If there were ever a venue made for a Christmas celebration, Penshurst Place would be the one. Set within the Kent countryside, just 32 miles from central London, this magnificent medieval house offers all the ingredients for a festive event with real atmosphere. Towering historic halls, crackling log fires, candlelit rooms and centuries of history combine to create a setting that feels as though it has stepped straight from the pages of a Christmas story.
Whether you're organising an office Christmas party, a client dinner or a large festive celebration, Penshurst Place offers a range of spaces to suit gatherings of every size. The magnificent Baron's Hall is undoubtedly the centrepiece. Dating back to 1341, its soaring timber roof and striking original Gothic features provide an unforgettable backdrop for Christmas banquets, drinks receptions and evening parties. Seating up to 140 guests for dinner or 200 for standing receptions, it's a space that needs very little dressing to feel festive.
For slightly smaller celebrations, the Sunderland Room offers a wonderfully inviting alternative. Filled with historic family portraits and warmed by an open fire during the winter months, it strikes the perfect balance between grandeur and comfort. Seating up to 100 guests for dinner, it's particularly well suited to company Christmas lunches, festive dinners and end-of-year celebrations, while its partitioned layout allows organisers to create separate areas for dining, drinks or entertainment.
The adjoining Buttery provides another cosy option. Once the medieval bottle store, its sandstone walls, rich 17th-century tapestries and roaring log fire create an intimate setting for smaller festive lunches, private dinners or pre-dinner drinks before moving into the Baron's Hall.
Winter marquees are another option: erected within the grounds, they make even larger Christmas celebrations possible. Fully heated, carpeted and beautifully lined with ivory draping, they create a luxurious setting for festive banquets, balls and champagne receptions, complete with atmospheric lighting and the option of a dancefloor.