Bickley Mill sits at Stoneycombe, in a wooded valley between Newton Abbot and Torquay, and it has the particular charm of a building that has been working for centuries and has simply been given a new job. The mill has been beautifully restored — whitewashed stone walls, exposed beams, log fires in winter — and the mill stream still runs through the grounds, which is a lovely thing to have trickling away behind a drinks reception. It is run as a country inn with rooms rather than as a dedicated wedding factory, and that is very much to its credit: the welcome feels like hospitality rather than a booking slot.
Weddings centre on the Miller’s Room, which is licensed for civil ceremonies and holds 90 for the ceremony itself, seats 86 for the wedding breakfast and takes up to 150 standing in the evening. Outside there are large manicured gardens with decking and an outdoor bar for the hours between the ceremony and dinner, and a rustic barn on the grounds that photographers make excellent use of. Food comes from the inn’s own kitchen, which has a solid reputation in its own right — this is a place people drive to for dinner on an ordinary Tuesday, which is always a good sign for a wedding menu.
There are 13 bedrooms sleeping 26, including a honeymoon suite, so the heart of the party can stay put and roll straight into breakfast. Between the valley setting, the stream and the log fires, it suits couples who want something intimate and characterful rather than grand, and it works particularly well for a smaller guest list where a big barn would feel half-empty.
Where the band plays
A converted mill is a small, solid room — thick walls, low beams, a compact footprint — and that is excellent for atmosphere and unforgiving of a band that turns up with a full festival rig. A three- or four-piece, set up sensibly, will do far more here than a larger act squeezed into a corner, and the closeness of the room means the dancing starts early and stays put. Live music and DJs are both welcome, and the room’s hard surfaces mean nobody needs to push for volume.
Ask about the usable stage area before you settle on a line-up. At a venue like this it is often the deciding factor, ahead of guest numbers or finish times, and it is a question the team will answer straight away.
How the evening runs
Evenings here run to midnight, so a band gets a full two sets and the night finishes properly rather than fading out early. Rooms on site mean nobody is drifting off for taxis at 11.30pm, which keeps the floor busy right to the end.
One thing worth raising when you book: the mill sits in a village setting with neighbours reasonably close, so ask whether there is a sound limiter in place and what it is set to. It is a routine question, venues are used to it, and knowing the answer in advance lets your band plan rather than improvise.
Bands available in Devon and perfectly at home in a venue like this.
More live music in Devon.
- Devon Wedding Bands
- Events Bands in Devon
- Tribute Acts in Devon
- Devon Wedding DJs
- Corporate Entertainment in Devon
Worth reading before you book: Sound Limiters Explained. More questions answered on our England & Wales FAQs.