Rockbeare Manor - Devon wedding venues
Rockbeare Manor wedding photography
Looking for one of the best wedding venues in Devon? Friends, your search is over. Let us introduce you to the exquisite Rockbeare Manor. This Country manor house is set in over 100 acres of glorious parkland near Exeter in Devon, with breathtaking views and timeless elegance throughout the Grade I listed Regency building, it is truly the wedding venue of your dreams.
With such a rich & varied history, we wanted to hear more about this contemprary venue. We caught up with Rockbeare Manors Director, the very lovely Aimée, to find out all about this exclusive wedding venue in Devon.
Can you tell us all about the history of Rockbeare Manor?
Rockbeare Manor was built in around 1760 for Sir John Duntze, an Exeter woollen merchant, banker, and MP. He represented Tiverton in Parliament from 1768 until 1795 and was made a baronet in 1774. The Manor is Grade I Listed and a fine example of a Regency country home which I think, looks as though it has come straight out of a Jane Austen novel.
In 1914 Rockbeare Manor was inherited by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Spencer Follett, who was invested as a Commander for the Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). Since 1855 Rockbeare Manor had been owned by the Nation family, from which, on his mother's side, Colonel Follett is descended. Over the years, the house continued to be passed through the family, initially to his daughter Delia Follett and after she died, to her daughter Caroline Patricia Griffith-Williams.
Caroline later married Gerard Noel at Rockbeare Church on 28 June 1965. They lived happily at Rockbeare Manor for much of their married life, bringing up their five children there also.
Having been a cherished family home for many years, Rockbeare Manor found itself on the Historic England At Risk Register and was in urgent need of repair and renovation. After a long period of time on the market, and with an uncertain future, we acquired the Manor in 2015, and the next chapter of its story began.
Our business
Rockbeare Manor is one of three venues in a collection. The business was set up in 2006 by my husband Andy. He was initially the Farm Manager at Priston Mill, a historic location within the Duchy of Cornwall’s Newton Park Estate, and over time developed the offering there, setting up a catering operation in order to build the weddings and events business. After success here, he added the second venue to the portfolio in 2009 – Coombe Lodge, a house commissioned by the Will's family (one of Bristol's leading families and founders of Imperial Tobacco) and designed by the esteemed architect Sir George Oatley.
Andy and I met when we were introduced by a mutual friend at a timely point, as he was looking for someone to run the project at Rockbeare Manor. I had been in the wedding and events industry for 20+ years and before moving to Devon, I was looking after two venues in Surrey and West London and so it was definitely a right place, right time moment!
The extensive restoration and sensitive renovations commenced in September 2015 and Andy and I worked together, alongside a vast number of building contractors and restoration team to ensure that within nine months the events and wedding venue was pristine, and ready to welcome its first guests. We opened officially in June 2016 and are so grateful that Rockbeare Manor has been the choice for so many couples getting married since – including us! We had our very own beautiful wedding here in 2019.
How many wedding guests can your venue accommodate on the day?
We can host anywhere between 50 guests and 160 guests for a seated wedding breakfast so we can be very flexible. For those that would like a large evening party, we can welcome up to 200 guests in the evening.
What areas do you have available for the wedding ceremony & reception?
The locations for a wedding ceremony are really special. Inside, we have the Adam style Dining Room of circa 1770, a stately room with original period features including ornamental plasterwork, an imposing fireplace and crystal chandelier as the focal point. We can hold up to 100 guests in here, and it has the most incredible ambiance for ceremonies. For wedding ceremonies above 100, we have our Ballroom which has a more contemporary feel, is full of light and has amazing views out to the South Lawns.
And then, we have the South Pavilion and terrace which is the perfect spot for an outdoor ceremony with the listed parkland, and manicured gardens as the backdrop.
The exterior and interior of the house has been refurbished from top to bottom, to a very high standard - it's a grand Country House with a contemporary colour pallet and sumptuous furnishings, but importantly, it has a welcoming and relaxed feel. The neutral schemes mean that any event colour choice will work alongside the tasteful un-cluttered look, and even if the weather is inclement, there is plenty of room inside!
Do you have accommodation on site and if so, for how many guests?
We have 13 luxurious bedroom suites within the house, which includes 2 family rooms and so we can accommodate up to 30 guests on the night of a wedding.
Is Rockbeare Manor available for exclusive hire?
Yes absolutely. When you get married at Rockbeare Manor you and your guests have the whole venue to yourselves !
How far in advance should couples think about booking your wedding venue and where do they begin?
This is quite personal to each couple. We are still taking bookings for the Autumn of this year, with just 5 or 6 months lead time – but most couples book 18 months, to 2 years in advance. Believe it or not many of our Saturdays in Summer 2025 have already been booked and so if couples have a very specific date or month in mind, it’s always good to book your venue shortly after engagement. At Rockbeare Manor, we love having the opportunity to show couples around the venue in person so that’s the first step – here you’ll have the chance to have a relaxed wander around the venue, always followed but a coffee and some of our famous chocolate brownie!
What advice do you have for couples looking for their dream wedding venue?
When it comes to wedding venue hunting, a lot of the research can be carried out online. Always check the Facebook and Google reviews as these give a real insight into how the venue operate and importantly how the team will look after you. I’d recommend shortlisting no more than 3 or 4 venues to view in person. Any more than that and it can become quite overwhelming. Also, pick up the phone and talk to the venues that you are considering visiting. Those first impressions, and how your enquiry is dealt will tell you a lot about how well the venue will support you both on your wedding journey.
Lastly, which season is your favourite for weddings?
I love Autumn. For two reasons, firstly a sweltering hot day isn’t always favourable for a wedding and in the Autumn, you can still have beautiful blue-sky days, coupled with a nice cool breeze which I think is perfection. And let’s face it, you can never guarantee the weather, even in the summer!
The second, and main reason as to why I think Autumn is beautiful, is that the parkland at Rockbeare Manor looks so striking in October and November when there is a display of golden tones and the thousands of established trees really do look breath-taking. The long Driveway that leads to Rockbeare Manor is a particular spectacle of its own too.
Thank you so much Aimée for taking the time to show us around the stunning Rockbeare Manor and telling us more about your amazing wedding venue.
We hope to return to this stunning Devon wedding venue soon, if you are looking for a Rockbeare Manor wedding photographer we would love to hear from you! Contact the team here and book your show around, we dare you not to fall head-over-heels in love, we know we did!
Much love, J&K x
