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THE VINES of Rochester
PHOTOGRAPHY BY : DAN POTTER / JODI HANAGAN PHOTOGRAPHY
THE VINES OF ROCHESTER IS A NEW , STUNNING WEDDING VENUE , RESTAURANT AND HOTEL , LOCATED IN THE HEART OF ROCHESTER .
Established by the owners of Cooling Castle Barn – regarded as one of the premier wedding venues in the south east over the past 25 years – the Grade II listed property , formerly known as the Old Archdeaconry , is one of Rochester ’ s more prominent historic houses , likely to have been built for Archdeacon John Lee in 1661 .
The Collins family , part of the Bert & Montgomery group , has transformed it into a unique venue , retaining many original features from different periods across the centuries , while lovingly-restoring and refurbishing the property and adding a new basement and external extensions .
It houses two stunning restaurants and a separate bar – all joined by an ingenious glass link . For weddings , The Vines is exclusive-use , with a wellmanicured garden and outdoor cooking area , giving guests plenty of space to roam and enjoy the day , while 13-beautifully and uniquelydesigned bedrooms add a touch of luxury to proceedings for those who stay the night , with a gorgeous Norwegian tipi available in the garden for civil ceremonies .
insideKENT speaks to owner Rebecca Collins about her passion project and incredible restoration results .
Why did you decide to embark on this project ?
Having run the nearby wedding venue Cooling Castle Barn and The Fire Station Brasserie restaurant , we believed that there was room in the market for a high-quality hotel and fine dining restaurant . Rochester is a real up-and-coming town , with a lot of people relocating from London due to its easy commuting distance . There is also a lot of growth on the high street and surrounding area . After hosting some weddings to help couples who had missed out due to COVID , we discovered that it was also a really unique venue for weddings and are proud to have hosted many more over the summer .
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