Introducing: High Barn, Essex

Barn wedding venues remain to be a popular choice for modern day brides, and for damn good reason; they're versatile, rustic and often offer very flexible hire rates. High Barn in Essex is no exception, with it's dramatic vaulted ceilings, ambient uplighting and did we mention the killer catering? Having recently been acquired by star caterers Anise Catering, High Barn now offers THE best in in-house catering to really top it off. Here's Stacey from the venue to tell you more...

High Barn in Great Bardfield was established in the 14th century but was lovingly and sympathetically restored in 2003, offering a stunning historic timber-frame interior and a glorious back drop of true British countryside. The barn boasts stunning original features and has vaulted beamed ceilings and rustic timber framed walls. An incredibly versatile space, it can be adapted for any purpose, from a corporate event venue with a twist, to a show-stopping space to hold a wedding. High Barn can accommodate 180 people seated, and up to 200 standing. If you are looking to hold a larger event, there are options to hire one of our beautiful and bespoke marquees on the grounds.

The barn is situated in the beautiful village of Great Bardfield in Braintree.  Great Bardfield, listed in the Domesday Book in 1086, is a wonderfully historic village and became a royal manor when it was owned by Edward IV. During the reign of Henry VIII, the manor was granted in succession to Katherine of Aragon, Anne of Cleaves, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr. High Barn is located in The Bardfield Centre; a small collection of renovated barns and farm buildings which once belonged to Great Bardfield Hall.

The venue holds a wedding licence which means the Bride and Groom can have the wedding and reception under the barns roof and there is no stress of traveling anywhere. We have been working tirelessly to promote and renovate the unique and historical space and spread the word that this glorious space can now be the setting for your big day!

Anise catering have been a successful catering company for some time, offering wedding catering to some of the most prestigious and breath-taking venues across the UK. 

It was always a dream of Managing Director, Mark Illman, for Anise Catering have their own venue where they could serve their own high quality food; not only to get the guests' mouths watering but ensure the food makes an impressive impact on one of most important days of a couple's lives.

Having been searching the South for the perfect venue, Mark stumbled across High Barn in Great Bardfield and fell in love with the charm and character of the venue. He knew he had work to do but could see how the location could hold stunning weddings and events. 

What will High Barn provide that other venues don’t? Why is it unique?

The venue has amazing acoustics having once been a music venue. There is something very special about being in High Barn. You look up to see giant doors which open to exhibit original beams and impressive candelabras; you can feel the history.  The venue has an amazing lighting rigging to make the room look spectacular in the dark. We are biased but our Chefs are amazing, they are perfectionists who use the best local produce; with ground breaking presentation, innovative menu options and their attention to detail is remarkable. Having our new licence means you can have the stress free wedding with no need to waste your precious wedding hours travelling anywhere. We drill our staff to be polite and efficient to make your day run like clockwork. We now have a fully licenced bar which has an extensive range of drink options. The outside space means you are free to make your way out into the glorious sunshine. We even include tables, chairs, linen and cutlery in our venue hire and catering options which is usually extra at other venues.  

What other services will you provide apart from weddings?

We work very closely with local companies who are our preferred suppliers. We have our own local resident DJ and Florist and our event managers always put the Bride in Groom in touch with the right people to make their day magical and un-forgettable. 

Has the venue actually started taking bookings? 

We are very excited to say that we now have summer weddings booked for this year and enquiries going up to 2020! We cannot wait to see the smiles on our Bride and Grooms faces!

To find out more about High Barn and the events we cater for don’t hesitate to get in touch. Click here to send us an enquiry via email.

If you want to see other wedding venues in Essex, please click here.