ROOMS

As a unique country retreat, every one of our 42 bedrooms has it’s own character.

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FOOD

We have chosen a fine selection to complement the charm and romance of our English countryside setting.

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CONFERENCE

As Derbyshire’s leading venue for conference, we offer a boardroom & five meeting rooms.

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Priest House Wedding Header

WEDDINGS

With our beautiful rooms, and riverside setting, expect nothing less than perfection for your dream wedding.

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Cottage Bedroom Priest House WEB

PARK & FLY

We are close to East Midlands Airport, check out our park & fly packages and enjoy a night away before you fly away.

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Priest House Gift Vouchers

VOUCHERS

Treat someone special with a gift voucher

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SET IN A TRANQUIL AND STUNNING LOCATION ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER TRENT, THE PRIEST HOUSE’S HISTORY IS A RICH ONE THAT CAN BE TRACED BACK ALMOST 1,000 YEARS.

Built around a mill tower with its very own water wheels, this 42 bedroom hotel is perfectly placed for a romantic break, an exclusive conference venue or a picture perfect wedding.

We’ve hand-picked a fine selection of food and drink to compliment the charm and romance of our English Countryside setting.

Fine dine in our beautiful restaurant dining room or relax in our newly renovated Millstream Brasserie where you can enjoy al fresco dining overlooking the River Trent in the Summer months.

We permit fishing on our privately owned riverside within the hotel grounds for all residents of the hotel.

We invite you to come and relax and really feel at home with us.

NOW UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

Share in our History…

The Norman Mill Tower of The Priest House on the River, and the water wheels, are all that is left of a Mill Complex which dates back to the time of the Doomsday Book, when it was valued at “Ten Shillings and a Penny”.

The crown owned it until 1581 when Queen Elizabeth I granted the land to Edward Ferrers and Francis Phillips.

The area became known as “Kings Mills” when, for a brief time, the power of the water wheels was used to “stamp” coins of realm.

There were originally five Water Mills, which were used for “Fulling” (taking greasiness out of woollen cloth) and for grinding corn. When a windmill was built in Castle Donington in 1672 trade suffered, so in 1680 one of the Mills became a Paper Mill. Later, a second became a Plaster Mill and then a third began trade as a Button Factory. Only three Mills remained in business.

Loyalist garrisons in the Civil War, the Mills were besieged on February 15th, 1664 and it seems likely that the main defending forces were in The Priest House. After taking the cliff, the Roundheads “beat down the windows and stormed in”.

The Mills were destroyed by a fire in 1927; the tenants at the time were Bass, Ratcliffe and Gretton. By the time the Burton-on-Trent Fire Brigade arrived it was too late to save anything but The Norman Tower of The Priest House today.

priest house short history ii
priest house short history i

Find Us

The Priest House by the River

Kings Mills

Castle Donington

Derbyshire

DE74 2RR

Drop us a Line

Don’t be shy! Let us know if you have any questions.

OPENING TIMES

Bar

Open daily 12 noon till late

Afternoon Tea

Served daily 12 noon-3.00pm

Lunches

Served daily 12 noon-3.00pm

Dinner

Served daily 6.00pm-9.00pm