Would you like to get married in a historic castle? We have been to see Durham Castle and can see why it is one of the most popular wedding venues in the North East of England.
The castle is used by the famous Durham University for most of the year, but during Easter, Christmas and from July to September it is transformed into a unique and memorable wedding venue.
With its medieval hall, banqueting tables, armour hanging on the walls and sweeping wooden staircases you'd be forgiven for thinking you were on the set for the latest Harry Potter movie. Indeed Durham Cathedral, next door, appears in several Hogwarts scenes.
Guests with disabilities
Sadly this isn't the ideal choice if you have guests with limited mobility. There are a number of steps, uneven floors and cobble stones. They all add to the authenticity and character of a castle wedding but it isn't wheelchair friendly.
Holding your wedding ceremony at Durham Castle
Durham Castle is licensed for civil ceremonies so you can legally get married here if you'd like to. Unusually for English wedding venues, you can get married outside. The Fellowes Garden, inside the castle walls, has a wedding license as does the long Norman Gallery and two smaller rooms within the castle.
Only alumni and faculty of University College (Durham Castle), can marry in the tiny chapel within the castle walls.
Your wedding reception at Durham Castle
Durham Castle only take one wedding a day. Depending on the weather you can choose to serve drinks in the Courtyard or Tunstall Gallery, surrounded by historical artefacts, the majestic Norman Gallery or even in the atmospheric vaulted cellar below the castle.
Your dinner will be served on baronial wooden tables that can seat up to 200 guests in the incredible dining room, surrounded with armour and medieval swords.
Staying at Durham Castle
The wedding couple, and one other lucky couple, can spend the night of luxury within the castle walls in one of their two suites. The honeymoon suite has a living room with a piano, a four-poster bedroom and a quirky bathroom. The second suite is on the floor below. Additional guests can get a taste for university life by staying in one of the 4* en-suite bedrooms on the university campus either within the main Castle or in the Owengate building adjacent.. Alternatively the Durham Radisson Blu, Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County Hotel and Hotel Indigo are all within a few minutes’ walk back down the bailey.
How much does it cost to hire Durham Castle for a wedding?
The venue hire for Durham Castle as a wedding venue is just £1500. Additional charges apply for wedding ceremonies. Catering is from £45 per person to use the in house caterers and they don't allow external catering.
Getting to Durham Castle
Durham is in County Durham in the North East of England. It is 3 hours by train from London and an hour by train from Leeds. It is just 15 minutes from Newcastle where there is an international airport.
Interested in Durham Castle? Still looking for a UK venue? Drop us a line.
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