From sheep shed to stunning event venue – the transformation is complete!
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that our spectacular new venue has completed its stunning transformation and we’re soon hosting our first event!
After a 24-month build project, a former sheep shed on the Hamilton family’s working farm just outside Edinburgh has been transformed into a contemporary luxury wedding and event venue with on-site accommodation.
Cairns Farm Estate, on the shores of Harperrig reservoir within the Pentland Hills Regional Park, is the result of an idea that first hatched several years ago and was subsequently developed through a partnership with award-winning luxury venue management and event catering company Hickory.
With Covid-19 restrictions on travel and events easing, Cairns Farm Estate is set to host its first wedding on 22 May and is already attracting huge interest for weddings and events due to its stunning location and design.
The 1200-acre country estate and working sheep farm sits at the foot of the Pentland Hills near Kirknewton and around 8 miles from Edinburgh. The estate has been in the Hamilton family since 1869, but with their three children pursuing careers in other sectors, Caroline and Graham Hamilton teamed up with Hickory to diversify their estate and create a new chapter in its history.
Working with Chris Duncan of Mill Architects, local contractors and craftspeople, the Hamiltons developed a modern multi-use wedding and event venue that reflects its agricultural roots and sits naturally in the stunning rural location.
With Caroline and Graham Hamilton leading the project, their children were all involved – daughter Joanna as an interior designer, son Bobby assisting with finance and funding challenges, and Alistair as the onsite joiner and project manager.
The main venue is built around sheds that were once home to cattle over the winter and ewes during lambing season. Now it is a stylish and modern contemporary space which can hold up to 140 guests and includes a Ceremony Room, main function room, bar, breakout areas, and state-of-the-art kitchens.
Throughout the venue, there are references to its agricultural heritage and a strong ethos of sustainability through the repurposing of materials found on the estate and sourced locally. For example, the striking entrance has been formed around an old grain silo sourced from a local farm, while inside, wedding couples will enter the Ceremony Room through horse stalls repurposed from the farm’s stables.
Cairns Farm Estate also features a range of luxurious on-site accommodation which can sleep up to 24 guests. This includes Cairns Farmhouse, a 19th-century country house that sits on the edge of Harperrig Reservoir, which has been fully renovated to sleep 10 guests; a honeymoon hideaway for two called The Keep; and six brand new en-suite luxury cabins sleeping a total of 12.
All of the events and catering at Cairns Farm Estate will be managed exclusively by Hickory. The Edinburgh-based company has a growing reputation in Scotland for exceling across a range of services including catering, wedding planning, event management and venue management.
Alongside its exclusive management of Cairns Farm Estate and Eskmills Venue in Musselburgh, Hickory works with a portfolio of more than 30 unique venues across Scotland, including the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, Mount Stuart on the Isle on Bute, Newhall House in Midlothian and Gilmerton House in East Lothian.
In addition to weddings, Cairns Farm Estate will host a range of events such as private parties, corporate away days and charity events. It will also operate as a destination for self-catering short breaks.
Get in touch to find out more or make an enquiry about booking an event
