Venue hire at Laughton Lodge
Shawfield is a versatile event space and retreat venue in the East Sussex countryside. It is set within the 23 acres of meadows, woodland, and gardens that surround Laughton Lodge – a residential community on the edge of the South Downs, 15 minutes from Lewes and 30 minutes from Brighton. Shawfield is a welcoming venue with lots of character, beautiful views, and a peaceful rural setting.
We have a large sprung-floor hall, a professional kitchen, dining room, music room, five guest rooms, and outdoor space including a patio with a fire pit. We regularly host weekend retreats, midweek classes, rehearsals and workshops.
Shawfield is ideal for:
- Residential weekend and multi-day retreats (dance, yoga, pilates, creative arts, wellbeing)
- Creative residencies and writing retreats
- Regular weekly or fortnightly classes and groups
- Spiritual, ceremonial, and contemplative gatherings
- Rehearsals, recordings, and creative projects
- Small team away days and planning retreats
The Hall
12.8m × 8.7m · sprung wooden floor · pitched roof
Our largest space: a bright, high-ceilinged room with a sprung wooden floor and exposed beams. Ideal for movement work, large group sessions, performances and gatherings.
The Music Room
9m × 6.3m · meadow view · sprung floor
A warm, versatile room with wonderful natural light and views over the meadow. Popular with regular class groups, rehearsals and smaller workshops. Our most frequently booked space.
The Dining Room & Kitchen
Dining: 8.5m × 8m · Kitchen: 6m × 4m · wood burner · patio doors
A comfortable dining room with sofas, wood burner and patio doors opening onto the meadow. The adjoining professional kitchen is fully equipped for group catering – we use it ourselves for community meals throughout the year. The dining room tables can be moved around and the space used for meetings or group activities.
The Games Room
11m × 4m · sofas · full-height windows
A flexible, cosy space with sofas and full-height windows overlooking the meadow. Ideal for meetings, breakout sessions or smaller groups.
The Sun Lounge & Patio
8.5m × 3.8m · fire pit · meadow view
A glass-fronted lounge opening onto a patio with fire pit, overlooking the meadow. Perfect for informal gatherings, meals outside or evening conversation around the fire. Available by arrangement as part of a wider booking.
Pricing
| Space | Weekend | Weekday | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Half day | Full day | Hourly | Half day | Full day | |
| Hall | £20 | £80 | £160 | £10 | £40 | £80 |
| Music Room | £17 | £68 | £135 | £8.50 | £34 | £67.50 |
| Dining + Kitchen | £17 | £68 | £135 | £8.50 | £34 | £67.50 |
| Games Room | £12 | £45 | £90 | £6 | £22.50 | £45 |
Half day = 4 hours · Full day = 8 hours · Weekday rates apply Monday – Friday until 17:00
Sun Lounge & Patio available by arrangement · Block-booking rates available for regular classes
Accommodation
For residential events, we have five guest rooms in Shawfield, sleeping up to nine people in total. Rooms are simple and comfortable, with shared shower and kitchen facilities.
Where guest rooms are fully booked, or for larger groups, camping is available in our meadow (April–September). Some community members also offer rooms in their homes for event guests.
| Room | Sleeps | Facilities | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest Room 1 | 2 | Double bed, toilet, sink | £40 |
| Guest Room 2 | 3 | Double bed + single bed | £40 |
| Guest Room 3 | 1 | Single bed, sink | £20 |
| Guest Room 4 | 1 | Single bed, sink | £20 |
| Guest Room 5 | 2 | Double bed, desk | £25 |
| Camping | — | Pitch your own tent in the meadow (April–September). Children free. | £11 per adult |
| Campervan | — | Pitch in the meadow (April–September) | £15 |
How to book
Check availability on our booking calendar for your dates and preferred spaces first. Then contact us via the contact page. If some spaces show as booked during your preferred dates do reach out anyway as sometimes we can move things around.
Most weekends book up 2-3 months in advance, particularly between March and August. Midweek availability is generally good year-round.
For directions, catering options, accessibility information, and our cancellation policy, see our practical information page.