Y O U R E V E N T. Y O U R W AY.
Mr. Molecey’s Marvellous Mill is the perfect, adaptable backdrop. Whether you want your perfect day to be wonderfully romantic, dreamily intimate or daringly different, here you can let your imagination run wild. We will work with you to make your dreams come true. www.moleceyestates.com
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Welcome to
The Estate of Play INTRODUCTION
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THE CEREMONY
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A MARVELLOUS MILL
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THE HOUSE & GROUNDS
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OWL AND SWAN ISLANDS
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PHOTO ALBUM
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PRICING
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A GREAT DAY HAD BY ALL
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MEET THE TEAM - CONTACT US
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YOUR BIG WEEKEND “Here at Molecey we understand how special your wedding is and so we invite you to make a weekend of it”
We want to be the antithesis of a hotel wedding. We want to give you the freedom and confidence to create, design and enjoy your wedding as you have always imagined it.
such as the marque and toilets; we can help guide you through the whole process from build up to break down. This means that you can source, make and dress the venue to suit your individual theme.
We give you the house and grounds for the whole weekend, so that you can do things at your own pace, with your own style.
We are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful locations in the area. With over 20 acres of tranquil country grounds with the River Welland as a back drop, the possibilities of what you can do here are truly staggering.
We reject the format of a hotel wedding and bring something completely fresh to the table. We understand that organising it all might seem slightly overwhelming but we will be on hand to help with anything and everything. We can advise you such things as what is important to get in first;
We want your wedding to be a very special, personal and memorable occasion. We only host a limited number of events here at Molecey each year as we want to keep it as a ‘stand-out’ venue.
“The Journey of a thousand miles begins with one step””
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What’s Mickey without Minnie, Or piglet without pooh, What’s Donald without Daisy? That’s me without you. When Ariel Doesn’t sing, and Pooh hates honey, when Tigger stops bouncing, and Goofy isn’t funny. When Peter Pan can’t fly, and Simba never roars, when Alice no longer fits through small doors. When Dumbo’s ears are small, and happily ever after isn’t true, Even then, I won’t stop loving you.
As Romantic a location As you can find
“If I know what love is, it is because of you.”
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
Yes, I’ll marry you,
It’s you who has to work the drill
And here’s the reason why.
You may not apprehend it,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
And put up curtain track,
So I can push you out of bed
But when the tumble-drier goes
My house is like a pigsty
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
When the baby starts to cry.
It’s you that has to mend it.
You can help to keep it clean.
I do see great advantages,
And if we hear a knocking
You have to face the neighbour
That sexy little dinner
But none of them for you,
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
Should our labrador attack him,
Which you served by candlelight,
And so before you see the light,
I hand you the torch you see,
And if a drunkard fondles me
As I do chipolatas,
I DO, I DO, I DO!!
And you investigate.
It’s you that has to whack him.
You can cook it every night!!!
Yes I’ll Marry You My Dear By Pam Ayres
create your memories here
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THE CEREMONY THE STABLES OUR WEDDING VENUE “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.”
Just a short walk from the house, along a mint and lavender bordered path, our beautifully crafted open plan oakframed buildings make the perfect setting for your wedding vows. Surrounded by floral borders and opening across the gardens and main lawn, your special vows will never be forgotten.
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OUR LOCAL CHURCH “Though the church has many critics, it has no rivals.”
ST. ANDREW’S, WEST DEEPING Our beautiful historic local church is the magnificent St. Andrew’s. Set down a quiet country lane and beside a beautiful mill pond, it provides a spectacular and memorable location for your vows. If you want to get married here then do chat to us and we can advise you accordingly.
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Regency life at Molecey
A Marvellous Mill
At some stage after the building of the granary in 1773, a handsome and substantial house was added to the mill. This eight bedroom house with a wide central staircase was the epitome of fine Regency living. Tapestries on the walls, a pianoforte, silver and art filled the house. The Molecey family probably moved here before John Molecey senior died. As John junior remained a bachelor it doesn’t seem likely he would have built such a large house for himself. The house is on three floors and has always had stunning views of the wide East Anglian landscape.
