College Farm

Thetford

UKbride 5 Heart Rating
EXCELLENT
5 Reviews

Information For College Farm

College Farm is owned by Richard & Katharine Wolstenholme who have run the house as a bed a breakfast & wedding venue since they returned to Norfolk in 2011. Set in the heart of the beautiful Norfolk countryside, the house is steeped in history and dates back to the 14th Century. It was built by Sir John and Sir Thomas de Shardelowe as a College of Priests to serve St Martin’s Church and inhabitants of the village. Sir Thomas married Margaret, daughter of Sir Roger de Grey of Merton from whom Katharine is descended.

In 1541 following the dissolution of the monasteries and the College, its lands and revenues were assigned to Sir Edward Knevitt but in 1845 the Thompson College estate was exchanged for the Suffolk estate of the 5thBaron Walsingham. Thus Thompson College, or College Farm as it became known, passed back to the de Greys of Merton. It is fortuitous twist of fate that a descendant of the original owners now lives in College Farm.

Katharine had the idea to develop the business by offering the grounds of the house as a venue for weddings. “Richard and I had our own wedding reception here back in the 80's and it was beautiful – we walked from the church back to the house where we had a marquee in the garden with the front of the house as a stunning backdrop to our reception. My vision is to be able to offer the same magical experience to other couples.”

College Farm at a Glance

Price Range icon
Price Range
£3,000 - £5,000
15 acres of gardens, lawns, woodland & ponds Fantastic photo opportunities with llamas, alpacas, sheep & chickens Licensed for weddings & civil ceremonies 3 B&B rooms included in the price Large field for camping & parking 4 day hire of the entire site Pricing Category : ModerateReception Capacity ( Indoor / Outdoor ) : 150Has AccommodationBridal Suite : Honeymoon SuiteSleeps No Of People : 2Historic View More
Country House Manor HouseWedding Contact : Katharine WolstenholmeNumber of People In Team : 1No of Weddings Hosted : Number of Weddings Hosted - Less Than 10Location : In The CountrysideNearest Town : ThetfordNearest Airport : NorwichNearest Motorway : M11Nearest Train Station : ThetfordChurch Within Walking DistanceUnique Wedding VenueAffordableUnusualCasualIntimateLuxuryConfetti PermittedOpen Flame PermittedCeremony LicenceBYOB PermittedExternal Catering PermittedPre-Wedding ConsultationOn The Day Wedding CoordinationBridal Changing FacilitiesExclusive UseGrade Listed BuildingIn House Wedding CoordinatorLandscaped GardensMarquee or Tipi PermittedOnsite ParkingOutdoor SpaceWater ViewGreat ViewsBlank CanvasLovely GroundsRomanticRusticGarden OutdoorWedding PlannersSame-SexWoodland View Less

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Choose a budget and stick to it.

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Real Weddings

College Farm Real Weddings
Married in a field of llamas & alpacas
The Real Wedding of
Sam and Hannah
College Farm Real Weddings
The bride, Laura, arriving by boat, rowed by her father
The Real Wedding of
Adam and Laura

College Farm Reviews

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5 Reviews
UKbride 5 Heart Rating
EXCELLENT
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Tom & MIchelle
Thank you so very much Katharine!
Thank you so very much Katharine!
It was the most perfect day, your beautiful venue shone so brightly. Our guests (and us included) were none the wiser of the toil days beforehand. We could not have asked for a more warm and positive hostess... You truly are the hostess with the mostest. If we could do it again we would choose you and College Farm every time!
UKbride 5.00 Heart Rating
Claire
Frog & Pencil, Stationery Supplier
I discovered College Farm on a recent collaborative photo shoot based in the grounds of this beautiful venue. What a tranquil and lovely space to have a wedding; with adorable Alpacas to boot! So many wonderful spaces to explore and the cherry on the top is your host Katharine. She is just lovely and will make you and your guests feel incredibly welcome. If you're looking for a venue that's a little bit quirky and unique, stop by College Farm, you're in for a treat!
UKbride 5.00 Heart Rating
Steven
Diego & Giz's Photographer
As a wedding photographer I have never been so welcome into a place as much as College Farm Norfolk. Katharine the lady of the house will go above and beyond to make your wedding special x
UKbride 5.00 Heart Rating
Nick & Michelle
Nick & Michelle's Wedding
College farm is the most beautiful venue to get married in. From the first time we visited and met Katharine, we felt welcome and at home. Katharine allowed us to have the wedding of our dreams, she is an excellent host and was so open and flexible to our ideas. Thank you Katharine for everything you did to help our dreams come true! X
UKbride 5.00 Heart Rating
Diego & Giz
Diego & Giz's Wedding at College Farm
College Farm, and Katharine...where do I start?! My husband (!) and I got married at College Farm, and from start to finish, Katharine was INCREDIBLE! She was kind, attentive, caring, reassuring, and SO helpful! I literally could not have done it without her. She was there when we needed her, and just like a little elf or fairy in the background making sure everything ran smoothly. Also, Katharine's sense of humour and down to earth outlook helped immensely with all the stress of the run up and the day! I can't thank her enough for all she did for us, and I thoroughly recommend College Farm as a place to either stay or get married...it is just a stunningly beautiful setting, and she is just AMAZING. Katharine really cares about what she does and it shows...thank you so much for everything you did, and for allowing us to have our special day there, and making it phenomenal! xx

Map

College Farm, College Farm Lane,, Thompson, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 1QG

College Farm

  • College Farm, College Farm Lane,
  • Thompson
  • Thetford
  • Norfolk
  • IP24 1QG
  • United Kingdom

Meet the Owner

Image of Key Person Katharine Wolstenholme
Katharine Wolstenholme

Hi, I'm Katharine and I live at College Farm with my family, both human & animal. The house & our local church were built by my ancestors in 1349 and we were married here in 1985 so I have a strong connection with the house and my ancestors. College Farm is a DIY wedding venue but I'm available to help couples as much or as little as they like. I love getting involved and discussing all things wedding, but on the day I will melt into the background and just keep a watchful eye from a distance. We only hold a maximum of 5 weddings a year here so I have the time to get to know each couple and I hope they will all feel unique on their special day. My aim is to make every wedding here as special as ours was in 1985!