About Caer Llan

About us, our lovely home and it’s history

INTRODUCTION

Caer Llan has been at the heart of the Carpenter family since 1969. Originally built around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, the house has grown and evolved over time, with each generation adding its own touch.

In 1970, Peter Carpenter first opened Caer Llan’s doors as a field studies centre, soon welcoming guests for parties and celebrations amid the stunning Wye Valley views.

Today, Caer Llan remains a true family home, lovingly run by Peter’s son, Jake, and his wife, Vicky. Over the past three decades, they have carefully refurbished and extended the property, transforming it into an elegant country house venue. Their passion for preserving Caer Llan’s warmth and heritage while continually improving the experience for guests remains at the heart of everything they do.

At Caer Llan, our philosophy is simple: to make every guest feel at home while offering the highest standards of comfort, service, and care.

LOCALITY

Set high on a hillside in Monmouthshire, Caer Llan enjoys breathtaking views across the Wye Valley and beyond to the Welsh hills and mountains. Surrounded by 25 acres of peaceful woodland, the house offers a true sense of escape — a place to pause, breathe, and take in the beauty of nature.

Although it feels a world away, Caer Llan is easily accessible — just under an hour from Bristol and Cardiff, and around two hours from London.

The surrounding countryside, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is rich in charm and history. The market town of Monmouth lies only a few miles away, while the picturesque Wye Valley and ancient Royal Forest of Dean are right on our doorstep, waiting to be explored.

OUR FACILITIES AND ACCOMMODATION..

ACCOMMODATION

Caer Llan offers 16 beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms, divided between the Main House and our adjoining eco extension, the Berm House.

The Main House features 9 charming, individually styled rooms with a classic, elegant feel, while the Berm House provides 7 spacious, light-filled ground floor rooms designed with a modern touch and sustainability in mind.

Of our sixteen rooms, 11 are highly adaptable, featuring zip-and-link beds that can be configured as twin or super king options prior to your arrival. Additional day beds and chair beds make these rooms ideal for families or groups of friends.

The remaining five rooms include four doubles — one of which is our stunning bridal suite — and a single room with a fixed layout.

The Berm House bedrooms are all on the ground floor and arranged along a bright corridor, each offering far-reaching views across the valley. One room features an en-suite wet room designed for wheelchair accessibility.

At Caer Llan, we’re continually updating and refining our accommodation, blending traditional character with modern comfort. All rooms include free Wi-Fi, fresh towels and bed linen (excluding cots), and tea and coffee making facilities.
While we don’t provide room service, our focus is on offering relaxed, comfortable spaces where you can unwind and feel completely at home.

ENTRANCE HALL & FUNCTION ROOM

At the centre of Caer Llan lies our grand entrance hall and function room, a beautiful open-plan space that forms the heart of every celebration. With its solid oak floors, elegant fireplaces, high ceilings, and chandeliers, the room blends period charm with timeless style. Graceful archways frame sweeping views of the rolling Welsh countryside, filling the space with natural light and warmth.

Beautifully versatile, this room can be tailored to suit any occasion — from intimate gatherings to larger celebrations. For weddings, it is licensed for civil ceremonies, allowing couples to exchange vows beneath the elegant arch, surrounded by family and friends, with the stunning valley views as their backdrop.

After the ceremony, the room is effortlessly transformed into a stylish dining space for your wedding banquet or celebration meal. We offer a variety of table layouts, from relaxed rounds to elegant long tables, to perfectly suit your vision.

As evening falls, the atmosphere shifts once more — disco lighting illuminates the oak floors, creating a lively dance space to celebrate into the night. A high-quality PA system with Bluetooth connectivity allows you to craft your own soundtrack and keep the party going your way.

BAR & PIANO LOUNGE

Located beside the Entrance Hall and Function Room, our Bar and Piano Lounge is a spacious, contemporary setting that opens directly onto the terrace and gardens through elegant French doors. It’s a welcoming space where guests can mingle, relax, and enjoy a drink while taking in the atmosphere of Caer Llan.

