Shendish Manor is perfect for those seeking a historic wedding venue
It may seem as if almost anywhere
can serve as a wedding venue these days, but let’s be honest: when it comes to
the most romantic day of our lives, great numbers of us like to keep things
traditional. English country houses continue to attract loved-up couples who want to get married in a truly idyllic setting
– but Shendish Manor has a more fascinating
history than most other venues.
Humble beginnings
Our original Manor House may date
from the mid-19th century, but the site’s developed history goes as far
back as Norman times. It is thought that
William the Conqueror’s brother sublet the farmhouse that then occupied the
Shendish Manor site to Ralf de Chenduit, with the corruption of his surname
over time gradually leading to the present Shendish pronunciation.
At the forefront in the Victorian
era
The Victorians transformed the UK in
more ways than one. The Shendish site had remained a farmhouse, with some 300
acres, right up to 1853, when it was purchased by Charles Longman, whose
fortune partly came from the famous publishing family of that same name.
However, he was also a partner in the papermaking business of the local
inventor, John Dickinson (1782-1869).
Strong links with the Dickinson family
John Dickinson will always be irrevocably associated with the Apsley area
in which Shendish Manor stands. It was he, after all, who invented a continuous
mechanised papermaking process and founded paper mills that played a dominant
role in the local economy. His company – John Dickinson Stationery Limited –
acquired Shendish Manor in 1936, using it as a sports
and social club.
Truly impressive wedding suites
Shendish Manor may have been a hotel
and conference centre since the 1990s, but it is also now one of the most
sought-after wedding venues in Apsley, in part due to its impressively
well-preserved historical fabric. The Manor building itself boasts such
original features as a Jacobean fireplace, high ornate ceilings, oak panelling
and a sweeping staircase. The all-round
setting is unspeakably romantic, and
evocative of how it would have been like in Charles Longman’s day.
Would you like to immerse yourself
in a piece of true living history when you get married? If so, don’t hesitate
to enquire to the Shendish Manor team about how we can help you to plan the
nuptials that you will remember for – hopefully – many years and decades to
come.