Lower Damgate Farm | Stunning wedding venue & group accommodation

Wow Factor Wedding Venue and Group Accommodation

EVERYTHING about Lower Damgate Farm has the WOW factor! The old, quirky, gorgeous accommodation, the stunning wedding venue, the far-reaching views, the sunrises and sunsets, the idyllic location, the caring nature of the owners, and the fact that 25% of all booking revenue goes directly towards the welfare of the rescue animals on site at Dovedale Animal Sanctuary! All of this resulting in Lower Damgate Farm being awarded winner of the 2023 Lux Life Best Farm Wedding and Accommodation Provider of the Year in the whole of the UK! Perfectly positioned between the River Dove and the River Manifold, near Dovedale and Ilam, Lower Damgate Farm can sleep more than 32 guests in five fabulous cottages and huts, which can be booked individually or collectively for large groups.

With 22 acres of gardens, lawns, paddocks, hay meadows, and woodlands to explore, Lower Damgate Farm is a magical, remote escape – attracting visitors back year after year, and providing the dreamiest of wedding venues!

Should you choose to book exclusive use of Lower Damgate Farm, then you have full use of the hot tub too!

Courtyard Properties

Lower Damgate Farm has a lovely courtyard of three barns: Hopes Hideaway, Reuben’s Roost and Bremens Barn. Each of the barns is bursting with unique character, antique furnishings and lavish décor.

The rear of the courtyard leads out to beautiful cottage gardens and a wonderful paddock, with a play area and a lovely wildflower area, for each of the properties to share. Beyond the paddock are some of the delightful rescue animals of Dovedale Animal Sanctuary, which are bound to keep you entertained! To the front and side of the courtyard there is ample parking over 10 cars, so plenty of space for all guests.

Hopes Hideaway – Sleeps 8-12

Hopes Hideaway is the main property at Lower Damgate Farm; a huge barn, comfortably sleeping 8 people, but there’s room for more if needed. With a stunning high-vaulted kitchen/dining area with long farmhouse tables, there’s room for all 30+ on site guests to dine here, so it’s the perfect place for friends to enjoy a meal or a social get-together. The kitchen has a large range cooker, two larder fridge/freezers and plenty of catering essentials for very large groups. There is also a fabulous living room/entertainment area, with a large TV and plenty of comfortable sofas, even a pool table, making it a great socialising space.

There are plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms for everyone at Hopes Hideaway:

One double room with four poster bed
Two twin rooms
One small double
One small single
If required, a hidden single bed (behind a curtain on the large landing)
If required, a sofa bed in the lounge

Outside, Hopes Hideaway has its own private decking and BBQ, as well as use of the shared gardens.

Bremen’s Barn – Sleeps 8-10

Bremen’s Barn is unique topsy-turvy barn with the living accommodation on the first floor to make the most of the fabulous views that each of the courtyard properties enjoy. There’s a welcoming, large open-plan lounge/kitchen/dining area, filled with vintage furniture and comfy sofas for you to relax in.

The traditional kitchen area has everything you could need, including two under-counter fridges, a freezer, a dishwater, cooker and all essential cookware and crockery.

There are four main bedrooms:

A double with four poster bed
Two large double rooms, one with single sofa bed, if required
A small double

Outside, Bremen’s Barn has its own private decking and BBQ, and use of the shared gardens.

Reuben’s Roost – Sleeps 6-8

All the living accommodation at Reuben’s Roost is on the ground floor, with a bedroom on the ground floor too, so it’s ideal for those who might struggle with stairs. Reuben’s Roost is another magnificent barn with a large, vaulted, unusual living space, with a mezzanine which can be reached by a quirky hatch ladder – the ideal place to take yourself away with a good book! There is also a charming farmhouse kitchen, with electric cooker, under-counter fridge, under-counter freezer, dishwasher, microwave, and all cooking essentials.

You will find three bedrooms at Reuben’s Roost:

A ground floor double bedroom
A first-floor double room
A small double, with additional single bed, with unusual gable window overlooking the sitting room

Outside, Reuben’s Roost has its own private decking and BBQ, and use of the shared gardens.