With its slate flooring, comfortable modern furnishings, and gentle LED mood lighting, the lounge combines style with ease. A baby grand piano adds a touch of charm, while a wall-mounted LCD TV makes it perfect for both celebrations and informal gatherings.
Our well-stocked, fully licensed bar can stay open until 1am for non-residents — and longer for guests staying at Caer Llan — ensuring the evening flows as beautifully as the setting itself.

THE LIBRARY

Take a moment to unwind in our cosy Library, a peaceful retreat overlooking the gardens. This quiet space offers comfortable seating and a handpicked selection of books for guests to enjoy — the perfect spot to relax and recharge.

Wi-Fi access lets you stay connected if you wish, though most prefer to simply switch off and soak up the calm. In the evening, if the dance floor is lively, the Library (along with the Sitting Room) offers a wonderful place to escape for a drink and a chat. You’ll still hear the gentle hum of music in the background, keeping you connected to the celebration while enjoying a little tranquillity of your own.

THE SITTING ROOM

The Sitting Room offers a more homely, relaxed atmosphere, with inviting Chesterfield sofas and peaceful views across the garden. It’s the perfect place to unwind, share a drink, or enjoy quiet time with friends and family. Guests can watch a film on the big-screen home cinema or even enjoy a friendly game on the Nintendo Wii.

This flexible room can also be transformed into a meeting space for corporate events, equipped with a digital projector, screen, Fibre internet, and Wi-Fi access. Whether for leisure or business, it’s a warm and versatile space that captures the comfort and character of Caer Llan.

THE CONSERVATORY

Caer Llan’s light and airy Conservatory offers spectacular views across the Vale of Usk, creating a bright and inviting space for guests to enjoy. Bi-fold doors connect the Conservatory seamlessly to the Function Room, making it wonderfully versatile — perfect for additional seating during formal meals or as a relaxed link between the Function Room, Terrace, and Gardens.

THE POOL

Tucked away in Caer Llan’s hillside gardens, our outdoor swimming pool is a hidden gem with a large patio and pool deck overlooking the distant Welsh mountains. Beautifully refurbished in 2020, it offers a peaceful and scenic spot to relax, unwind, or take a refreshing dip. With its secluded setting and lovely views, the pool remains a favourite with guests — even when the water is on the brisk side!

The pool is available exclusively to guests as part of peak season bookings between April 1st and September 30th. When the weather allows, we do our best to extend the season a little earlier or later, though this can’t be guaranteed.

Please note that the pool is unsupervised and for resident guests only, as there are no poolside changing facilities or toilets. Opening hours are 7am to 7pm, after which chlorine dosing takes place overnight.

ABOUT CAER LLAN

HOSPITALITY SERVICES (FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD)

CATERING AT CAER LLAN

At Caer Llan, great food is at the heart of every celebration. All our dishes are freshly prepared on site in our own country house kitchen, with a wide choice of menus to suit every occasion. Options range from fine dining and traditional roasts to sumptuous banquets, buffets, light lunches, informal barbecues, hog roasts, street food, and vintage afternoon teas.

Breakfast is always a highlight at Caer Llan — a hearty traditional English breakfast served alongside fresh fruit juices, cereals, toast and preserves, and endless tea and coffee to start the day right.

FRESH, FANCY AND HOME MADE

We take great pride in creating delicious, home-cooked meals using fresh, locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. Our team is happy to cater for food allergies and special dietary requirements, though we kindly ask for advance notice to ensure every guest is well looked after.

Before your visit, we’ll take the time to discuss your menu preferences and finalise your selections so everything is perfect for your arrival.
Full menu options and prices can be found in our downloadable brochures.

ABOUT CAER LLAN

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CAER LLAN CELEBRATIONS?

Please contact us and we will talk you through our availability and prices.

CAER LLAN, THE BUILDING AND ITS HISTORY

CAER LLAN’S HISTORY

Nestled in the beautiful Welsh hills within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Caer Llan traces its origins back to the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.

By the mid-1800s, the property was owned by the Probert-Morgan family, before being sold to Richard Potter in 1865. A year later, in 1866, William Francis Price purchased Caer Llan and oversaw several important improvements, including extensions to the house, the introduction of domestic drainage, and the installation of a water tank.