A Molecey wedding - 1746 Watermills have been a feature of corn growing regions like Lincolnshire for more than a thousand years. Along the western edge of the fens several have survived on main rivers like the Welland. The Domesday book in 1086 records four watermills in West Deeping at that date and one of them would have been what is today Molecey House and Mill.
John continued to run the mill and manage his father’s property. Although he kept on the family bakery in the Market Place, he concentrated on farming and acquiring land. In the 1820s John took on the tenancy of land allotted to the Crown estate to the west of the mill and the 103 acres “in front of my house”, on condition they drained the land and built a farmhouse. This meant frequent visits from the Crown Surveyor, William Custance - in 1830 he wrote to the Crown agent at Sleaford: “Mr Molecey’s lands and house are in fine order and must pay him well.”
The Molecey family developed and ran the watermill here from late Georgian times until the end of the Victorian era. John Molecey was originally a “Whittawer,” a tanner and saddle maker. One of the first Molecey weddings was the marriage of John to his wife, Eleanor Rouse, at St. Michael and All Angels church in her home village of Hose near Melton Mowbray in 1746. They then started a family, Sarah and Eleanor came first followed by son John in 1760. At about this time they took on the mill here. They expanded the building adding the Granary for flour and grain storage dating this in 1773 with their initials.
By 1835, two years before Queen Victoria’s accession, Mr Molecey’s mill was the hub of a sizeable estate of freehold and copyhold farming land. But it was in 1835, at the age of 74, that John Molecey died, unmarried. His will, which covered over 11 pages, passed his legacy to his nephew John Molecey Twigge. A Victorian wedding - 1836 Another significant lady joined the family when Eliza, daughter of Stamford Alderman and prominent businessman, Francis Simpson, married John Molecey Twigge Molecey in 1836. Her brother Frank was a close friend of the Helpston poet John Clare and the Simpson family are known to have been very supportive of the Clare family. It is not difficult to imagine John Clare visiting the Twigge Moleceys at West Deeping when he dropped in to see his bookseller at Market Deeping.
He was now a miller and baker and in 1779 he completed the granary at Maxey Mill which was also under his stewardship until he died in 1790 at 57 and was buried with Eleanor against the nave wall at St. Guthlac’s. He left all his property and possessions “messuages, cottages, mills and osiers” to his son John, aged 30.
“If you love something it will work. That is the only real rule.”
Eliza had eight children her boys well educated were scholars at Stanford School in the 1850’s and trained as a Lawyer, Doctor and Architect. This generation of Moleceys was well placed to benefit from the developing British Empire and the opportunities it offered for exploration, travel and adventure.
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The historic poncelot wheel “I become a waterwheel, turning and tasting you, as long as water moves”
Our historic undershot waterwheel dates to about 1820. It’s design attributed to Poncelot a French engineer who worked for Napoleon. The thin sheet metal blades were much more efficient than a wooden wheel and made the mill more productive.
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WELCOME TO
THE ESTATE OF PLAY......
“Here at Molecey we like to do things differently, every visitor is welcomed as a friend and our home becomes your home for any event that we hold here. We want to share the beauty and the history of this exceptional Watermill, a true hidden gem and to make sure that it is enjoyed for years to come.”
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BE OUR GUEST.... the house and grounds After 35 years apart, Molecey House and Mill and The Granary have been brought back together. This will herald an exciting new chapter in the history of these fabulous and charismatic buildings. Our beautifully restored Grade II star listed property has the only Poncelet undershot working water wheel in the county and has stunning huge oak beams and sympathetically exposed stonework, new life has been breathed into this historic building. With its period architecture and authentic features our home has a rich history and many stories to tell. Surrounded by water and set within 20 acres of rivers and streams, there are 46 bridges here to explore and breathtaking beauty at every turn.
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As you would expect from a watermill, theres a little bit of water about.....!! Brilliantly designed hundreds of years ago, Molecey sits ajacent to its’ mill stream and mill pond and just beside the historic Stamford Canal. The various sluice gates including the Big Slacker and Little Slacker are all designed to control the water for the millers and to drain any that isn’t required. Rarely will you find a house so surrounded by water which has no flood risk. The tranquil River Welland borders the grounds and the result is a labyrinth of spectacular rivers and streams in which to play and delight.
