by Development • June 7, 2026 • Team
Have you ever wondered how Heaton House Farm became the incredible, award-winning venue that you see today? Well, let us tell you our story and show you all of the amazing changes that have taken place since we began hosting weddings in 1999 …
THE FARM BEFORE WEDDINGS- FROM TOMKINSON TO HEATH
Thomas Tomkinson took up a position as a tenant farmer here after Dr Robin passed the farm on. The Tomkinson family raised a daughter, who went on to marry one of the farm workers, Ralph Steele. Eventually, Ralph’s son (also Ralph!) would marry and purchase the farm himself in 1958, before passing it on to his only child – a daughter called Eileen. She married a local farmer’s son, James Eric Heath and the rest is history, as the farm then went from strength to strength with each generation of farmers adding more animals and more diversity to a growing business.
The Heath family have farmed at Heaton House Farm for six generations since the farmhouse was built in 1824, with Ralph’s grandson Mick, his wife Margaret and their daughter Sarah (seventh generation) proudly continuing the family farming tradition today. The Heaths may have been busy farming, but they always loved giving back to the community. They hosted charity concerts for charities such as The Midlands Air Ambulance, Cancer Research UK and British Heart Foundation every year, with acts such as The Barron Knights and Showaddywaddy taking to the stage.
After the 3rd concert, in 1998, one of the guests asked about holding a wedding in the barn, marquee style. The Heaths were eager to help, and so, in 1999, we held the very first wedding at Heaton House Farm!
THE FIRST WEDDINGS
On a summer’s day in June 1998, our first happy couple arrived from church to a beautifully dressed barn for their wedding breakfast and party, featuring our very own farmer Mick on the decks, along with the local ceilidh band, Cuckoos Nest, and what a party it was!
From recommendations alone, we began taking more and more wedding bookings, and Mick was having long days being up at 5am to milk the cows, running a wedding all day, milk the cows in the evening and then hit the DJ decks until the early hours. Mick was used to visiting other venues and seeing what worked and more importantly, what didn’t so we had something to build on! In 2002, we became one of the first venues in the country to gain a civil ceremony license, so couples were able to enjoy their whole day here at the farm.
In 2003, the Heath’s reluctantly decided to sell the dairy herd to diversify and commit fully to the wedding venue. This was the beginning of an exciting journey for the family! We’re still a working farm, and you’ll often find Mick tending to his prize-winning Norstaff herd of pedigree Belgian blue cows, or see Margaret in a neighbouring field marking out the locations of ground-nesting birds so the plough can navigate around them.
Our sheep feature in some of our weddings too, with our very friendly lambs often coming up to the fence to get in on the photos. We have a few Texel sheep along with speckled Jacobs.
BARN DEVELOPMENTS
The old cattle shed has been transformed into our wedding barn, perfect for evening receptions and intimate ceremonies under the stars. A beautiful rustic bar at the top end of the venue provides a central focal point for weddings.
In 2007, we converted a bigger barn that was used to store tractors to create a bespoke dining area and an exciting space that could host bigger events. This barn was named after Ralph Steele, Mick’s Grandad. You know it best as the showstopping ‘Steeles Barn’ and this barn is very adaptable to fit guest numbers of 10 to 300 and anywhere in between!
A BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR SPACE TO ENJOY
We were incredibly busy in 2007, as the minute we had completed the renovation of Steele’s Barn, all focus moved to creating a stunning landscaped water garden; the perfect space for our newlyweds to capture stunning photographs for their wedding album. Margaret had always wanted a garden, so Mick waited for her to go out shopping before he brought 3 diggers in to dig it out – she had a shock when she returned! The water gardens are a very popular area for our couples with their photographers!
SPHERE MANIA BEGINS
One night, there was a knock at the door of our farmhouse. It was Trish Heath (no relation!) with a wild idea, strapping people into a giant ball and rolling them down a hill. Sarah was immediately thrilled by the concept and Mick saw it as a fantastic way to make use of more of his land and attract tourists. And just like that, Sphere Mania was born.
By 2010, the business had expanded to offer a full range of adrenaline-filled activities, including a Segway course, axe throwing, air rifle shooting, Skybow, archery, and football zorbing! Today, the site has evolved into the Madrenaline Activity Centre, a popular destination for adventure seekers and fun-lovers alike.
HURRICANE BILL HITS
The Heath’s have never let anything get them down and the damage caused by Hurricane Bill actually accelerated a big step forward for the venue’s development. The storm destroyed three cattle buildings but in their place, we installed brand-new luxury toilets that won the Leek and District Civic Society Gold Disc award for ‘Enhancement of the Environment’. The award is still proudly up there now! We were also granted permission to build two additional bedrooms, one of which was our Honeymoon Suite (with incredible views across all three neighbouring counties, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire). The other was a brand new family room, which doubled up as the bridal preparation room during the morning of the wedding. Meanwhile, business was getting busier and could no longer be run by just a few admin staff in the farmhouse living room. We knew it was time to expand and develop an office area! The old garage now had a new purpose, so we created a space to meet and greet our couples and guests.
