The Shireburn Arms is a 17th-century inn in the village of Hurst Green, on the edge of the Forest of Bowland and squarely inside an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has been looking after travellers for something like four centuries, and while the interior has been brought thoroughly up to date, the period bones of the building are still very much in evidence. It is the kind of venue people describe as relaxed, and they mean it as high praise — this is a wedding that feels like a very good day out rather than a formal production.
The view is what sells it. The south-facing terrace and gardens look out over the Ribble Valley, and on a decent afternoon the drinks reception more or less runs itself; guests wander out with a glass and simply stay there. Photographers love it for the same reason. The Ribble Room is the licensed ceremony space, holding up to 110, and the same number sit down for the wedding breakfast, with up to 150 joining for the evening.
There are 21 individually designed bedrooms, with a premium suite reserved for the couple, so the wedding party and a good number of guests can stay in the building. The in-house chefs work with locally sourced produce and build menus in consultation rather than handing over a set list, and the team here were named North West Events Team of the Year in 2026, which is a fair reflection of the reviews. Packages start from £4,295. Silent fireworks only, and no Chinese lanterns, which is the Bowland countryside asserting itself again.
Where the band plays
At 110 seated and up to 150 in the evening, this is a room that suits a compact, punchy band rather than a large production — a four-piece will fill it comfortably and keep the floor busy, where a bigger line-up would end up playing to the back wall. The character of an old inn means beams, alcoves and interesting angles, all of which are lovely to look at and worth discussing with the band in advance so the stage area and the dancefloor end up somewhere sensible. An acoustic set out on the terrace during drinks, with the valley behind, is one of the best uses of live music anywhere in Lancashire.
How the evening runs
The inn does not publish a fixed finish for weddings, so agree it when you book — village-centre venues often have their own rhythm and it is better known early than discovered late. The typical shape is vows in the Ribble Room, drinks on the terrace for as long as the light holds, dinner, and then the evening reception with more guests arriving.
For load-in, this is a village inn rather than a purpose-built venue, so access is through the building rather than a service door, and parking for a band’s van needs arranging. Worth asking too about volume limits, given the bedrooms above and neighbours close by.
Bands available in Lancashire and perfectly at home in a venue like this.
More live music in Lancashire.
- Wedding Bands in Lancashire
- Events Bands in Lancashire
- Lancashire Tribute Acts
- Lancashire Wedding DJs
- Lancashire Corporate Entertainment
Worth reading before you book: Sound Limiters Explained. More questions answered on our England & Wales FAQs.