The Victorian-style farmhouse and barn were built in 1788 by the prominent Berry family. The Berrys located their homestead upon a hill and away from the road, which today offers privacy rarely found with historic structures.
 

For 200 years, the property was run primarily as a farm. By 1987, a proposal was put forth to turn the 236 acres into a country club. 

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The plans for the Victorian Country Club at Chichester consisted of an 18-hole golf course with pro shop, function hall, health spa, driving range, indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, baseball field, heliport, and country inn. In 1988, eighteen holes were cut and in the fall of that year, the first wedding was held on the property.  However, a turn in the economy halted further progress until 1993 when a local family, recognizing its potential, purchased the property.

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The new owners renamed the property ‘Dell-Lea’, which  means “woods and meadows” in Old English, and set forth to make it into a premier New Hampshire wedding venue. They held their first wedding in June of 1993 and continued to host weddings for the next 23 years. 

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The most significant renovations during their tenure occurred in 2014, which included an addition to the original barn, a major kitchen renovation, a bar extension, bathrooms updates, and the installation of a heating and air conditioning system. In the summer of 2016, stewardship of Dell-Lea Weddings & Events was passed to David and Toutou Marsden.

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With a combined professional experience of 50 years, David’s and Toutou’s fresh ideas, commitment to customer service, their penchant for great food, and down-to-earth approach quickly catapulted Dell-Lea Weddings & Events to the short list of highly sought-after wedding venues in New Hampshire. David and Toutou are involved in all aspects of the family-owned and operated Dell-Lea and are on-site for most weddings.