Sudeley Castle

Sudeley Castle sits in 1,200 acres of the Cotswold hills above Winchcombe, a Grade I listed house begun in 1442 for Ralph Boteler and still the private home of the Dent-Brocklehurst family, whose forebears John and William Dent bought it in 1837. Katherine Parr lived here and is buried in St Mary's, the church in its gardens. Elizabeth I visited three times. The ruins of Richard III's banqueting hall stand roofless beside the lived-in east range, which gives the place its particular mix of romance and occupation.

Private hire runs through the castle's own events team. Inside, the glass Orangery seats up to 150 and opens onto a terrace with long views over the valley. Heavy wooden doors join it to the Castle Coach House and its bar, which seats 75 for dinner and turns into the dance floor later in the evening. The Library, in the east wing the family still uses, holds more than 1,000 books, a grand piano and a 17th-century Sheldon tapestry, and suits a small dinner or a drinks reception.

Outside, the Mulberry Lawn sits between the castle walls and the banqueting hall ruins and takes long tables or a marquee. The North Lawn, facing the Tithe Barn ruins and the carp pond, is one of the largest entertaining spaces in the grounds and takes marquees of any size. For weddings the castle and gardens can be taken exclusively, with complete privacy and access to private areas of the grounds for up to two days.