Woolverstone Hall is located 5 miles from the centre of Ipswich and is set in 80 magnificent acres on the banks of the River Orwell.

The original house was built in 1776 by William Berners and is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in the country. The Hall itself is a Grade 1 listed building and enjoys spectacular views across sloping lawns and terraced gardens to the river beyond.

The Hall today is the focal point of life at Ipswich High School for Girls. The original features such as the Adam fireplaces and gold leaf ceilings have been retained and the Hall has lost none of its original appeal. Since the school is a day school its facilities are available to the public outside normal school hours, both in term time and holidays. There is a wide choice of rooms to suit every occasion and size of party.

Occasions: We have experience of weddings, product launches, meetings and conferences, all of which have enjoyed the special atmosphere created by having exclusive use of an historic mansion if only for a day!

Total flexibility: Since Woolverstone Hall is yours for the event we are totally flexible in terms of how you wish to structure your event and the areas you can use.

Please download our current brochure which contains full details of the wonderful facilities, together with a comprehensive price list and contact information. Click here to download now. Below you will find excerpts from this document.

The Orangery dining room is, as you would expect, the Orangery from the original house and is an elegant curving dining room overlooking the rose gardens and sloping lawns with vistas of the River Orwell.

The Orangery can seat up to 120 and the accompanying side rooms can be used to seat up to 150 or to accommodate a buffet or bar area. The floor is suitable for dancing and there is direct access into the gardens via french doors.

The Elliston Room, formerly the master bedroom, on the first floor, is suitable for smaller functions and meetings for up to 50 guests.

The Library,Guests entering through the main doors of the Hall enjoy the view that the house was designed for; through the entrance hall, the library and the statue of Diana to the blue of the river beyond.

The Library and entrance Hall can accommodate up to 150 for a drinks reception. From the library, steps lead down into the gardens which were initially designed in the 1860’s. The Gardeners Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette of February 1867 said of the grounds that "it is impossible to conceive of a richer or better clothed landscape than that which stretches out in all directions from Woolverstone, like a boundless panorama of satisfying beauty". Little has changed in well over 100 years.

The Theatre seats up to 300 in steeply raked seating and is ideal for concerts and plays. There is a piano on stage and professional theatre lighting. Interval refreshments can be taken in the adjoining sports hall.

For large conferences the theatre is ideal for the plenary sessions, the sports hall for an exhibition, the Orangery for lunch and the Elliston Room and Library for smaller syndicate meeting.

The Sports Hall measures 36m x 18m and is equipped for the following sports

Indoor hockey

Badminton five courts

Short tennis five courts

Indoor netball

Volleyball

Additional sports facilities

Four hard courts suitable for tennis and netball.

Three grass hockey pitches

25m, 6 lane indoor swimming pool

All weather AstroTurf pitch suitable for hockey in the winter and tennis in the summer

Grass athletics track and long jump pit (Summer Only)

The catering arrangements

The main kitchens are large and well equipped with heavy duty equipment and are the envy of many commercial caterers!

The choice of caterer is in the hands of the client, the only requirement is that the caterer is properly licensed with the local authority and carries the necessary insurance. Use of the kitchen is included in the hire charges.

In the past we have worked successfully with

Le Talbooth Restaurant, Dedham. Contact Mrs L. Wood 01206 323150

Five Star Catering. Contact Mr J. Sharrock on 01473 890878

Bouquet Garni. Contact Mr P. Lewis on 01206 298604

Other arrangements

A caretaker is on site throughout the function to provide general assistance and to be available in the event of an emergency.

If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us by phone on (01473) 780201, or alternatively contact Barry or Sue who will be able to discuss your requirements.

Barry Davies, Support Services Manager
Email: b.davies@ihs.gdst.net

Sue Penman, School Business Manager
Email: s.penman@ihs.gdst.net