Luxury 16th Century Wedding Venue

Help to renovate and look after a mid-16th century manor house in the Suffolk countryside

Key info:

• 3-4hrs per day, 2 days off per week
• Self catering
• Gardening/ DIY/ general property maintenance
• Suffolk, UK

Accomodation:

This is first and foremost a real Suffolk home, just as it was intended to be. Distinctly private, quietly refined and deeply authentic, it remains refreshingly uncommercialised and true to itself. Its remarkable Tudor long barn has been carefully restored as a blank canvas, without the trappings of modern conversion.

Set on gently rising clayland in High Suffolk, the house sits above the River Deben, with far-reaching views across open countryside from the gardens and grounds.

The mid-16th-century manor, listed Grade II*, is encircled by a wide, water-filled moat and approached via a brick bridge and gatehouse. Unlike many country estates, the surrounding landscape was never formally designed, making it a rare survival of an early, intimate country house setting. A second, narrower moat encloses what was once an orchard meadow, adding to the sense of history and quiet seclusion.

Volunteer accommodation: You’ll have the entire top floor of the house, this has a large double bedroom overlooking the grounds, and a large private bathroom. It also has a private lounging area, TV and a small kitchenette (microwave, sink and basic kitchen utensils). You’re welcome to use the shared kitchen with me, the property owner, on the ground floor.

What we need help with:

• Gardening; pruning/ weeding/ hedge trimming/ planting etc - Every season brings new garden jobs. You may work alongside my gardener at times.
• We have an upcoming project of creating a wild flower garden to help with wedding season bouquets, and would love volunteer help with this.
• I have a few horses and would love help with stable management.
• I have 2 dogs who love meeting new people and help to walk them.
• Various indoor/ outdoor renovation related projects.

Who we're looking for:

Ideally, we are looking for a couple, or pair of friends, who are experienced outdoors people / gardeners who can, for example, use a chainsaw or strimmer, to stay for a week or more.

Ideal skills/experience:

Property and maintenance, Garden and outdoors, Pet sitting

Your schedule:

Flexible hours, around 3-4 hours a day, 5 days a week Free time to explore the local area

Extra perks

An especially rare perk of this stay is the opportunity to live within a beautifully maintained, high-end wedding venue — a setting most people only ever experience as a guest for a single day. In exchange for your time, you’ll be immersed in an exceptional environment, surrounded by historic architecture and thoughtfully kept grounds, making this a truly memorable opportunity to stay somewhere of remarkable quality.

Pets

Dogs and horses are onsite here. And plenty of wildlife!

Local area

The house sits within easy reach of a thriving Suffolk market village, known for its independent shops, cafés and welcoming pubs. Surrounded by rolling countryside, it’s an ideal base for long, meandering walks along quiet lanes, river valleys and public footpaths that weave through farmland and ancient hedgerows. The area offers a gentle pace of life, with plenty of opportunities to explore on foot, pause in a village pub, or simply enjoy the changing landscapes that make this part of Suffolk so quietly special.

Interested?

Send us a message and tell us:

• A little about yourself
• Why you'd love to join us and help us out with our various projects
• Any experience you have with gardening or DIY projects