The Pear Tree at Purton Vineyard - Exclusive-Use Wedding & Events Venue in Wiltshire
Set in the rolling Wiltshire countryside on the edge of the chocolate-box village of Purton, The Pear Tree at Purton Vineyard is one of the most romantic exclusive-use wedding and events venues in the south-west of England. The 400-year-old former vicarage, surrounded by seven acres of manicured gardens, English parkland and its own private vineyard, combines centuries of history with a striking contemporary Orangery, 18 luxury bedrooms and a passionate in-house team dedicated to crafting unforgettable celebrations.
The Pear Tree is part of the Artemis Venue Collection - a small group of high-end, exclusive-use venues across the UK that share a commitment to quality, sustainability and personalised service. Within easy reach of Bristol, Reading and London, the venue has become a destination of choice for couples looking for a countryside wedding with the polish of a luxury hotel, as well as for corporate clients and private party hosts.
A Brief History of The Pear Tree
The name "Purton" itself comes from the Old English pirige tun, meaning "pear homestead", and pear trees have long served as ancient boundary markers across the British landscape. The history of The Pear Tree stretches back more than 700 years, with parts of its beautiful architecture originating in the 17th century.
Originally built as the Saxon village vicarage, the building was later moved brick by brick to its current position on the southern edge of Purton. In 1987, after the Diocese of Bristol sold the property, Francis and Anne Young opened it as a country house hotel, which they lovingly ran until 2019. In that year the venue was acquired by Artemis Venue Services, who added a striking modern Orangery in Cotswold stone to the rear of the house and refurbished the bedrooms, transforming The Pear Tree into the exclusive-use wedding and events venue it is today.
The Setting: Purton, Wiltshire
The Pear Tree is positioned between the idyllic Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, giving the venue some of the most photographed countryside in southern England. The surrounding seven acres of lawned gardens include a private vineyard - the inspiration behind the venue's name - as well as walled gardens, sweeping lawns and a courtyard with the namesake pear tree.
Purton itself is a thriving village with plenty to see and do, from the Purton Museum and its special exhibitions, to a lively parish events calendar and a clutch of characterful pubs including The Angel, The Bell Inn and The Royal George. Within a 15-minute drive you can reach Swindon, while Bristol, Bath and Reading are all comfortably under an hour away.
For guests who want to stay overnight off-site, the venue recommends a handful of trusted partners - the Doubletree by Hilton Swindon, the Village Hotel Swindon, the Premier Inn Swindon West, the Holiday Inn Express, the Schoolhouse Hotel and Restaurant, and Hook Farm Cottages, where The Pear Tree guests can enjoy 15% off with the code PEARTREE.
The Pear Tree at a Glance
- 150 seated dining capacity
- 200 maximum guest capacity
- 18 luxury en-suite bedrooms
- 5 versatile event spaces
- 7 acres of countryside gardens
- 1 private vineyard
Weddings at The Pear Tree
Every wedding at The Pear Tree is exclusive use - the entire estate, including all 18 bedrooms, is yours for the day and night. Whether you are planning an intimate celebration for 60 or a full house of 200 evening guests, the team works closely with each couple to design a celebration that feels personal and effortless.
Where It Begins - Morning Preparations
The morning of a wedding at The Pear Tree starts in style in Cascade, the venue's purpose-designed bridal dressing room. Bathed in natural light and furnished with floor-length mirrors and individual dressing tables, Cascade is a serene space to gather with bridesmaids, family and make-up artists. Just below, The Library - complete with sumptuous leather sofas and a fireplace dating to 1430 - provides a second preparation space with literary charm. Guests can enjoy a coffee or cocktail in the Bartlett Bar and Lounge while the couple gets ready, with a choice of sharing boards and drinks available to order in.
Ceremony Spaces
Couples can choose between an indoor ceremony in Blossom, a bright and airy first-floor space with capacity for up to 150 guests, or an outdoor ceremony under the Garden Pavilion, surrounded by views of the immaculate gardens and the Wiltshire countryside beyond. Both settings are licensed for civil ceremonies; alternatively, four churches sit within a two-mile radius of the venue, including St Mary's Church right next door.
