The story so far

  1. 1991

    Training came first

    Jane started running training courses in the old hay barn, which is as old as the farm itself.

  2. 2009

    The first wedding

    A couple who’d been on one of Jane’s courses asked if they could get married here. We said yes, and we haven’t stopped since.

  3. 2012

    The oval room

    We added the oval room, with large bifold doors and unobstructed views of Pendle Hill.

  4. 2014

    Looking after the land

    Sustainability became part of how we run things, from biomass heating to solar power. We’ve now planted over 30,000 trees on the estate.

  5. 2020

    The year we don’t talk about

    One good thing came out of it: the permanent stretch tent on the bar terrace, so guests have covered seating whatever the weather.

  6. 2021

    The Farmhouse

    The Backhouse family home became the Farmhouse, so couples, family and friends could stay on site.

  7. 2022

    Wedding Venue of the Year

    We were named Wedding Venue of the Year at the Lancashire Tourism Awards.

  8. 2022

    Christmas Markets

    We hosted our first Christmas Markets, giving local makers and businesses a place to show their talents.

  9. 2025

    The lodges

    Five luxury lodges opened their doors: Roe, Fallow, Hare, Grouse and Robin.

  10. 2026

    Bees on the estate

    Our first bee hives arrived, joining the wildflowers we’ve planted across the estate.

Our Story

The Out Barn sits on the Backhouse family farm in the Ribble Valley. Harry is a third-generation farmer here, and the old hay barn is as old as the farm itself: you’ll find it on the very first Ordnance Survey maps.

Training came first. Jane started running courses in the barn in 1991, and in 2009 a couple who’d been on one of them asked if they could get married here. We said yes, and we haven’t stopped since.

The family that farms the land still lives here. Henry grew up on the estate and now runs The Out Barn, with a team who know every corner of the place.

Group of six young adults, three men and three women, posing outdoors in front of a wooden structure with glass doors, wearing black jackets with logos, smiling at the camera.
Henry

Meet the Team

Henry Backhouse

Managing Director

Having grown up on the land Henry knows the place inside out. He’s spent years growing the business with his family from the ground up. Henry plays a huge role in each and every wedding day behind the scenes. When he’s not managing The Out Barn, Henry enjoys skiing, spending time with his family and motorbiking.

Chris Best, Operations Manager

Chris Best

Operations Manager

Chris has worked in hospitality for over 15 years in various venues including Michelin Star Restaurant, Northcote. Chris became part of the team in 2021. Since joining the barn he has overseen many weddings and looks after our team of staff. Outside of work Chris enjoys getting outdoors, fine dining and karaoke.

Alice

Alice Schofield

Events and Marketing Manager

Alice joined the team in 2017 as a waitress and showed a love for content creating and event planning. Alice then went on to complete a Degree Apprenticeship with The Out Barn and has continued to grow with the business. Outside of work Alice enjoys getting creative, spending time with her family and dog walking.

Aimee

Aimee Johnson

Wedding Coordinator

Aimee joined us at the start of 2024 and is one of our Wedding Coordinators. When Aimee joined us she had just returned from time away in Australia where she worked in a venue gaining valuable experience. Outside of work Aimee enjoys dog walks, travelling and being creative.

Jess

Jess Gudgeon

Wedding Coordinator

Jess has worked in hospitality for over 10 years, with 7 of those spent at the Michelin Star Restaurant, Northcote. Jess joined our team in 2022 and has fallen in love with running weddings and helping couples’ dreams become a reality. Outside of work Jess enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with family.

Jane & Harry

Jane & Harry

The Backhouses

Where it all started…

Harry is a third-generation farmer who has lived on the farm all his life and is passionate about evolving the barn and continuing to create sustainable solutions for the business. His wife Jane started running training courses in the barn in 1991, and in 2009 a couple from one of her courses asked to hold their wedding here. The Backhouses turned their family home into accommodation for weddings which Jane now manages.

Although the pair may not be involved as heavily with the weddings these days they are always a big part of the Out Barn family.

Sustainability

Sustainability Diagram

We’re a working farm first, and we look after the land like one. Over 30,000 trees have been planted on the estate, the venue is heated by a biomass boiler, and solar panels help power it.

Wildflower planting and, since 2026, our own bee hives help bring wildlife back across the estate.

The family that farms the land still lives here. When you take over the estate for your wedding weekend, you’re staying on a working farm, not in a function suite.

Regenerative Tourism

A group of nine smiling people standing outdoors on grass with a scenic background of trees and distant hills under cloudy skies.
A woman pouring wine at a decorated banquet table during a celebration or wedding reception, with guests seated and a backdrop of large windows and greenery.
A woman pins a yellow sunflower boutonniere onto a young man in a blue suit at an indoor event, with other formally dressed people in the background.
Two women, one in a wedding dress and the other in a brown jacket and black pants, walk hand-in-hand on a gravel path outside on a cloudy day, surrounded by trees and bushes with a green field and sky in the background.
A group of ten people in formal attire standing together on a stage with a starry background, celebrating an award or achievement.
A woman in a checkered shirt pours a drink at a decorated dinner party with other guests seated, floral centerpieces, and hanging lights.
A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a black blazer and white top, holding papers and smiling indoors near a large window with plants and natural light.
A woman with long brown hair smiling and taking a photo with her phone in a room with large windows and a variety of bottles on a table.
A woman smiling and holding a pen with a clipboard is sitting at a round wooden table with two glasses of rosé. She is engaging in conversation with two people who are partially visible, one of whom is holding a glass of rosé.
Three people standing together in front of a wooden wall, smiling and holding drinks.

 FAQs

Come and meet us

See the estate for yourself

The best way to get a feel for the place is to walk it. Book a showround and we’ll show you the barn, the Farmhouse and the lodges, and answer every question you’ve got.

Book a showround

  • Training came first: Jane started running courses in the barn in 1991. In 2009 a couple who'd been on one of those courses asked if they could get married here, and that was our first wedding. The oval room was added in 2012, and we've been growing ever since.

  • You'll have a dedicated Wedding Coordinator, alongside managers and a bar and waiting team of around five or six people.