The three spaces at this historic Grade I and Grade II-listed building are fantastic for large gala dinners, grand receptions or big conferences with a difference. The ancient building is a happy merge of old and new, with parts dating back to the 15th century and new additions from 2018 sitting side by side within an 11-acre private gated estate between Holborn and Chancery Lane.
The Old Hall dates all the way back to 1490 so naturally boasts impressive Tudor and Tudor-revival architectural details such as Hogarth paintings, original wood timbers, Inigo Jones wooden screens, judicial portraits and beautiful stained glass windows. Despite the tremendous room, a dinner here feels intimate and private, not to mention stately and formal.
In the Great Hall, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1845 (and re-opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 after three years of refurbishments), you can spot an impressive GF Watts fresco on the south wall underneath the stunning worked oak beams. The Minstrel’s Gallery is another attribute. This large area transforms from a dining hall for barrister members during the day to a setting for grand dinners at night. Hire the adjacent Bench Rooms (with an east-facing terrace that gives views of the private gardens) for somewhere to have a reception.
The latest addition to Lincoln’s Inn is the Ashworth Centre, the venue’s new conference suite, which was also opened by the Queen in 2018. This subterranean suite has cleverly positioned skylights, which help flood tonnes of natural daylight into all the spaces. The space is named after Mercy Ashworth, who was one of the first women to be called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1923. With integrated AV facilities, the modern space is the ideal spot for a conference, screenings and talks. On top of that, the conference suite hosts no less than 10 meeting rooms of varying size.