Dumfries House to build £6.5m extension to host luxury weddings and private events

Plans have been unveiled for a multi-million-pound extension at the King’s historic Ayrshire estate.

Dumfries House will welcome the addition of the £6.5m King’s Hall to its east wing in summer 2027, catering for “high-end, luxury weddings and private events” for the national and international market.

Revenue generated from ticketed events and exclusive venue hire for up to 200 guests will be donated to The King’s Foundation and used for the conservation and development of Dumfries House and its surrounding estate.

Community and education-related events will also be hosted at the venue.

New Dumfries House wedding venue The King's Foundation

The 430 sqm extension, featuring a public hall, will adjoin the 300-year-old country house and replace a marquee known as the Pavilion, which has served as an events venue for over a decade.

Dumfries House was built between 1754 and 1759 for William Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries, with Robert Adam as the lead architect. It was extended through the east and west wing extensions in 1890 by Robert Weir-Schultz.

The latest addition has been inspired by the vision of the King.

Gordon Neil, executive director of The King’s Foundation, said the extension will “enhance” the estate’s history.

“Upon completion of this sympathetic new extension, we can say that Dumfries House has been built by three major influences in British architectural history – Adam in the 18th Century, Weir-Schultz in the 19th Century, and King Charles III during his reign”, he said.

“The most important thing for The King’s Foundation, given our education programmes in architecture and heritage craft skills, was to produce a building that incorporated traditional crafts and locally-sourced building materials.

“We’ve used a local quarry to mine the stone and utilised the same building techniques as those used to build Dumfries House 300 years ago, while also incorporating newer techniques and elements that we need to include to meet today’s building standards.

Dumfries House wedding venue The King's Foundation

“The King’s Hall will be a true testament to the impact of His Majesty on Dumfries House and the vital education and employment it provides.”

The new venue will allow The King’s Foundation to host five or six large-scale events each week, in comparison to one or two currently, due to space restrictions.

Evan Samson, general manager of Dumfries House for The King’s Foundation, added: “This new venue will give us a unique offering that will become part of the House, appointed and furnished to luxury standard, and sufficiently versatile to host a broad range of events. It opens doors for us to entertain so many more types of events and cater for so many people.

“Our ambition is for The King’s Hall to become the go-to venue for high-end, luxury weddings and private events for a national and international market. The space will offer guests the opportunity to access the historic house, with the added benefit of revenue going to create employment for the local community and opportunities for thousands of people each year through The King’s Foundation’s education programmes.”

The first phase of plans for The King’s Hall were granted approval by East Ayrshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland. The first events in The King’s Hall will be held in July 2027.