The storm had also demolished the temporary awning which connected the wedding barn to the old toilets, so this was replaced with a stunning new oak-beamed barn in 2010. This barn had to be constructed during the only quiet 6-week period in the wedding season – January, the coldest winter on record! Temperatures reached as low as -14 degrees for several weeks. It was so cold that the builders had to store the materials, including the beautiful oak trusses, inside the main venue on the underfloor heating. The Oak Barn is now one of our most popular ceremony areas!
OUTDOOR CEREMONIES IMMERSED IN NATURE
The construction of our beautiful oak pagoda outside facilitated outdoor ceremonies, the simply perfect backdrop amongst the countryside views. It was carefully designed and built onsite by local craftsmen using traditional methods. The oak was supplied by Peak Oak, a local specialist oak supplier.
SUSTAINABLE THINKING
Our barn roofs were also among the first places in the region to host solar panels, with 125 installed by 2011 and 250 generating up to 60 kWh of energy each day. We do everything with the environment in mind, keeping the impact minimal. In 2022, we installed two large ground source heat pumps to provide heat to the entire farm. Using a network of underground pipes to collect energy from the ground, these pumps replaced our old biomass burner.
2013: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OLD STABLEYARD
Since 2000, Margaret had been running a small bed and breakfast in the farmhouse. As the number of weddings grew, it became clear that more accommodation was needed. In 2013, The Old Stableyard was developed, creating eight additional luxury bedrooms along with a dedicated kitchen and restaurant. This expansion allowed the business to grow further and employ more staff. Each room was personally designed and individually styled by Margaret, using local craftsmen and materials.
The Old Stableyard has a rich history. It originally served as the milking parlour for the Steele family’s shorthorn cows. After the herd was sold and the building became redundant, it was rented out in 2008 to a local former pub landlord, who launched the Wincle Beer Company, a microbrewery. The brewery’s success led them to relocate to larger premises in 2012, leaving The Old Stableyard vacant once again – ready for its next chapter as part of our wedding and accommodation expansion.
Today, The Old Stableyard is an integral part of our venue, where couples and their guests can enjoy a delicious breakfast the morning after the wedding. It is also available for private hire for birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers and other celebrations.
BRINGING TOMKINSON BARN BACK TO LIFE
In 1969, Mick’s father was advised by ADAS to demolish this building to make way for a modern cubicle house to accommodate the expanding dairy herd. It had been Mick’s lifelong dream to demolish the 60’s structure and in 2015, the now redundant cubicle house was removed and replaced with a modern steel-framed building. However, Mick wanted the building to have a modern interior with a sympathetic exterior replicating the building from the 1800’s. Local craftsmen painstakingly took their time to accurately recreate this vision using the old images and Mick’s vision, going back in time. If you have ever visited our Christmas shop, you will have seen inside!
PAMPER ROOM CONSTRUCTION
Although we were already providing facilities for the bride to get ready at the venue, we wanted to offer an even better experience for our clients. That’s why we created a luxurious new pamper room with spectacular views of the countryside. This dedicated space is now the perfect place for the bridal party to spend the morning preparing for the wedding. To complement this, we completed a decking area outside, allowing the bridal party to relax and soak in the amazing views as they get ready for the big day.
STABLEYARD CATERING IS BORN
After years of relying on external caterers, Sarah decided to create our own on-site catering company, focusing on fresh, local produce and food and drink that sparks conversation. Today, they are the sole caterers at the venue, providing delicious menus for almost all events. This not only ensures exceptional quality but also streamlines operations between the events and catering teams, making every occasion run smoothly.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
The COVID-19 pandemic presented the biggest challenge our venue has faced so far, with doors forced to close for months. Our incredible team worked tirelessly to reassure couples who had to postpone their weddings and coordinate events under ever-changing restrictions. It was a difficult time, but we bounced back stronger than ever, working hard to make venue developments as we waited for our reopening date! The experience has made us more resilient, united and better equipped to create unforgettable memories for our couples and guests.
MANAGING A COUNTRYSIDE PUB
We took over the management of The Knot Inn, a charming countryside pub just three minutes down the road. The pub offers a warm welcome, real ales, fine wines and quality locally sourced food. Today, The Knot Inn hosts a variety of events, including pre-wedding meals and even features a tipi in the beer garden. It’s a perfect spot for walkers, diners and celebrations alike, complementing our venue with relaxed, friendly hospitality.
DIVERSIFYING AND LOOKING AHEAD
Over the years, we have diversified our events to include everything from corporate days and dinner dances to the Cultivate Conference, as well as our popular ‘Meet the Lambs’ experiences, and hosting The Wedding Industry Awards twice. It’s incredible to reflect on what we have achieved and to see the business flourish, thanks to our wonderful team.
We were especially proud to celebrate 25 years of hosting weddings with a special charity event, inviting back our past couples and supporting Midlands Air Ambulance and the British Heart Foundation – one of the original charities we championed at the very start of our journey. It was truly a full-circle moment.
We are excited for the future, with plans to continue growing and evolving, but we can’t wait to host more unforgettable weddings and events. Looking back over the years, it’s truly amazing to see how far we’ve come and all that we have accomplished.
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