Weddings are a large part of our business. We are always so pleased and proud of the fact that during the summer months, we have weekends fully booked for weddings. And being wedding caterers at Gildredge Manor is a massive part of this.
Gildredge Manor is one of our favourites. A beautiful Georgian Manor House, hidden away from view in Eastbourne’s busy Old Town. A stunning venue with beautiful well tended expansive gardens, ideal to mingle with your wedding or party guests.
The Rooms
There is the special Garden Room, licensed for wedding ceremonies – seating up to 100 guests for your wedding ceremony. This pretty room can, however, be arranged to seat up to 60 guests for your reception, if you are wanting a smaller and intimate venue.
The double drawing room, ladies morning room and library are all wonderful rooms with lots of space to spread out.
The Long Gallery is also licensed and can hold up to 100 for your ceremony. This will also seat up to 100 people for the wedding breakfast. This, the largest of the rooms at Gildredge Manor, was originally a set of rooms – a dressing room, bedroom, bathroom and boudoir. It retains the original ceilings with mouldings in the style of the Adam brothers (very famous architects in their time, whose style influenced the upper class residences of the 18th century).
The History
Taken from the website:
Gildredge Manor (formerly known as The Manor House, the Gilbert/Gildredge Manor House and more recently the (old) Towner Art Gallery and Museum) was originally built by the Reverend Dr. Henry Lushington (the vicar of Eastbourne) in 1776 on the site of a former inn.
The original building is of the late Georgian period (during the reign of King George III). And although the architect is unknown, it has similarities with buildings designed by Sir Robert Taylor (1714–1788). It has a connection to the famous Adam brothers with some typical Adam features in the house as well as a Hermitage in the adjoining Manor Gardens known as the Adam House.
The view by S. Grimm shows the house in 1785. A description of 1787 stated that it was “the best house and gardens in this village and most delightfully situated, both for land and sea prospects”.
Reverend Lushington’s son Stephen sold it to a relation Charles Gilbert in 1792 and it remained in the family (later the Davies-Gilberts) until 1922. There was also a connection by marriage to a member of the Gildredge family, who were landowners of much of Eastbourne hence the link to Gildredge Park.
In 1922 the family decided to sell the house by auction and it was eventually bought by the town and turned into an art gallery (and later also a museum). It was under their ownership for over 80 years until the end of 2005, when the Council sold it on to a private developer. The building ended up standing empty for 6 years and fell into dereliction.
Mark and Emma (current owners) bought it in 2011 and set about restoring it to its former glory and opening it back up to visitors and the community for a wide range of uses including education, the arts, Manor house weddings and celebratory occasions.
The house includes some fine original features including the main staircase, door cases, panelled doors and ceiling cornices.
Wedding Caterers at Gildredge Manor
We work a lot here, during each year. Being one of two preferred caterers here, ensures we are always kept busy. And what our guests don’t see, are the number of stairs we “enjoy” whilst working here. Not for the faint hearted, it’s a workout in itself! But we love it, as does everyone who works for us. The layout of the venue, ensures that the food we create and serve, enters the room seamlessly. It is cleared away seamlessly and all the guests see is the food appearing at their table and then being discreetly cleared away. We leave each room as we find it – glorious, splendid and full of character.
Green Fig Catering Company are looking forward to another busy summer in this wonderful Eastbourne manor house, as preferred wedding caterers at Gildredge Manor…
Gildredge Manor