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WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE...
a magical setting
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MR. MOLECEY’S MARVELLOUS MILL sophisticated elegance
mr. molecey’s maarvellous mill
Calm water, great trees and Georgian elegance form a sudden never-to-be forgotten picture in the mind. As one’s car passes by the scene, you are instantly encouraged to apply the brakes, reverse, and take a closer look at what must be one of the most delightful homes in Eastern England. A local landmark on the Stamford Road, Molecey House and Mill have provided food and power to local people since the time of the Domesday book. In his book on Lincolnshire, Pevsner identified the three bay late Georgian house from the outside by its “handsome four column Tuscan Doric porch.” The house is startling in its simple beauty as you drive round a bend on the road from Stamford.
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MR. MOLECEY’S MARVELLOUS MILL sophisticated elegance
mr. molecey’s maarvellous mill
Molecey House and the Granary are both 6 double bedroom houses which sit either side of the original Mill building and are connected through it with the mill workings at their heart. The large house was constructed in the 1800’s and has a calm air of elegant grandeur. With nothing spared in the attention to detail, each bedroom is themed in homage to some of the previous custodians of our amazing home. Coming into Molecey is stepping into a wonderland where you can suspend real life and experience a once in a lifetime occasion.
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THE DUCK HOUSE
a relaxing haven
mr. molecey’s maarvellous mill
Our renovated Duck House is the accomodation of choice for most of our romantic getaways and newlyweds. As a self contained one double bedroom building with a kitchen and bathroom, it is separate from the main houses and gives our couples a chance to escape for a moment or three and regroup during what is normally a very hectic and intense day. You can throw open the large juliet windows and sit on the window seat whilst you dangle your legs over the stream and watch the fish and otters swim by. Now and again we will escape up here for a night away...
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the granary
country charm
mr. molecey’s maarvellous mill
The highlights of the building include the large and comfortable sitting room on the first floor which has masses of exposed stonework and has windows overlooking the garden and millpond on two sides. This room has a ski-lodge feel and you can relax into the comfy sofas and listen to the mill stream. Full of light during the day and cosy in the evenings, it is a great place to get ready for your big day, makeup and hairstyling can be done in a friendly joyful place or in the evenings, it is a great place to gather and reflect on the day.
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The granary
country charm
mr. molecey’s maarvellous mill
The Granary has 6 bedrooms all with king size beds. There are also two pull out single beds in one of the double rooms to make a family room. The Granary was built in 1773 and is a Grade II listed building, so the bedrooms are cosy and on the top floor you do need to take care as the beams are at head height for those slightly taller people. There are four bathrooms, three with showers and one with a bath and shower. The dining room on the ground floor has a beautiful oak extending refectory table which can seat up to 16 people. The lavish furnishings and gentle candlelit ambiance provide the perfect setting for your dinner parties during your stay. Our kitchen has a large range cooker and a large American style fridge freezer, both suitable for a house full of friends. The name of the original carpenter of the building is engraved on the oak beams. The Kitchen opens up onto the large terrace overlooking the millpond and mill wheel. It is a lovely place to enjoy breakfast or a Sunday BBQ if the weather is conducive.
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OWL ISLAND AND SWAN ISLAND YOUR FESTIVAL LOCATIONS Where memories are made...
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Take your friends on a journey through your wedding day. Welcome drinks on the main lawn.... the ceremony in our stables....reception drinks and games on Swan island... the main event on Owl island...glamping in the Paddock.... the possiblilties are endless and the memories are timeless.
