Selden Barns, Patching - A South Downs Wedding Venue
Selden Barns is a family-run, exclusive-use wedding and corporate events venue in the hamlet of Patching, between Worthing and Arundel in West Sussex. Set within the South Downs National Park, the estate stretches across rolling fields, ancient woodland, natural hedgerows and pasture grazed by horses. Traditional Sussex flint and brick barns form the heart of the venue, with formal walled gardens to the west and a patio terrace opening east across open pasture toward Patching village.
At a Glance
The restored barns combine timber rafters, ivory pleated linings, sparkling chandeliers and fairy lights, the kind of setting couples often describe as a 'wow moment' when they step inside for the first time.
Contact details:
- Sales line: 0774 949 7055
- Venue line: 01903 372 990
- Email: enquiries@seldenbarns.co.uk
- Address: Old Selden Farm, 146 Selden Lane, Patching, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 3UL
- What Three Words: exclusive.pickle.power
Wedding Venue Hire and Pricing
A live availability calendar shows transparent, all-inclusive venue-hire prices for each available date. Catering, beverages, accommodation, styling and entertainment are quoted separately.
- Off-peak dates from: £4,650
- Weekday rate: £5,750
- Sunday rate: £5,750
- Friday rate: £6,950
- Saturday rate: £7,350
The homepage advertises a limited-time 50% off venue hire offer on selected dates in January to May 2027, covering weddings, parties, birthdays, baby showers or corporate events. Full details and selected dates are available via the homepage or the brochure request form at seldenbarns.co.uk/brochure-request.
Three Licensed Ceremony Spaces
Selden Barns is licensed for civil marriages and civil partnerships by West Sussex County Council and offers three ceremony settings. Once a couple books the date, the legal paperwork is handled directly with West Sussex County Council's Registrars Office.
The Ceremony Barn
The beautifully restored indoor ceremony barn sits adjoining the main house and seats up to 100 guests. Timber rafters, chandeliers and fairy lights create the indoor atmosphere and the room is just a minute's walk from the main wedding barn.
The Sussex Oak Pergola
An elegant outdoor ceremony space framed by the walled garden, fruit trees and birdsong, suited to couples who want a romantic, intimate setting within the formal garden.
The Front Lawn
A sweeping open-air space with rolling countryside views for outdoor ceremonies of up to 200 guests. Two outdoor ceremony areas are licensed in total.
The Main Wedding Barn
The main barn is the centrepiece reception space, combining dining, dancing and the bar under one roof so guests never have to leave. Standout features include:
- Floor-to-ceiling windows framing the fields beyond
- Ivory pleated marquee linings with swags and tails
- Sparkling chandeliers and fairy lights
- A mahogany bar once part of a Victorian chemist's shop
- An outdoor terrace with firepits and outdoor heaters for cooler months
- A raised dancefloor with uplighters for the evening party
Capacity is up to 200 seated, with the main barn's 360 sqm accommodating 50 to 200 seated or up to 250 standing for corporate use.
On-Site Accommodation
One of Selden Barns' biggest selling points is its self-contained accommodation. All rooms have their own private front door, oak floors, Egyptian cotton bedding, en-suite shower rooms and underfloor heating. The venue sleeps up to 26 guests across:
- 2 Family Rooms - king-size bed, en-suite shower plus a separate bunk bedroom for children up to 16
- The Annex Family Room - king-size bed with private bathroom (including bath) plus a twin bedroom
- 1 Twin Room - two single beds and private bathroom
- 4 Double Rooms - king-size bed and en-suite facilities
- The Gatehouse - superior double with emperor-size bed, roll-top bath, en-suite shower and a private garden
The accommodation page at seldenbarns.co.uk/accommodation emphasises the convenience: no taxis, no designated drivers and no checking the time. Guests can stay, celebrate late into the night and wake up to breakfast in the farmhouse kitchen the next morning.
