Country House Meeting Venue

The striking sandstone built mansion of Highgate House is typical of Northamptonshire 17th century country houses. Originally built as a coaching inn, in 1964 the house was bought by Diana and Michael Chudley as a home for their large family. The house soon began to develop into a bed and breakfast and has since expanded somewhat to become a specialist venue for conferences and meetings, and continues to be run by the Chudley family's Sundial Group.

While the 17th century charm of the stunning country house remains, 21st century comfort is a consistent feature throughout the property. The existing buildings that have since become an addition to the main house mean that the property has become a dedicated environment for conferencing and training. In recent years Highgate House has been carefully updated, giving it the ability to offer excellent facilities, including 98 en-suite bedrooms and 34 meeting rooms.

The original stable block behind the main house would have been essential for Highgate House during its days as a coaching inn. However, it has since been converted, which is where reception is found today, along with a further 28 bedrooms, 6 meeting rooms and the network café.

Diana and Michael Chudley needed to build a new stable area for their horses. Although by 1976 this too had been converted, today the building is known as Maple, containing 11 further en-suite bedrooms for Highgate House's guests. The third stable block that Highgate House has seen continues to be the home of the family's horses today, which lies within the grounds of the estate.

The mansion itself houses five beautifully traditional dining rooms, the majority of which overlook the spectacular croquet lawn at the front of the house. The original part of the country house also contains 19 of the impressively equipped en-suite bedrooms.

Later expansion of the main house means that it now boasts a fitness suite, sauna, bar, games area and the property's largest conference room as well as a further 10 en-suite bedrooms. In addition to this, as of September 2008, the fantastically contemporary brasserie-style Terrace Restaurant also stands within the greater area of the main house.

Three further buildings within the grounds of Highgate House, Willow, Floyd and Cedar, were built by the Chudley family. Today they increase the bedroom count to 93 and bring the number of meeting rooms up to the total of 34. While the property's remaining 5 bedrooms are located in an additional building, just a stone's throw from the newly updated indoor swimming pool.

The impressive country house is surrounded by 26 acres of beautifully maintained grounds, idyllic for a refreshing stroll. The path of ‘The Maxwell Walk' leads you through Highgate House's estate, demonstrating remarkable views of the rolling countryside surrounding the estate.

• History of Highgate House (PDF)