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INTERESTED ? CAN WE TEMPT YOU FURTHER...?
counting up the memories
We are different here. We enjoy being different and we realise that Molecey’s magic isn’t for everyone. So when we find synergy, we will work with you to make your dream come true. Most of our couples become our friends and part of the Molecey family. For marvellous memories such as those that you can create at Molecey, it is very difficult to put a price on it, but here’s what we include.... Two nights accommodation in The Granary (6 bedrooms - sleeps 14) Two nights accommodation in Molecey Mill (6 bedrooms - sleeps 14) Two nights accommodation in The Duck House (1 bedroom - sleeps 2) Owl and Swan Islands and our 20 acres of paradise for your tradtitional or festival style wedding The ceremony in our oak framed Stable buildings. The freedom to bring in your choice of caterers, marquee company, drinks provider etc. THE FREEDOM TO MAKE IT YOUR DAY, YOUR WAY, exclusively. What do we think its worth? If we find like minded people, we will want to work with you to make it happen. So do please fix up an appointment to come and look around and chat to us - here at Molecey you do make the day your own.
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TOM & GEMMA “Every
time I think back to the wedding day, I am filled with the most magical feeling”
LEE & KIRSTIE “......thank
you for the memories!
The Granary made our wedding dream truly come to life. Me and Lee had always wanted a slightly different wedding and didn’t want to pick package A,B or C from a traditional venue, we wanted to build our own experience that would be fun and memorable for all involved. As soon as we met Graham and Glenn we knew they could help us to achieve this. Throughout our whole planning experience they were just as excited as us, they listened and added to our ideas and worked hard helping to turn our ambitious plans into reality. To be honest the venue speaks for itself, The Granary and its grounds are breathtaking without any additional decoration so anything we did add was icing on the cake. The only way to understand its beauty is to look around the generous landscape yourself, our guests were blown away by this local jewel. We will be forever grateful to Graham and Glenn for opening the doors to their beautiful home for events and giving us the best day ever, thank you for the memories!
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We just wanted to say what an amazing experience our wedding day was at The Granary, and I really do emphasise experience. From start to finish it was perfect. The initial meeting, with just Tom, must have been amazing because he couldn’t stop talking about it for an hour. The place had already had such an impact on him, and I knew there was no point in looking anywhere else, as if you get Toms approval, you definitely have mine! (He is hard to please!) The next meeting with both sets of parents must have been difficult for you, as we know how opinionated our mothers can be! But you took everything they said on board and replied with warmth and kindness. Setting a date with you should have been difficult, given the time frame, however you were unbelievably accommodating, and luck being on our side through the complete process, we found a date! Between setting the date and the wedding, communication was easy we felt like we were your priority. We had several more meetings with yourselves, and other wedding parties at the venue, and this was never a problem, you were always available. The lead up to the wedding, you were both hands on deck, helping us with whatever needed doing. Any problems that surfaced, you were there making sure they were solved, with your treasure trove of goodies in your house. The main house and the duck house are just exquisite inside, beautifully decorated and I truly felt like a princess getting ready. The main lawn and islands really are like something out of a novel, gorgeous flowers and colours radiate everywhere: a perfect backdrop for the photos. Overall, I could not have wished for a better place / better people to have shared my experience with! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, with memories that I will cherish forever, and I will never be able to thank you both enough for everything you did. However, the best part of our wedding at The Granary was our ability for choice. You really can have the wedding of your dreams, and anything was possible! Both Graham and Glenn have some fabulous ideas, but I really did feel central to all decision making. Every time I think back to the wedding day, I am filled with the most magical feeling, I truly think it will never leave me, so thank you! Unfortunately for you guys, you have acquired some crazy stalker Mother of the Bride! But jokes aside, every time we come home from The Granary, Mum always comments on how normal she feels after being there with you, and this is obviously something we are very grateful for, and something she needs at this point in time, so I’m sure we will be booking another night in the Duck House for the two of them!
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MEET THE TEAM
mr. molecey’s marvellous mill
Alfred
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“We are the experts when it comes to throwing a stunning, memorable event. Whilst we don’t confess to be ‘Wedding Planners’, we’ll always be there with you through each step to ensure all your expectations are met..”
Little Glenn
07855 242356
Graham
07775 900251
Big Glenn
07767 824245
“If you love something it will work. That is the only real rule.”
Skye
Mr. Molecey’s Marvellous Mill Stamford Road West Deeping, Lincolnshire. PE6 9JD. www.moleceyestates.com Tel: 07855 242356