Catering: Four Trusted Partners
Selden Barns works with four handpicked external caterers who all know the venue, the kitchen and the team. Catering is arranged directly with the chosen partner after venue hire is booked, and menus are fully bespoke. The four caterers are:
Dietary requirements including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and common allergies are all accommodated. Evening food (hog roasts, BBQs, grazing tables, street food and late-night snacks) is booked directly with the chosen caterer.
Corporate Events and Conferences
Although primarily a wedding venue, Selden Barns also hosts corporate events year-round. The combination of exclusive use, AV infrastructure, high-speed Wi-Fi and 9 on-site bedrooms makes it suitable for multi-day retreats. Typical uses include:
- AGMs, board meetings and strategic planning sessions
- Company away days and team-building retreats
- Product launches and brand events
- Awards ceremonies, gala dinners and Christmas parties
- Training days, workshops and conferences
- Sales kick-offs and leadership retreats
The main barn comfortably seats 50 to 200 delegates (or 250 standing) and a smaller 60 sqm barn is available for executive meetings. Amenities include EV chargers, disabled access, ample parking and excellent transport links to London, Brighton and the South Coast.
Event Planning and Decorations
Selden Barns' planning team is led by the long-standing coordinator Nicki and supported by Saoirse, Mya, Andy, Ben and others named in recent testimonials. They look after supplier coordination, timelines, decoration liaison, layout and on-the-day management. The decoration page at seldenbarns.co.uk/decorations explains that the flint and brick barns are beautiful with minimal styling, and a network of trusted florists, stylists and decoration specialists can deliver full transformations, themed parties, seasonal décor or branded corporate staging.
Upcoming Events and Open Days
A Wedding Open Day and Open Evening page is available at seldenbarns.co.uk/wedding-venue-open-day. The homepage advertises a Wedding Open Evening in Autumn 2026, date TBA; admission is free and visitors can tour the barns, meet the team and ask questions without pressure. Personal tours can also be booked via the request-a-tour page.
Tours and Visits
There is no walk-in visit, but Selden Barns offers two structured options:
- Personal Venue Viewing - booked through seldenbarns.co.uk/request-a-tour at a time to suit you. Confirmation is sent by email.
- Wedding Open Evening - free, no-obligation group viewing on the next announced date (Autumn 2026, TBA).
Both options include the chance to see all three ceremony spaces, the main barn, the walled garden, the terrace and the on-site accommodation.
What Couples Are Saying
Recent testimonials give a useful sense of the experience:
- 'The venue was absolutely stunning. A special thank you to our coordinator, Saoirse, for all your help and support.' - Lea & Simon, July 2025
- 'We couldn't have asked for a better venue, amazing vendors and just the most magical day!' - Jodie & Liam, July 2025
- 'The team at Selden Barns are absolutely superb ... we needn't have worried.' - John & Adele, August 2025
- 'Nothing was ever too much for them, they went above and beyond.' - Aimee & Tommy, May 2025
- 'A very beautiful venue that made everyone feel it was a real treat. The food was exceptional.' - Laura, June 2025
Selden Barns was a winner of the Hitched Wedding Awards 2025, recognised for its grounds, attentive staff and smooth wedding-day coordination.
Getting to Selden Barns
Selden Barns is easy to reach by car via the A27 and A280. Free on-site parking is included with venue hire. The nearest train stations are Durrington-on-Sea and Angmering (both around 3 miles away, served by Southern and Thameslink). The venue is approximately 5 miles from Worthing, 8 miles from Arundel and within easy reach of Brighton and Chichester. Taxis should be pre-booked for guests arriving by train.
Wedding Planning Resources
- Live availability calendar - real-time dates with prices shown
- Wedding FAQ - a thorough rundown of how the day runs, speeches, table layouts, music rules and timings
- Brochure request - digital brochure delivered by email
- Blog - planning tips, news and updates
Privacy and Data
The privacy policy at seldenbarns.co.uk/privacypolicy confirms the data controller is Selden Barns, registered in England (company number 06852012), with a dedicated dataprotection@seldenbarns.co.uk mailbox for privacy enquiries.