Photography opportunities are everywhere on the estate: against the honey-coloured Cotswold stone, descending the iconic outdoor staircase, running through the vineyard, or framed by the manicured walled gardens.
Reception & Dining in the Orangery
The Orangery - a glazed, light-filled extension built in sympathetic Cotswold stone - is the heart of every wedding celebration at The Pear Tree. With skylights, garden views on three sides and seating for up to 150 guests, it is the perfect setting for a wedding breakfast. Menus are designed around the freshest seasonal British produce and can be mixed, matched and personalised with the in-house chefs.
Evening Celebrations in the Bartlett
As night falls, the Bartlett Bar and Lounge takes over. A separate space from the Orangery, with a modern, atmospheric feel, a spacious dancefloor and a dedicated area for a DJ or live band, Bartlett keeps the celebration going until last orders at 11:15pm. A pop-up cocktail bar or a quieter drinks spot in the Library can be added for guests who prefer a more relaxed setting.
Wedding Accommodation - Moonglow and 17 Guest Bedrooms
All 18 bedrooms at The Pear Tree are reserved for the wedding party. The star of the show is Moonglow, a luxurious honeymoon suite with its own lounge, private balcony overlooking the grounds and a modern bathroom. Book 10 guest rooms within two months of booking the wedding, and Moonglow is offered free of charge. The other 17 bedrooms are equally well-appointed, each with views of the surrounding English countryside and breakfast included the next morning.
Accommodation rates (including VAT and breakfast) for 2026 are:
- Moonglow - Monday to Wednesday £280, Thursday and Sunday £340, Friday and Saturday £340
- Guest bedrooms - Monday to Wednesday £155, Thursday and Sunday £175, Friday and Saturday £195
- Rooms 16 & 17 - Monday to Wednesday £140, Thursday and Sunday £160, Friday and Saturday £180
For 2027, rates rise modestly to between £150 and £360 per room, with 2028 prices ranging from £155 to £370. Check-in is from 3:30pm, check-out by 10:00am.
Wedding Pricing & Special Offers
The Pear Tree's venue hire is priced per date and varies by season and day of the week, with full pricing shown on an interactive Dates & Prices calendar. To secure a date, an initial £750 deposit is required.
The venue is currently running two attractive offers for new bookings:
- 50% off venue hire for any remaining wedding date up to 31 March 2027
- 25% off venue hire for any remaining date between 1 April and 31 December 2027 when booked by 30 September 2026
For couples who would prefer a smaller evening-only celebration, The Pear Tree also offers evening-only venue hire from £1,500 (Sunday to Thursday) or £2,000 (Friday and Saturday) for any date within the next six months. Venue access is from 5pm and a minimum food spend applies.
A Wedding Day at The Pear Tree
A typical wedding day at The Pear Tree might unfold like this:
- 9:00am - Access to Cascade bridal dressing room
- 12:00pm - Exclusive hire begins; licensed bar opens for guests
- 12:45pm - Meet the registrar for final paperwork
- 1:00pm - Wedding ceremony in Blossom or the Garden Pavilion
- 1:30pm - Drinks reception on the balcony and in the gardens
- 3:00pm - Wedding breakfast in the Orangery
- 5:00pm - Speeches and terrace drinks
- 7:00pm - Evening guests arrive; Bartlett opens for dancing
- 7:30pm - First dance and cake cutting
- 8:15pm - Evening food from the outdoor kitchen (wood-fired pizzas, paella, wok food)
- 11:15pm - Last orders; music finishes at 11:30pm
- 12:00am - Departure; guests staying overnight head to their bedrooms
- 7:30am the next day - Breakfast together in the Orangery
- 10:00am - Check-out
Events & Corporate Hire
Although weddings are at the heart of the business, The Pear Tree also plays host to a wide range of corporate events, private celebrations and seasonal parties. As an exclusive-use venue with extensive on-site parking, EV chargers and a dedicated events team, it offers a sophisticated countryside alternative to a city conference centre.
