CH @ Priston Mill

Maintenance

As always we are proactive in-between weddings keeping the venues in good working order. This week we hired in a teleporter and tower scaffolding so that the Watermill gutters could be cleared and the wooden shutters on the top floors maintained & painted. When I say ‘we’- that is definitely the ‘royal we’ because there is no way I would have gone up in the bucket. Thank you to Hayden, Dan and painter Andy who luckily for us all have a good head for heights. For those of you who aren’t too excited about a photo of machinery, on what has now primarily become more of a wedding blog, I have just put some pictures of wedding flowers on f/b

Uninvited guests

On Tuesday we had to contact our local beekeeper. He quickly and efficiently dealt with a small swarm of bees that had decided to take up residence in the Watermill chimney. The bees had most likely originated from one of the hives that are stationed with us for a few weeks. It was great that the beekeeper came out so quickly to move the bees on because, however happy i am to have the bees here to help pollinate the fields of rape, I prefer it when they stay in their hives,,,,

Games

There were games hired in for one of the weddings at Priston this weekend. Not sure whether this was to be topical or solely to entertain the guests.

Honeysuckle

The combination of the April rain and the welcome reappearance of the sun
this weekend have brought many of our spring flowers into bloom at last.  It’s especially lovely to see the honeysuckle out again. Nearly ten years ago we chose a piece of honeysuckle from the gardens here to feature in the new design for our brochure & stationery.  Ever since then wherever or whenever I see honeysuckle thoughts of weddings, past and future, at Priston Mill aren’t far behind......  

Golden

Much of the picturesque farmland surrounding Priston Mill is down to rapeseed at the moment. One couple viewing at the weekend were keen to know which months the fields would be yellow next year. They won’t be. The rapeseed is currently being grown as a break crop - part of the traditional agricultural practice of rotation. This means that many of the fields will, over the next few years, be back to cereal  -  luscious greens in the Spring turning to golden brown in July and August..............

Team

It’s good to see the Priston brigade of chefs, Jonno, Martin and Andy back working together again. Due to holidays and illness they hadn’t worked as a team for nearly 5 weeks. Many thanks to the Graham and to the Coombe Lodge chefs, Dave, Ryan and James who helped out at short notice to cover some of the events.

Novel

There was a rather lovely and appropriate decoration beside the wedding cake at one of the receptions at the Watermill this weekend.

Country Wedding

 

Emma & Roger wanted a country theme to their wedding and, in spite of the threatened rain, it all worked out well for them. A tractor & trailer ride from the village church; the Priston Morris dancing; amazing flower arrangements in milk churns, tin buckets & jugs; and a 'hen & chicken' theme running throughout. A big thank you to everyone who played their part to make it such a fantastic, successful and memorable day.

Easter Bride

Emma didn’t have to think twice when choosing her wedding venue. It had to be Priston Mill, her family home. She can remember the gardens as a farmyard; the reception parlour when it was home to calves - and playing in the Tythe Barn ‘straw bounce’ where guests now wine and dine.

She has fond memories too of the Watermill where she used to ‘help’ her Granny in the farm shop – especially with the chocolate bars.

At one stage Emma reared geese which. along with the ducks, peacocks, Snowy the goat, milling demonstrations, tractor and trailer rides, were part of the visitor experience when the Watermill was a tourist attraction.

We now have amazingly high standard of cuisine here with professional chefs, but Emma can recall us in the early days serving ploughmans on paper plates to WI groups sat on straw bales in the draughty barn. Back then she helped carry the food from the farmhouse to the barn (child labour and H & S would be and issue now!)

Later, as a student, Emma put in many hours waitressing -  she experienced the Watermill workout (3 flights of stairs on a 12 hour shift is as good as any gym session.)

So many memories of Priston Mill but her wedding reception here to celebrate her marriage to Roger will for certain top them all. X

Yellow

Emma & Roger wanted a yellow themed Easter wedding and they will certainly have one in more ways than expected. By next week the unseasonal wonderfully warm weather will have brought on the rape early and turned the fields surrounding Priston Mill a glorious canary colour.