A North Yorkshire stately home is up for a prestigious wedding industry award

Birdsall House, has been nominated in The Wedding Industry Awards for Best Venue (Historic Building) for Yorkshire and the Northeast.

The nomination comes just months after the venue launched a huge renovation of The Old Kitchens, a new events venue in the basement of the house, which couples can use after hosting their ceremony and wedding breakfast in the main house. Award nominations are based on votes from couples who have previously celebrated their wedding at the venue.

Birdsall House is steeped in history, The Monastic Ruins, on the front lawn of the house, date back to the Twelfth Century and St. Mary’s Church, located within the grounds, was built in 1824.

The House itself was built by the Sotheby family in the 1500s, and a truly romantic tale explains how the Willoughby family became custodians in the 1700s.

In 1719, Thomas Willoughby, a younger son of the 1st Lord Middleton, was travelling over the Yorkshire Wolds from the family home, Wollaton Hall in Nottingham, when he lost his way in a heavy snowstorm. He sought shelter and followed a light he saw in the distance which led him to Birdsall House. The Sotheby’s gave Thomas food and a bed for the night and introduced him to Elizabeth, their daughter and only child; the pair fell in love, marrying the same year and the house has been in the same family since then. It is now home to the Hon. James Willoughby, his wife, Lady Cara and their three children.

The country house is licensed for civil ceremonies within a number of state rooms and across the grounds, which includes a temple overlooking the lakes, as well as the ruins and the Church. It launched as a wedding venue in 2017, with The Old Kitchens adding a 1920’s prohibition-style space for evening parties and receptions earlier this year. The House also boasts six en-suite bedrooms with locally-based Langton Hall used as additional accommodation for wedding parties.

Lady Cara said: “This year, we proudly unveiled our newly renovated events space, The Old Kitchens. So to be nominated for such a sought-after award, as voted for by couples who have previously married here, on such an important year for us, is really exciting.”

Winners will be announced in November at an event in Durham. For more information about Birdsall House, visit birdsallhouse.com