unLTD recently took the short drive out to Thornbridge Hall, looking to bone up on some intriguing local history and hear about what the venue can offer to businesses based across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. A historic country house located in Derbyshire, the story of Thornbridge Hall can be traced right back to the 12th century when details of a small manor house called Thorne Breach first appeared on record. Over the intervening centuries, this remarkable estate has had ties with ancient noble families, wealthy industrialists and even William the Conqueror.
The house’s current lavish appearance is largely thanks to the work of a Sheffield lawyer named George Marples, the son of a well-off local businessman, who oversaw a vast expansion of the house beginning in the late-1800s. An interesting character – to put it mildly – he apparently insisted that all staff would call him Lord Marples (or face the consequences), and little did he know at the time that over a century later this self-styled nobleman would inspire the name of the first beer by Thornbridge Brewery, who initially set up their business in one of the old workshops on the grounds.
Bringing the narrative right up to the 21st century, Jim and Emma Harrison purchased Thornbridge in 2002 when it was in an almost derelict state. The house and grounds have been lovingly maintained and restored over the years, and today Thornbridge Hall is a popular venue for weddings, private parties and corporate events – the latter of which they were particularly keen to discuss with unLTD when we visited last month.
Michael Sharratt has been the in-house caterer at Thornbridge Hall for 14 years and told us how he has witnessed its growth into a thriving events venue first-hand.
“In the first year we were here, there will have been maybe six weddings in a year. Over the years we’ve built up the client base considerably and it’s a much more commercial business, even more so since the pandemic. It’s a busy, busy place now but still retains that exclusivity factor, so it is able to really cater to specific needs. We have some businesses who invite clients down; sometimes they’ll book a coach out from Sheffield or Chesterfield and make a weekend out of it. It’s a great setting for those sorts of events.”
The house certainly boasts no shortage of spaces to suit a range of corporate needs. Across The Carriage House, The Boardroom, The Great Hall, and 14 acres of stunning formal gardens – not to mention an underground cellar bar stocked by Thornbridge Brewery (tours can also be arranged to visit their home across the road) – there’s a wide array on offer to host everything from small meetings and private dining events to large conferences, training days and staff parties.
“We have great links with coach firms and local accommodation, so we can arrange all of that,” adds marketing manager Sophie Barber. “As well as the venue itself being a huge draw, we’ve also got a fantastic events chef who can do an amazing lunch buffet or evening meal in the Great Hall.”
Victoria Smith, who along with her husband Richard set up the respected Sheffield restaurant group Brew Kitchen, will be taking over from Michael when he retires this month and is keen to showcase the breadth of experiences available for clients.
“We have around 60 people coming for a conference in June, which will be taking place in the Carriage House, then there’ll be a buffet lunch before they go off in the afternoon for events. This might be a walk along the Monsal Trail, abseiling, the Thornbridge brewery experience, or we could even put on a casino night in the cellar bar. We work with local companies in the area to provide a variety of options.”
As well as the corporate offer increasing, the visitor experience has also improved hugely. Quackers Café, the 10-acre gardens and 'Meet the Animals' days are now extremely popular, particularly during the warmer months, while in March the estate hosted its first artisan food market celebrations showcasing a wide selection of local producers.
Their recent victory in a pivotal planning appeal saga – which threatened to demolish the recently built café, driveways and car park – means you can expect the events calendar to continue filling up with a diverse selection of experiences: everything from group tours and afternoon teas to fun runs, art workshops and flower-picking sessions.
But in the meantime, if you’re looking for your next staff event or away day, Thornbridge Hall offers a breathtaking setting to host it in. Not to mention a team who will work with you individually to create the perfect experience tailored to your needs.
“We have a range of packages available on our website,” says Victoria, “but we usually work individually with people to create something bespoke. If people get in touch, we’re confident we can make it happen.”
For more on Thornbridge Hall and the corporate/private event packages they offer, head to www.thornbridgehall.co.uk or email events@thornbridge-estate.co.uk.