Meeting Spaces
Four distinctive meeting rooms are available to hire individually or as a combination:
- Orangery (50 - 150 people) - the largest function space, flooded with daylight and opening directly onto the terrace and gardens. Half-day delegate rate from £35pp (ex VAT); full-day from £50pp (ex VAT). Both include refreshments, flip chart and 50" TV; the full day also includes a light lunch.
- Blossom (8 - 50 people) - a bright first-floor room with access to the gardens via the sweeping outdoor staircase. Half-day from £30pp (ex VAT); full-day from £40pp (ex VAT).
- Bartlett (8 - 30 people for meetings, up to 100 for networking) - linked to the Orangery with an intimate dining feel. Half-day from £35pp (ex VAT); full-day from £50pp (ex VAT).
- The Library (up to 8 people) - the smallest space, ideal for board meetings or breakout sessions. Half-day £150 (ex VAT); full-day £250 (ex VAT).
Private Celebrations & Milestone Parties
From milestone birthdays and anniversary dinners to celebration-of-life gatherings, the venue's versatile indoor and outdoor spaces, paired with bespoke menus and tailored service, create seamless experiences for private occasions. Maximum capacity stands at 200, with 150 for seated dining.
Seasonal Parties
For Christmas parties, summer gatherings and corporate celebrations, The Pear Tree offers both shared party nights and exclusive private hire. View the dedicated Christmas Parties package and Summer Parties package brochures for full details.
What's On: Upcoming Public Events
The Pear Tree runs a small but growing programme of public events that allow outside guests to experience the venue. Two events are currently confirmed on the What's On calendar:
- Autumn Chef's Table - Thursday 5 November 2026. A four-course seasonal tasting menu curated by Executive Group Head Chef Robert Stanway, with sommelier-paired wines, hand-crafted canapés and unlimited signature cocktails on arrival. The event runs approximately 3 - 4 hours and welcomes around 80 guests. Book tickets via Ticketpass.
- Party at The Pear Tree - Saturday 19 December 2026. The venue's shared Christmas party night, featuring welcome drinks, a delicious three-course festive dinner, and a DJ-led dancefloor. Tables seat eight and tickets are sold individually. Reserve your place via Ticketpass.
A Chef's Table is held each season (winter, spring, summer and autumn), and the team encourages booked wedding couples to attend a tasting before their catering meeting.
The Chef's Table Experience
The Chef's Table is The Pear Tree's signature public dining event - a meticulously crafted four-course tasting menu designed to showcase the very best of seasonal British produce, paired with wines selected by the venue's sommelier and an unlimited signature cocktail on arrival. Guests typically arrive to hand-crafted canapés in the Orangery before moving through starter, main and dessert, with the chance to pre-order their preferred starter and main when booking.
The Chef's Table is held each season and is open to around 80 guests per sitting. Wedding couples are particularly encouraged to attend as a way of inspiring their own menu and experiencing the service first-hand. Tickets are sold via Ticketpass, and dietary requirements of all kinds - including the venue's industry-leading allergen-free options - can be accommodated with notice.
Food & Drink
Food is at the heart of every experience at The Pear Tree. The in-house kitchen team, led by Head Chef Robert Stanway, designs menus around the freshest seasonal British ingredients, drawing on locally sourced producers wherever possible. All catering is done in-house, with à la carte pricing allowing couples and event hosts to mix and match dishes across the four seasons.
Highlights from the offering include:
- Seasonally inspired wedding breakfast menus, fully customisable
- Sharing boards and grazing platters for morning preparations
- Wood-fired pizzas, live paella, barbecues and fragrant wok food for evening menus
- Bespoke cocktail design with the venue's bar team
- Sustainably sourced wines, hand-picked to complement the food
- An industry-leading allergen-free menu covering all 14 regulated allergens
Drinks experiences range from Champagne receptions and cocktail bars on the terrace to a fully stocked late-night bar in the Bartlett Lounge.
