Luxury wedding venue to open at King’s Foundation headquarters
A new events space is to be built at the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, founded by Charles more than 35 years ago.
The project, called The King’s Hall in honor of the monarch, will add a 430 square meter extension to the east wing of Dumfries House in Cumnock, East Ayrshire.
The single-storey extension includes a 282sq m public hall and will host events for up to 200 guests, making it the “go-to venue for high-end, luxury weddings and private events” both nationally and internationally.
The building, planned to be opened in 2027, will be built in accordance with the architecture of the 300-year-old house, using local materials and the same techniques.
It is also intended to showcase the charity’s principles of “harmony and sustainability” and will be heated using newly installed heat pumps and biomass boilers, while menus will feature organic food and locally sourced produce.
The foundation said revenues from ticketed events and venue rentals will support the preservation and development of the home and property, as well as the foundation’s educational programs and community initiatives.
Gordon Neil, chief executive of The King’s Foundation, said: “Given our training programs in architecture and heritage craft skills, the key for The King’s Foundation was to produce a building combining traditional crafts and locally sourced building materials.
“We used a local quarry to quarry the stone and used the same building techniques as those used to build Dumfries House 300 years ago, whilst also incorporating newer techniques and elements that we needed to add to meet today’s building standards.
“The King’s Hall will be a true testament to Her Majesty’s influence on the House of Dumfries and the vital education and employment it provides.”
Dumfries House was built between 1754 and 1759 for William Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries, with Robert Adam as chief architect.
Extended with east and west wing extensions by Robert Weir-Schultz in 1890, the house was purchased for the foundation with all its contents in 2007, with the help of the King.
Mr Neil added: “Following the completion of this sympathetic new extension, we can say that Dumfries House was built by three great influences in the history of English architecture: Adam in the 18th century, Weir-Schultz in the 19th century and King Charles III during his reign.”
The new space will allow the King’s Foundation to host five or six large-scale events each week, compared to the current average of one or two due to space constraints.
Evan Samson, chief executive of Dumfries House, said the development represented an “exciting time” for the charity.
“One of the challenges for us in recent years with this beautiful home has been the lack of large-scale event and entertainment space that suits the aesthetics and atmosphere of such a historic building,” he said.
“This new venue will offer us a unique offering that will become a part of the home, furnished and furnished to luxury standards and versatile enough to host a wide range of events.
“It opens doors for us to host many more types of events and appeal to many more types of people.”
The first stage of plans for The King’s Hall has been given approval by East Ayrshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland.
The first events at The King’s Hall will be held in July 2027.