Purdy’s Place – Sleeps 4

In addition to the courtyard properties there’s also a lovely two bedroomed, self-contained annex within the main farmhouse at Lower Damgate Farm, which stretches over three floors and has use of the hot tub by prior arrangement. Again, here you will find more of those tremendous timber beams and original features, giving a lovely cosy, welcoming feel. The living space is open plan, with sofas, a dining area and a kitchen area, including gas cooker, fridge freezer, and all cooking utensils and crockery.

There are two unusual bedrooms at Purdy’s Place:

On the first floor, a twin room with Juliette balcony, from where you can watch amazing sunsets
On the second floor is a lovely double room, with a gorgeous slipper bath.

Outside, Purdy’s place has its own private patio area and BBQ, parking space, use of a hot-tub, and shared gardens.

Alpaca Hut – Sleeps 2

Lower Damgate Farm’s Alpaca Hut is a shepherd’s hut with a difference! This gorgeous space has a double bed with kitchenette area and en suite. Outside, Alpaca Hut has a private patio and its very own hot tub, making this a delightful romantic retreat.

Outdoor Space & Dovedale Animal Sanctuary

The accommodation at Lower Damgate Farm is really special, however, it’s the outside space that makes this such a magical place to stay! The family at Lower Damgate Farm loves to share their home and farm with visitors, including the many animals that they have rescued along the way! They have a ‘nothing is a problem’ attitude and will go out of their way to ensure you have a truly memorable experience and relaxing stay. With stunning scenery, Lower Damgate Farm provides a haven of peace and tranquillity, where you can explore the 22 acre grounds, relax by the pond with a book, watch sunsets, feed the animals and enjoy evenings around the fire pit. It’s simply a wonderful place to stay!

When you stay at Lower Damgate Farm you be able to spend time with all the animals, some of which have been at the sanctuary for years. Home to more than 90 animals including alpacas, goats, horses, sheep, ducks, chickens and geese, they also provide refuge to other creatures such as hedgehogs, ferrets and field mice! 25% of the revenue from all bookings goes directly to the welfare of the animals, as well as donations and all farm sales such as eggs and jam.

For those who book exclusive use of Lower Damgate Farm, you have use of the hot tub too!

Weddings

As you can imagine, weddings at Lower Damgate Farm are incredible which is why they have recently been awarded winner of the 2023 Lux Life Best Farm Wedding and Accommodation Provider of the Year in the whole of the UK! Dovedale Barn and Garden Room provide a fairytale venue that can accommodate 80 – 180 guests!

Hiring the whole farm and all accommodation for three nights, you have exclusivity of the whole farm and grounds, providing a blank canvas for you to design your own wedding just as you want it. Don’t worry, you won’t be on your own, the lovely owners at Lower Damgate Farm will go out of their way to ensure you have the day of your dreams. They’ll be on hand to provide staff, fairy lights, an old-fashioned sweet cart, post box for cards and all kinds of props to save you a little money. They only host twelve weddings per year to ensure that they can provide a personal service and to give you enough time to get things just as you want them. They can recommend outside caterers, DJs, bands, etc, but feel free to choose your own – it’s their venue but your day!

Dovedale Barn is licenced for legal marriage ceremonies and civil partnerships, so you can hold your wedding service in the barn, but weather permitting you could have a scenic blessing in the stunning outdoor space if you choose. For those wishing to have a traditional church wedding, there are two nearby churches, where Lower Damgate Farm would then provide the very best wedding reception.

As you can imagine, the wedding photos are sure to be amazing! With so much land, so many beautiful backdrops and so many special guests, your wedding album will be the one your guests will be talking about for years!

Location

It’s not only the accommodation and animals that make Lower Damgate Farm so special. The location couldn’t be better! Situated between the River Manifold and the River Dove, there are picturesque footpaths right from the door, including walks to the pretty Dovedale stepping stones and magnificent Thor’s Cave, and a 6 mile circular to Dovedale and Ilam that goes right passed the door. Just 2 miles away are the delightful villages of Ilam, Hope, Milldale and Alstonefield, with cafes and village pubs. For those wishing to cycle, just 5 miles away is Hulme End in the picturesque Manifold Valley, from where you can hire bikes and enjoy a traffic-free cycle along The Manifold Way. Just 7 miles away is the vibrant town of Ashbourne with lots of independent shops and cafes.

Lower Damgate Farm really is the perfect place for couples, families, large groups and whole wedding parties! The owners, their home, their sanctuary, their kindness and their generosity, is what makes families return year after year, and no doubt you will too!