Sustainability at The Pear Tree
Sustainability sits at the heart of The Pear Tree's ethos. The team is committed to creating unforgettable celebrations that leave memories - not a lasting environmental footprint - and has built a Sustainability Policy around nine core commitments:
- Sustainable travel - EV chargers on-site and a cycle-to-work scheme for staff.
- Recycling & waste management - battery and lightbulb recycling, paper recycling at reception, water butts to harvest rainwater for the gardens, with a target to divert up to 75% of waste to on-site composting.
- Paperless by design - printed brochures phased out and iPads used on event days to minimise paper.
- Energy conservation - motion-sensor lighting, LED bulb audits and a transition to renewable energy suppliers.
- Community & ethical business - annual community lunches at Christmas, venue space offered to local groups, and regular litter picks in the village.
- Responsible supply chain - a Sustainable Procurement Policy assessing supplier environmental credentials and a target to reduce site deliveries by up to 50%.
- Reusing to reduce waste - digital documents and an internal reuse hub for office materials.
- Sustainable food practices - seasonal, locally sourced menus, plant-based options being expanded, and an ambitious project to develop the on-site vineyard with the aim of producing its own grape juice and wine by the end of 2027.
- Empowering our people - Carbon Literacy Training for the whole team by the end of 2026.
The Pear Tree is also a proud supporter of Magic Breakfast, a charity providing free, nutritious breakfasts to children who might otherwise start the day hungry. Couples can opt to add a small voluntary donation at their final planning meeting.
Visit The Pear Tree
Couples and event hosts can experience The Pear Tree in a number of ways:
- Show Round - a personal, one-to-one tour at a time that suits you, exploring the Orangery, gardens and vineyard.
- First Look Event - see the venue styled for a wedding, with a relaxed private tour and time to ask questions.
- Open Event - a styled private tour, perfect for an unhurried first impression.
- Showcase Event - the venue in full celebration mode, beautifully dressed and full of ideas.
- Virtual Viewing - a live, one-to-one virtual tour with a wedding specialist for those overseas or with busy schedules.
All visits can be booked online via the Book a Visit page. Enquiries can also be made by phone on 01793 781270.
Trusted Suppliers
The Pear Tree has curated a directory of approved wedding suppliers - from florists to photographers, musicians to make-up artists, taxi firms to cake designers - all of whom know the venue inside out. A few of the most popular partners include Everyone's Kind of Music (EKOM) for DJ and entertainment packages, Harrison & Green and Bentham Blooms for floristry, Studio Rouge and Stu Jotham Photography for imagery, and Cakes by Mrs F and Emma's Kitchen Cakes for wedding cakes. A full supplier list is published on the Suppliers page.
Practical Information & Getting Here
- Address: The Pear Tree, Church End, Purton, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 4ED
- what3words: ///combining.splendid.waltzes
- Booking office: 01793 781270
- Events team: 01793 781263
- On-the-day emergencies: 07818 056752
- Parking: Ample free on-site parking; cars can be left overnight but must be collected by 10am the next morning
- EV charging: Available on-site (pre-booking recommended)
- Closest station: Swindon (15 minutes by car), with direct trains to London Paddington and Bristol
- Closest motorway: M4, around 10 minutes away
- Nearest airports: Bristol and London Heathrow both around 60 - 75 minutes by car
The Pear Tree is operated by Pear Tree Hire Limited (Company Registration No. 12435879), with administrative support from Country House Wedding Venues Ltd, part of the Artemis Group of companies.
Final Thoughts
With its 700-year history, seven acres of gardens, private vineyard, 18 luxury bedrooms and an industry-leading in-house culinary team, The Pear Tree at Purton is more than a wedding venue - it is a complete countryside experience. Whether you are planning a wedding, a corporate away day, a milestone celebration or simply a special evening at the Chef's Table, the venue combines the warmth of a private home with the polish of a luxury hotel, all wrapped up in a single, sustainable package.