Weddings at the Talbot Hotel – A Perfect Blend of Past and Present

The Talbot Hotel, Eatery and Coffee House is a grade I listed seventeenth-century building of unique character, set in the town of Oundle with its picturesque Georgian architecture. As a wedding photographer in Peterborough, I am always pleased to attend a wedding here. It is the perfect setting for traditional photographs and provides a variety of interesting backdrops for photography. Conveniently situated ten miles from the A1(M), the Talbot is within easy reach of Peterborough, Cambridge and Northampton.
There are two churches close by, but you can have your wedding in the venue itself. It is a licensed wedding venue and it offers a choice of two beautiful function rooms for your ceremony and reception. There are many opportunities here for your wedding photographer to take some amazing photographs.

The Whitwell Room is a traditional oak-panelled room with two stone fireplaces. It seats up to sixty guests. The Westgate Suite, on the other hand, can accommodate seventy guests for formal dining or one hundred guests for a buffet. It is self-contained with a private reception area, bar and dance floor. It also has direct access to the venue’s inner garden – a lovely area for wedding photographs in the open air.

The Talbot Oundle is such a popular wedding venue it is advisable to book early to avoid disappointment. You can then meet the events co-ordinator and have a tour, some areas of which may be dedicated to your wedding, subject to availability. The venue is also happy to design the wedding breakfast to suit your specifications, and you can have anything from a light meal with canapés to a five-course menu.

Oundle is one of England’s most historic and unspoilt towns and the Talbot has existed there in one form or another since AD628. The present building is mainly seventeenth century and parts of the venue were rebuilt using stone taken from Fotheringhay Castle in 1630. The wonderful staircase, also from the castle, is said to be the one that Mary Queen of Scots walked down on her way to her execution in 1587. There is a mark on one of the newel posts said to be the imprint of a ring as the unfortunate woman gripped it while trying to maintain her balance. Mary’s ghost is said to haunt the Talbot to this day, while it has been claimed that furniture is moved around by unseen hands!

The Talbot has all the traditional features of the past – oak beams, leaded windows and open fires – and, during its most recent refurbishment, consultation with English Heritage ensured that none of its essential character was lost or spoilt. Even the centuries-old graffiti remains undisturbed.

While it retains its historic charm, The Talbot Oundle now boasts all the amenities of the modern hospitality industry, so if you are looking for a sophisticated wedding venue that combines modern comfort and facilities with a quaint, traditional – and perhaps slightly spooky – atmosphere, what better place for your wedding venue?