Walworth Castle is at Walworth, just outside Darlington in County Durham. The estate dates back to 1150, it was the seat of the Hansard family from 1189, and in 1576 it was sold to Thomas Jenison, whose family held it until 1759.
The bit I like telling couples: on 14 April 1603, Elizabeth Jenison entertained King James VI of Scotland here while he was travelling south to be crowned King James I of England. The room he stayed in is now the hotel's bridal suite. It is called the King James Suite, which is not a bad place to put your dress on.
"I have worked in a lot of good rooms. The bathroom at Walworth still stops me, and it is a bathroom."
The VenueWhat Walworth Castle gives a photographer
- iThe bridal suite, and its bathroom. The suite is big enough to hold hair, makeup and the whole bridal party without anyone being backed into a corner, which is rarer than it sounds. The bathroom off it has an ornate freestanding tub with drapes either side, and a dress hung above it makes a picture on its own.
- iiThe front, with the towers. Two round towers, a long stone range between them, flags up and a pair of weeping trees on the lawn. You can put the two of you very small in the middle of that frame and it still works. Late in the day the stone goes gold and it is the best it looks all day.
- iiiCarved wood everywhere. The oak staircase and the coving date from 1586. There are high-backed carved chairs the size of thrones, and the couple I photographed used two of them as their top-table seats with "Mr" and "Mrs" draped over the backs.
- ivA glass-roofed room for the party. Bare stone on one side, timber beams overhead, and enough height to hang lanterns and fairy lights from. It takes decoration well, and it takes it in colour: the Greenfields filled theirs with purple and white.
A Real Walworth DayMr & Mrs Greenfield
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The suite, and the bathtub
Hair, makeup and the bridal party all in one room without it turning into a scrum. The dress went up above the tub, purple bridesmaid dresses hung against the carved panelling next to it, and the shoes sat on one of the big carved chairs.
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The ballroom
The ceremony was in the ballroom. Grey-blue suits, pink ties, and a bouquet of purple and pink roses with eucalyptus running through it.
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Outside, with a plan B
Canapes, champagne, music and the formal groups were all meant to be outdoors, and the forecast was not promising. The team here had it covered before I had finished worrying about it. That is worth more on the day than any feature of the building.
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The thrones
Into the glass-roofed room for the wedding breakfast, purple and white lanterns overhead, and the two of them at the top table in a pair of carved thrones. Cake topped with two squirrels, one in a veil.
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Golden hour on the stone
Then the sky did what it does not always do. We went back out to the front and worked the low sun across the towers while it lasted. That is the frame this page opens with.
"Get ready in the King James Suite, and keep the last half hour of light free for the front of the castle. Everything else here is a bonus."
PricingA full day at Walworth Castle
A full day of Walworth Castle wedding photography starts from £1,800. Walworth is in County Durham rather than Yorkshire, and there is still no travel charge. The pricing page has what's included and the shorter options.
SuppliersWho made the day
Venue: Walworth Castle Hotel, Darlington. Flowers: Wild Floral Couture. Hair: Hobson and Holmes. Makeup: Jo Leversuch. Singer: Jessica Avison Music. Styling: Lisa Charles Venue Styling. Cake: Burnett4Cakes.
