I love the drive up to The Ashes. A long sweeping driveway winds its way through the picturesque fields, over a small bridge, past a stunning lake and then up to the quaint, stone barns and magnificent country house. Today The Ashes is run by Ensarb Ltd, the husband and wife team behind some of the best wedding venues in Staffordshire - Foxtail Barns, The Mill Barns and Pendrell Hall, not to mention their two brand new venues - Hanbury Barns and Whistle Barns - but it started life way back in the 15th century when the first stone barn was built. The buildings - two barns and the country house - now appear on the National Heritage List for England and are classed as Grade II listed.

Originally owned by the Dieulacres Abbey the deeds were passed on to various landowners over the years before the Williamson family took over The Ashes in the early 20th century. They farmed the land using horses right up to the 1960s and generations of the family lived and worked there throughout their lives. Eventually only Betty Williamson remained at the farm, living there right up until she reached the grand old age of 95! By all accounts she was charismatic and interesting, living a simple life and farming the land.

When Ben and Sarah of Ensarb purchased The Ashes in 2006 they began a huge renovation project. The house hadn’t been touched for years and required a lot of work. On the plus side this meant that it was full of original features - amazing old doors, huge wooden beams and mullion windows. It was a big undertaking and Ben & Sarah were keen to be sympathetic to the building's past as well as modernising it and preserving it for the future. They’ve done an amazing job and in 2008 The Ashes officially opened. Since then has played host to hundreds of weddings and won numerous awards.