Functions and Parties
The Walled Garden
The Chantry has many spaces that are ideal for holding a range of functions, large and small.
Situated in a quiet, residential area, just a few minutes' walk from the centre of Thornbury, its amenities and free parking, The Chantry is a wonderful venue for adult functions and children's parties alike.
Our wide variety of rooms means that there are spaces in the Chantry that are perfect for:
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Baby Showers
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Christenings
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Children's Birthday Parties
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Family Reunions
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Office Socials
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Small Wedding Receptions
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Adult 'Milestone' Birthdays
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Wakes
Unfortunately, due to our location in a residential area, and the additional staffing required, we are not able to take bookings for teenage and 'coming-of-age' parties at this time.
Since we started taking bookings again in Spring 2022, we have hosted baby showers, christening parties, children's birthday parties, several 'milestone' birthday celebrations including a 100th Birthday(!), a wedding reception, a number of family reunion get-togethers, and a good number of celebration-of-life events and wakes. We have also been home to numerous company afternoon teas and picnics for those generous employers wishing to give their employees an afternoon outside of the office.
The Slymbridge Room
Here at the Chantry, you can choose from a variety of rooms, depending on the type of function you wish to hold.
We are situated in a historic building, boasting a fabulous Tudor Walled Garden and panelled room (The Hampden Room), as well as a range of charming spaces to suit most needs.
We also benefit from lovely, modern toilets that include both disabled and baby changing facilities, as well as our own, private car park. If our car park is too busy, Thornbury boasts 3 additional free car parks. The closest of these is just a 5 minute walk away, on Castle Court.
We also have a kitchen that can be included in your booking. It is well-equipped with a fridge-freezer, oven, dishwasher and a full complement of tableware and tea/coffee making equipment for those who need it. You are welcome to use this facility yourself, but we also welcome outside catering. Many of our guests have used local firms to provide a buffet service at their events.
The Slymbridge Room can host a wide range of events. It is a generous, airy room, with views over the lovely Walled Garden, and equipped with a bar area, perfect for serving drinks or holding a buffet. It also has the added advantage of both kitchen access, via a hatch, and access to our beautiful, historic Walled Garden.
The bar can be used to serve alcoholic drinks, upon request - please see below:
The room is equipped with a bar, which includes two bar fridges, a sink and plenty of shelving for glass storage. the bar facilities are available on a self-serve basis, and we do not provide glassware.
We are aware that, for many private events serving alcohol, you will incur costs for a server as well as the mark-up that pubs and bars put on their drinks in order to make them profitable. We, instead, operate solely on a self-serve basis with a per-head corkage fee charged to sustain the bar and its relevant licences. This enables guests to bring their own selection of alcoholic beverages, and glasses to suit, without the mark-up costs of a staffed bar.
PLEASE NOTE: You are welcome to employ someone to run your bar, however this does not cover events looking to sell alcohol. Please contact the office for more details on private sales of alcohol on the premises.
The Slymbridge Room
The Hampden Room
The Slymbridge Room also interconnects, via an internal door, with the newly-restored Hampden Room.
The Hampden Room boasts the original Tudor panelling and fireplace and has yet more views of the garden. It has been painted in a muted shade of green to enhance its connection to the outdoors, and is complementary to the Slymbridge Room, next door.
The Walled Garden itself is a large, enclosed spot meaning that supervised children can play safely, while adults can relax in a space that is secluded but still accessible, with a ramp from the car park for those who need it.
The Wild area at the end of the garden is a wonderful space for photographs and the garden as a whole has a fantastic, relaxed atmosphere, making it ideal for almost any function.
View from the Wild Garden
The Conservatory
Access to the Garden can also be gained via our light and bright Conservatory.
Thought to be Edwardian, it is nestled at the far end of the building, near the Wild Garden area.
It has an impressive oak door at the street end, which is rumoured to have come from Thornbury Castle.
It is a great escape from the British weather for those who want to feel like they're still connected to the outdoor spaces.
On the other side of the Chantry complex, The Buckingham room and Coach Hall are both perfect venues for children's parties.
Situated opposite the main building, just across from the Walled Garden, they are accessible directly from the car park.
The Walled Garden can be hired alongside these rooms upon request, subject to availability.
The Buckingham Room is on the ground floor, making it ideal for soft play parties for toddlers and babies. (Please note: none of our rooms are tall enough for a full-sized bouncy castle. One can be erected in the garden, weather permitting.)
It's also a great place for crafty parties, children's entertainers, and as a base for those wishing to use the garden.
The Buckingham Room
The Coach Hall
The Coach Hall, situated in the same building as the Buckingham Room, is a large, upstairs space.
It has a vaulted ceiling and great acoustics, making it a fantastic spot for kids' disco and dance parties, activity parties and children's entertainers alike.
You can hire both the Coach Hall and Buckingham Room alongside the main building spaces if you're looking for extra room to house entertainments for your event.
As well as the spaces mentioned above, the Chantry also has other rooms that can be added to bookings to make extra space where needed.
Both the Hanover Room and Lancaster Room, located on the ground floor of the main building, can be added to bookings for the Slymbridge Room, Hampden Room and Conservatory to provide extra space for guests to mingle, to set up your buffet if the bar is in use for drinks, or to house games and toys to keep the kids entertained. Recent guests have also used them to display slide shows and photographs and as a breakout space.
If you would like to get in touch with us to arrange a booking for your event, please visit the Contact Us page to find out how.