to tell, having been a family home, a Victorian school and a museum. In fact, it provided inspiration for one of the area’s most famous authors, Charles Dickens, featuring in The Pickwick Papers and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Imagine stepping through the stone archway at the front of the building and making your way up the wooden staircase to the oakpanelled ceremony room, which features an original tiled fireplace, to say your vows in front of 40 loved ones. After the “I dos,” the historical, Grade I listed, Rochester Corn Exchange is only a short walk away. Here, The Queens Hall (up to 300 guests) and The Princes Hall (100 guests) can take you from a delicious wedding breakfast through to the evening reception. SOLTON MANOR 01304 448 844 | www.soltonmanor.com Solton Manor is set within eight acres of secluded gardens and picturesque grounds in the Kent countryside. The surroundings offer enchantment and tranquillity for the duration of your wedding or event. Fusing timeless elegance with contemporary touches, and a sprinkling of romance, you have a couple of options for tying the knot here. If you’re looking for an al fresco setting, hold your ceremony in the ruins of Godric’s Garden; the flower-filled stone ruins, with exquisite views across the countryside, can host up to 150 loved ones. Alternatively, the converted 1950s Dutch barn, with wall-toceiling windows overlooking the wildlife lake and rambling paddock, can accommodate 150 attendees. The barn, which also boats timber beams, elegant ceiling ivory drapes, stage and bar, is a great space for the evening do for 150. When tying the knot here, couples benefit from complimentary use of the venue’s Dovecote Cottage on the night of the wedding. The cottage can also be used that morning to get ready in with a continental breakfast hamper for up to four people. Plus, there’s ample accommodation in the historical house for up to 24 guests, available at an additional cost. An experienced wedding team is also on hand throughout the planning process. EASTGATE HOUSE 01634 332 700 | https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200272/eastgate_house https://jamesgristphotography.co.uk 31 STATELY HOME VENUES
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