King's Ayrshire estate to host luxury weddings

Plans for the King's Ayrshire estate to add a new events space for luxury weddings have been unveiled.

The development would add a public hall to the east wing of Dumfries House in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, which currently serves as the headquarters of the King's Foundation charity.

The foundation said the new space - named the King's Hall in honour of the monarch - could become the "go-to venue for high-end, luxury weddings and private events" both nationally and internationally.

Up to 200 guests could attend events, with proceeds going towards supporting the conservation and development of the house and estate, as well as education programmes and community initiatives.

Dumfries House was bought by a consortium led by King Charles - then Prince Charles - in 2007.

The new development would open in July 2027, with the structure built using locally-sourced materials. It is intended that it will match the architecture of the 300-year-old house.

Heating will come via newly-installed heat pumps and biomass boilers while menus will be made up of organic food and locally-sourced produce.

Gordon Neil, executive director of the King's Foundation, said: "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."

He added that 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."

Dumfries House was built between 1754 and 1759 for William Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries, with Robert Adam the lead architect.

Evan Samson, general manager of Dumfries House, said the new venue would be versatile and able to host a broad range of events.