In 1890, Captain Henry Walters became Caer Llan’s next owner. He further expanded and enhanced the property, adding much of the Victorian ornamentation that defines its character today — including the grand ground-floor reception room, a bedroom with a balcony (now the Bridal Suite), an additional guest room, and two distinctive castellated towers.

After Captain Walters’ death in 1937, the estate passed to his nephew, Robnett Walters, who lived at Caer Llan with his wife and her family. To help maintain the property, they opened a small boys’ boarding school, but by 1969 the costs of upkeep had become too great.

That same year, Peter Carpenter, a former teacher, purchased Caer Llan — when his youngest son, Jake, was just one week old. Over the next two years, Peter transformed the house into a field studies centre, welcoming school and university groups from across the UK and the US. Many lasting friendships were formed during those years, with guests returning to visit from as far back as 1975.

As educational visits began to decline, Caer Llan evolved once more. In 2005, it began its transformation into the wedding, family, and events venue it is today — a place that continues to blend its historic roots with heartfelt family hospitality.

THE BERM HOUSE

With remarkable foresight in the 1980s, Peter Carpenter designed and built an award-winning eco extension at Caer Llan — now known as the Berm House. Completed in 1988, its primary purpose was to provide additional guest accommodation, but Peter’s vision went far beyond that. He set out to create a zero-energy building, which went on to be recognised as one of the most energy-efficient constructions of its time in Europe, earning the prestigious Euro-Solar Prize in 1995.

Today, this striking, fortress-style building blends seamlessly with the main house, its design so complementary that it’s hard to believe the two were built in different centuries.

Although you’d never guess from within, the Berm House is partly built into the hillside, its roof covered by over a metre of earth. This natural insulation helps to regulate temperature throughout the year. With its specialist brickwork, south-facing aspect, and a 35-metre solar corridor with heat recovery ventilation, the Berm House remains comfortable year-round without the need for central heating.

Inside, the seven light and airy en-suite bedrooms offer a calm, modern contrast to the main house, each with far-reaching views across the valley. Together, they reflect Caer Llan’s enduring philosophy — blending innovation, comfort, and care for the environment in perfect harmony.

Caer Llan was purchased by Peter Carpenter in 1969, when his youngest son Jake was just a week old. Jake grew up surrounded by the house and its landscape, developing a deep connection to the place that would later become both his family home and life’s work.

After studying civil engineering at the University of Brighton, Jake returned to help his father tackle the property’s long-standing structural challenges. Together, they re-roofed and rewired the house, built the car park, and worked tirelessly to preserve the building for the future. It was clear, however, that restoring such a large and historic property would take many years of dedication.

In 1998, a chance encounter changed everything. Among a group of guests staying for a weekend was Vicky, a visitor from Cheshire studying IT at the University of Chester. With a background as a stewardess for Gulf Air in Bahrain and extensive experience in hospitality across Spain, France, and the UK, she brought with her a warmth and energy that perfectly complemented Jake’s practical expertise.

After keeping in touch while Vicky completed her degree — graduating with first-class honours — she moved to Monmouthshire, taking an IT role with Cogent Defence Systems. Jake and Vicky married in 2001, celebrating their reception at Caer Llan, the place that would soon become both their home and their shared calling.

Their daughters Charlotte (2004) and Georgia (2005) soon followed, and Vicky chose to leave her IT career to focus on their young family — and to lend her creativity and care to Caer Llan. Her natural talent for hospitality transformed the guest experience, while Jake led extensive refurbishments of the house and grounds. Together, they reimagined Caer Llan into the beautiful wedding and events venue it is today.

Peter remained a guiding influence throughout this transformation, and his vision and passion continue to shape Caer Llan’s spirit even after his passing in 2021.

Today, Jake and Vicky Carpenter remain dedicated, hands-on owners — deeply involved in every part of Caer Llan’s daily life. Their goal is simple and sincere: to continue improving, preserving, and sharing the unique warmth and beauty of Caer Llan for generations to come.