Eltham Palace

A medieval hall and an Art Deco palace.

At a Glance

Venue Intelligence

Eltham, London

Two centuries under one roof.

Eltham Palace fuses a medieval great hall of the 1470s, built under Edward IV and known to the young Henry VIII, to a 1930s Art Deco mansion built by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, in nineteen acres of moated gardens in south-east London. Cared for by English Heritage, it stages weddings across both worlds: vows in the Great Hall beneath a hammerbeam roof, toasts under the glass dome of the Art Deco Entrance Hall, and drinks in the gardens held within a genuine medieval moat.

Vows in a Medieval Hall, Toasts Beneath an Art Deco Dome.

Couples marry in the Great Hall of the 1470s, beneath its hammerbeam roof and minstrels' gallery, seating up to 200 for a ceremony or a seated wedding breakfast, with up to 300 for a standing reception. The Royal Borough of Greenwich lists Eltham Palace among its civil-ceremony venues. Drinks and toasts are taken in the circular Art Deco Entrance Hall beneath its glass dome, and the gardens hold drinks receptions of up to 300. Catering is chosen from an accredited list, including Indian specialists, so a Hindu ceremony under a mandap is as at home here as a black-tie dinner.

Eltham Palace

Gallery

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Images © Balanced Photography, courtesy of English Heritage

Catering from an Accredited List.

Catering at Eltham comes from an accredited list rather than one in-house kitchen. English Heritage's approved caterers include Moving Venue, Blue Strawberry, Seasoned Events and Cooks and Partners, alongside Mazaa and Preeti Catering, both Indian specialists. The wedding breakfast is served the length of the Great Hall, beneath the hammerbeam roof, with drinks and toasts under the glass dome of the Art Deco Entrance Hall.

A Medieval Great Hall

A great hall of the 1470s, built under Edward IV, with a hammerbeam roof and a minstrels' gallery.

An Art Deco House

A 1930s mansion by the Courtaulds, its circular entrance hall lit from above by a glass dome.

Nineteen Acres of Garden

Moated gardens with sunken rose beds and long lawns, for drinks receptions of up to 300.

The Table

Catering from an accredited list, including Indian specialists, served in the medieval Great Hall.

A House Faintly Ahead of Its Time.

In the 1930s Stephen and Virginia Courtauld built a modern mansion right against the medieval hall, with a domed entrance hall, underfloor heating and concealed lighting, and a pet ring-tailed lemur, Mah-Jongg, with his own centrally heated quarters. The architects were Seely and Paget. The result feels, even now, faintly ahead of its time, which is part of why Eltham keeps appearing on screen, including in Netflix's The Crown, and why it photographs like nowhere else in London.

Luxury Wedding Directory

Editorial

Location

Eltham, Royal Borough of Greenwich

Eltham Palace stands at Court Yard in Eltham, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London. It is about twenty minutes from London Bridge by train, with Mottingham and Eltham stations close by, and London City Airport around twenty-five minutes by road. Greenwich, Blackheath and central London are all within easy reach, so guests can stay nearby and travel in for a wedding at a palace that feels a world away behind its moat.

Pricing and What to Expect

A medieval hall and an Art Deco palace, for the evening.

Eltham Palace pairs a medieval great hall of the 1470s with a 1930s Art Deco mansion under one roof, in nineteen acres of moated gardens at Eltham in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, cared for by English Heritage. Weddings are held in the Great Hall, beneath its hammerbeam roof and minstrels' gallery, for civil ceremonies, wedding breakfasts and dancing of up to 200 seated, or up to 300 for a standing reception; drinks and toasts are taken in the circular Art Deco Entrance Hall beneath its glass dome, and the gardens hold drinks receptions of up to 300. English Heritage's corporate brochure publishes an evening hire of the palace and garden from around £3,950 plus VAT; a wedding is quoted on enquiry and the rate depends on the day and the season. Catering is chosen from an accredited list. The LWD team makes the introduction.

All pricing is indicative. Final investment varies by date, guest count, menu, and bespoke requirements. Contact the venue directly for a tailored proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eltham Palace