FEBRUARY NEWS
February news from Butley Priory
January often gets labelled as a fairly miserable month, but I have to say it’s been anything but dull here at Butley. Plenty of blue skies and sunshine for starters, viewings with newly engaged couples and a surge of planning meetings for weddings happening this year.
Hello, I’m Donna, your new General Manager and guest author of this month’s blog post. Now four weeks into the role and I’m nicely settling into life at Butley and absolutely loving my new surroundings.
A little bit about me…
Having worked in weddings & events for just over 11 years, I’ve been lucky to have overseen many ceremonies and receptions, with elopements and intimate weddings being my absolute favourite!
I have a son aged 12 & a daughter aged 16, so I’m fully experiencing the teenage years right now! They’re both obsessed with football, so you’ll usually find me cheering them on pitch-side on a Saturday morning. Sadly, there isn’t much time for hobbies, but last year my son and I discovered a love for fly-fishing, so occasionally we’ll head off for a weekend on the riverside which although a little exhausting, it’s so relaxing for the mind.
And for a couple of little random facts… I have an unstoppable love for Mr Kipling’s French Fancies and I once did a tandem skydive. But never will again.
It’s been a whirlwind of a month so far, meeting lots of new faces, still getting lost in the Farmhouse (the rooms are never-ending) and I quietly squeal to myself every time I see some deer. I’ve been lucky to see so many, particularly at dusk and even managed to see a baby muntjac with its mother. There’s a resident owl too.
Butley Priory Cottage has now had the final touches of décor with some beautiful prints for the sitting room and bedrooms. So, with the sunshine on our side, it was time to call in Sadie from Big Fish Photography to capture some charming photos of the cottage.
This adorable two bedroom cottage, (sleeps 4 + 2 with sofabed) sits right next door to the Priory, making it the perfect addition for wedding guest accommodation. With the forest on our doorstep, it’s an ideal location for a weekend break in Suffolk with plenty of enjoyable walks to be had and local pubs for lunch. You don’t need to be a wedding guest to come and stay and it’s a dog-friendly cottage too.
Nigel has been busy with sanding and re-painting the floorboards at the Priory. Arguably one of the mightiest annual tasks on the calendar, it’s a messy job and we’re very grateful to him and his right-hand man, Richard. We’re all excited to see it looking refreshed for our next wedding viewing day on 5th February.
The Farmhouse has received a thorough Spring clean which, with all its vast, endless rooms, has kept Kimmy occupied. We’ve also been planting trees, Winter flowering cherry and for Autumn colour, Liquid Amber, Maple, Cotoneaster and Forest Pansy.
Last week, I met up with Emily Chantal MUA, Kerry-Ann’s Cake Boutique and Gemma Giorgio Photography – three wedding supplier friends who I’ve known for some years now. They wanted to come and say hello to me in my new home and have a peek around the Priory and Farmhouse. I hope we’ll see more of them here this Summer.
L-R Kerry-Ann, Donna, Emily & Gemma
And so, we move into February, heralded as the month of love for Valentines. We’ll be greeting our first guests of the year to the Farmhouse and welcoming more couples to the Priory on our wedding viewing days.
For all you lovers out there, why not escape to a romantic cottage break for Valentines to Butley Priory Cottage? Available from Fri 11th-Sun 13th February, coupled with long forest walks, a visit to nearby Orford or Aldeburgh before returning to the quiet charm of the cottage with a roaring log fire, it’s an enchanting bolthole for a weekend with your love. To enquire, simply drop us a line here.
Photo: Big Fish Photography
Lastly, our congratulations to The Unruly Pig for winning the Number 1 spot in the UK Top 50 Gastropubs. Just 5 miles down the road from us, it’s a delightful place for a spot of lunch after your viewing or during your stay.
JANUARY NEWS
January news from Butley Priory
Happy New Year!
We have an exciting and packed year ahead, starting with the arrival of our new General Manager Donna Stockley. Our trusty Emma Thomas-Abbott is handing over the reins after four impressive years, and is setting up her own business. We wish her every success.
Emma has taken Butley Priory to dizzy new heights. It’s all thanks to her (24 hour) hard work, style and charm that we have weddings booked from April to December for 2022. Donna has many years of experience with weddings and events, we are eager to see her ideas and plans blossom, and take us to new level.
We wait with bated breath for our planning decision developing the Monks’ Barn to create a larger venue, which can be used instead of a marquee for larger weddings and functions.
December closed with a full Christmas programme. Our party was a rip-roaring success, mulled wine, sausages and mince pies – with children scampering about. Kimmy and Nigel, our head housekeeper and handyman/Mr Fix-it shared a few funny highlights/lowlights about working in the Priory over the years, from rock stars to blocked drains, and maybe the odd ghostly tale.
Butley Priory Staff Christmas Party
Sophie and Henry’s magnificent wedding on the 18th December was a blast with Christmas carols and dancing until the small hours. We had a series of family Christmas gatherings in Butley Abbey Farmhouse and Butley Priory Cottage. Intrepid guests made it all the way from Mougins in southern France, with Moose their Bernese Mountain dog to stay in the Priory. Some of our guests enjoyed the Christmas quiz at the Oyster Inn in Butley. In total 46 guests over the festive season. Thank you Kimmy for changing all those sheets, mopping floors and Nigel for keeping it ticking over and making everywhere snug for our guests.
Alas we have had to cancel our charity Home-Start bridge afternoon on 5th January due to covid, but we are rescheduled for Wednesday 2nd March. Currently we are fully booked (grand total of 92 participants) but do get in touch to see if we have any cancellations. We have some excellent raffle prizes including lunch for two at The Crown & Castle in Orford, a £100 voucher for brunch, lunch or dinner on the Lady Florence from Orford Quay, a hamper filled with goodies with Fishers Gin, chocolate from the Pump Street Bakery, smoked fish from Pinney’s and treats from Orford General Store. Special thanks also go to Hilton Macarons who are donating some delicious and pretty macarons for the event. Thank you all for your generosity.
