Amadeus Glorious Magazine Issue 02

OUT AND ABOUT STONELEIGH ABBEY
The secrets of
STONELEIGH
ABBEY
Stoneleigh Abbey is the archetypal English mansion.
The fine Grade I-listed building sits among green lawns with
its imposing façade and romantic features. All private and
commercial hire is managed by Amadeus and its status as a
best kept secret is exactly what makes the venue appeal most
In rural Warwickshire, Stoneleigh Abbey
has lived many lives. With humble
beginnings as a Cistercian monastic
house in 1154, it was converted at the
Dissolution into a family home. As one of
the seats of the Leigh family, Stoneleigh
has played host to several people of note,
including King Charles I, Queen Victoria
and novelist Jane Austen.
There is no on-site team at the venue for
commercial events so all enquiries are handled
by the Amadeus sales team, only a short
20-minute car ride away. The marketing, selling
and delivery is all handled by a team headed up
by Sales Manager, Katie Cabrera. Stoneleigh
Abbey is comprised of two halves – the first,
made of red sandstone, is a fine example of a
Jacobean country house. The second, the
West Wing, was designed by famous architect
Francis Smith of Warwick in the Baroque style.
“The grounds and the external view from the
Abbey impress me the most,” says Katie, who
as well as managing the Stoneleigh contract,
looks after the portfolio of Amadeus venues
that are event-led.
Events held at the Abbey are for both the
corporate and leisure market, including many
weddings. “We can hold events of up to 500
guests in a marquee on the lawns and up to 350
inside, in the Riding School,” explains Katie.
The Riding School is a timber-beamed Victorian
Banquet Hall that has now been converted into
an ideal event space. Other spaces at Stoneleigh
Abbey include the elegant and ornate Saloon
in the West Wing, which overlooks the
picturesque Grade II-listed parkland and the
Orangery with its stunning riverside location.
The private nature of the venue is what makes
it so appealing for couples and companies alike.
Katie explains, “We are out of the eye of the
public at Stoneleigh. So for companies, they
can hold a secret car launch, or product launch
and will have exclusive use of the venue and
grounds. We never hold two events on the
same day and purposely turn down some events
to ensure this remains the case. There are
around 20 residents who live within the grounds
who are proud to support Amadeus. They
STONELEIGH ABBEY
OFFICE 01926 858535
WEDDINGS 0121 767 3329
STONELEIGHABBEY.ORG
22 GLORIOUS