Photos: PIC PR
Nestled in the picturesque outskirts of Bristol lies the newly refurbished Clevedon Hall.
Over the past four years, owners Peter and Sally McCarthy have spent £3million on refurbishing the mansion.
The 150-year-old Victorian building has an extensive local history and has been used for numerous purposes throughout the years.
The stunning building was originally designed by Foster and Wood, a firm of Bristol Architects, who designed other Bristol landmarks, including the Grammar School Hall.
But the current owners bought the hall in 1991 and lived in it for eight years with their family while turning it into corporate headquarters for their telecoms and consultancy business.
The McCarthys then sold the business but stayed on as landlords.
After the tenants moved out they then decided to renovate the mansion and return it to its former glory of a country mansion and then use it to host events.
“Over the years, we received many letters from people asking if they could use Clevedon Hall to get married. As inquiries grew, we started to research the potential for turning it into an events venue.
“It proved to be a very popular idea and we haven’t looked back since!” explains John McCarthy, Clevedon Hall’s General Manager and Peter and Sally’s son.
In 2010 Clevedon Hall was opened for its first public event and has proved a very popular venue for weddings over the past few years.
“We have restored as much of Clevedon Hall’s history as possible and have worked closely with English Heritage and the local conservation officer to ensure the designs are just right,” says John.
Childs & Sulzmann Architects, John Perkins Construction and Jane Clayton and Company Ltd are the teams responsible for bringing the beautiful building back to life, injecting moderns comforts, whilst taking care to preserve the wealth of interesting period features already in place.
The original features which still remain include the windows, as well as the 19th century Dutch tower, the Victorian fireplaces and the carved panelled oak grand staircase.
Restoration and redecoration were carried out in the Grand Library and adjoining orangery, as well as the Dame Rosa Burden room.
Renovations began by removing all of the office furniture and carpets from the bottom floor.
The ground floor then had the paint and wallpaper restored or replaced.
When looking at the fixtures and fittings the owners were keen to keep the charm of the building intact and ensure the restoration to a charming country house venue was sympathetically carried out.
The brand new bedrooms and suites are in keeping with the traditional values of the property and include many antique pieces, along with high quality reproductions.
John adds: “We found that a large number of guests were asking about the possibility of staying in Clevedon Hall after an event like a wedding or conference. It was the only aspect we couldn’t provide so we decided to add in bedrooms and suites.”
The challenging exercise includes restoring the upper two floors, and creating 25 bedrooms and suites from the available space.
The initial brief was to create sumptuous, elegant bedrooms which reflect the heritage and age of the building, whilst offering all the comfort and amenities you would expect of a high end boutique hotel.
Most bathrooms are spacious and light and showcase Victorian style brick tiles in a range of colours, alongside really smart bathroom fittings. Many of the rooms feature roll top baths, some in a stunning copper tone.
Clevedon Hall has kept its historic character but added in a contemporary twist.
